Janet and Greta Podleski share a flavour-packed, summertime recipe to get fired up about!

Thrill of the grill

Ingredients: 

Salad:

• 1 medium red bell pepper
• 1 medium orange bell pepper
• 1 medium yellow zucchini
• 1 medium green zucchini
• 1 medium red onion
• 2 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed
• 3 cups uncooked whole wheat rotini pasta

Dressing:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup crumbled light feta cheese (2 oz/57g)

Method:

Preheat grill to high setting. Remove seeds and stems from bell peppers and chop into 1-inch chunks. Cut zucchini into ½-inch rounds and chop onion and mushrooms into 1-inch chunks. Spray a grill basket with cooking spray or lightly brush with olive oil. Add vegetables and mix well. Place grill basket over hot coals and close lid. Grill vegetables for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender with nice grill marks.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and keep warm.

In a large serving bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients. Add grilled vegetables and cooked pasta and mix well. Add basil and black pepper and mix again. Serve salad while still warm and top individual servings with crumbled feta cheese and more black pepper, if desired.

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 319 calories, 11 g fat (3.1 g saturated fat), 11 g protein, 46 g carbohydrate, 6.6 g fibre, 13 mg cholesterol, 175 mg sodium

Recipe Tips: As a variation, add 1-inch pieces of fresh asparagus to the vegetable mix and substitute small, whole button mushrooms for the portobellos. Add 1 tbsp basil pesto to the dressing in place of the fresh basil leaves. For a more substantial meal, grill chicken breasts, salmon fillets or shrimp skewers alongside the vegetables. Chop the chicken or salmon into bite-sized pieces and add them to the salad. Finally, non-stick grill basket is a handy, inexpensive piece of cookware that you’ll use again and again. Look for grill baskets wherever barbecues and grilling tools are sold.

Courtesy of Greta and Janet Podleski
http://janetandgreta.com/cookbook/looneyspoons/