Grilling is a fun and healthy way to cook dinner. I like to grill because it is fast and yummy. That means less time cooking, and more time eating together as a family. It seems unbelievable that a 10 year old (me!) uses the grill, but with a few safety rules and precautions, it is pretty safe.

I like to use lean cuts of meat and even vegetables when I grill and I often like to marinate them beforehand. Marinating is a healthy way to bring out flavor in meat that grilling alone just can’t do.  For example, I like my chicken bone in, but if we buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts, I like to marinate or just plain toss the meat in Italian dressing with salt and pepper.

What I mean by “toss” is to put it all in a big bowl right before grilling and mix it around with your hands (yes, that’s what soap is for) making sure that you cover everything pretty evenly. I start with a little dressing, but add more as needed. I also sometimes create a dry rub, which is a wonderful combination of spices and garden herbs that you smother the meat in. Sometimes, if you use brown sugar in a dry rub, it will turn crispy and golden brown.  If you can, I recommend marinating overnight to really bring out the flavor.

For vegetables, I grill zucchini or summer squash.

This recipe is SUPER simple. Just toss the vegetable in olive oil and set aside for later. Do this before you toss the chicken, and then put the vegetables on the grill at the same time as the chicken. When you go to turn the chicken, put a little salt and pepper on the veggies. The best and yummiest way to eat your grilled veggies is still kind of crunchy.

Happy eating!

Chef  Nate