Grilled Vegetables, Breads and Spreads

a vegetarian feast for the gods with a side of meat for the carnivores

There are so many schools of thought when it comes to food. Vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, flexitarian, paleo, the list can go on. I personally subscribe to the “listen to your body” way of eating. Some days I want a FIVE GUYS cheeseburger with the works (two days ago, with fries I might add) and other days, I want to devour a chopped salad straight out of the mixing bowl. I happen to have a lot of vegetarian friends and most of them are serious food lovers. In fact, for the year that we lived in Asheville, NC prior to rooting down here in Georgia, I was cooking a weekly family meal for us, my father-in-law and my mother-in-law who happens to be a vegetarian. Once a week I would try to figure out a meal that was seasonal, delicious and would be enjoyed by all. My husband and father-in-law are carnivores, so it got tricky but creating hybrid meals that had components or sides of animal proteins along with a few kick ass sauces or dips always seemed to do the trick. 

Summer vegetables are having their moment and I’d like to take this moment to highlight some of them and inspire you with a recipe that will please all the palettes. Eggplant, peppers, corn, and summer squash are all begging for your attention these days and you should be able to find them readily. When picking eggplant, you want it firm to the touch and with no bruising. You also want to look for eggplant that has a green or green-ish stem. If that stem is looking brown, put it back. If you see fresh corn at your local grocery store, grab some, again, making sure it feels heavy, the husks are tight and that it looks fresh. When grabbing summer squash my suggestions are to grab the smaller squash because you want more of the flavor and less water. The squash skin should be firm with no dents or bruises. 

The colors alone in this meal will get the mouths watering. Leftovers are just insane tossed in a chopped salad or on some bread with a smear of goat cheese for the grilled veggie sandwich of your dreams. Both dips will last in your fridge for a few days and use them with eggs, on bread, with pasta, endless possibilities. This could be your summer spread…grab some stone fruit and a pint of vanilla ice cream and this is a dinner party I’d like to be invited to. I added a pack of sausages for my meat lovers here so if you are serving a group of guests that also like meat, I highly suggest this move. You can really go to town and upgrade it with a bowl of olives or some fancy cheeses but whatever you do, don’t skip the whipped burrata. I cook these veggies and the flatbread on an outdoor gas grill, but this can totally be done indoors on a grill pan too! If you’re craving grilled meat this week check out my Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Peach and Halloumi Salad, the Grilled Sesame Chicken with Mango Mint Salsa or Chicken Zucchini Burgers.

Next week, I’ll be traveling to NYC for a week of exploring and eating and can’t wait to share my latest recommendations with you. Until then, have a great week and eat your veggies!! Tag me in any of your creations, I love to see what you make!

Grilled Veg, Breads, and Spreads Board

Equipment Needed:

• Food Processor

• Knife and Cutting Board

• a silicone brush

• aluminum foil

• grill or grill pan

• tongs

• A big wooden board or serving platter and two small bowls for dips

Ingredients: