Memorial Day is right around the corner and that means for many people the start of the outdoor grill season. What about healthy eating with grilled vegetables?

For me in Tucson, it means I am not getting anywhere near the grill as it’s hot enough already.

I do have a fondness for grilled vegetables and sometimes will fire up the grill around 7 a.m. (after my morning walk) and spend an hour grilling enough food to last me for several days. I do this because I’m lazy and like to mass produce so I can get it all done at once.

Grilled vegetables are the best. You can usually buy them already done in Trader Joe’s or some upscale gourmet markets but they are outrageously expensive for what you get considering that vegetables are relatively inexpensive as compared to salmon or steak.

I usually grill a half dozen baby eggplant (more tender and less bitter than mature eggplant) that I’ve cut lengthwise into halves or thirds. The same can be said for zucchini and butternut squash.

Then I take bell peppers, usually red and green, and cut them into halfs or thirds. A few Anaheim chiles add a bit of spice and some red onions cut into quarters.

This will seem like a mountain of food but trust me — it shrinks. So be generous.

If you like sweet potatoes, I suggest microwaving a few to almost doneness and then slicing lengthwise.

I usually have a spray bottle of a mixture of canola oil, water, and chopped garlic and lightly spray everything before placing on the grill just to add some moisture. If you already have garlic oil on hand, that’s even better.

As soon as the vegetables are ready and removed from the grill, I splash them with a good balsamic vinegar.

That early in the a.m. I don’t feel like eating grilled vegetables unless I throw a few into an omelet. Mostly, I cover with plastic wrap and put in refrigerator. Grilled vegetables are great on sandwiches — try rustic bread lightly spread with goat cheese. Grilled vegetables are super on green salads. Add some sweet cherry tomatoes and a good dressing — citrus or mango would be refreshing. Grilled vegetables can be served lightly heated as a side dish with fish or chicken or a hamburger. Or you can make up a cold rice dish made with nutty brown rice or a combination of grains, grilled vegetables, pine nuts, and a light vinaigrette dressing.

Grilled vegetables are versatile and practically zero calories so enjoy. What vegetables do you grill? How do you use grilled vegetables?