Here is a quick and easy side dish, perfect for outdoor grilling but can also be pan roasted. A quick marinade gives the asparagus flavor while the grill is pre-heating. A roasting rack would be best to use, as asparagus could easily fall through the grates of the grill.

There is also a skewering technique for asparagus, though it is labor intensive. Keep asparagus whole and skewer both ends. Continue adding asparagus to the skewers until a “raft” is formed with the asparagus. This will prevent the asparagus from falling through the grill grates.

To remove the woody or tough ends of the asparagus, simply grasp the asparagus lightly and bend the stalk. The asparagus will naturally snap where the woody stem ends. At first, it will seem like you are snapping a large amount off of the asparagus, but keep this in mind: it is the tough end that you do not want to eat!

Balsamic Grilled Asparagus

1 lb asparagus, tough ends removed (see above for instructions)
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
generous pinch of salt
cracked black pepper, to taste

Place prepared asparagus in a large ziplock bag. Add remaining ingredients and seal bag. Toss to coat asparagus and let marinade 15-20 minutes. Spread asparagus on grill rack in an even layer and grill for about 5 minutes on each side, or until asparagus is crisp-tender.

Remaining marinade can be used to season meat on the grill, if desired.

If roasting: Preheat oven to 400F and combine all ingredients on a baking sheet. Spread asparagus in an even layer and bake 10-15 minutes, until crisp-tender.

For the first recipe in the Veggie Tales special project, here is a easy to make dish that shows that vegetables can be simple without being bland or boring. This is a great dish to prepare and then roast in the oven while making the rest of the meal. Because the vegetables are so substantial, there is little need to serve with more than an entree, such as chicken, fish, or steak. The wonderful thing about vegetables is that they, quite literally, go with any main dish.

Substitute any available vegetable; the key in roasting the vegetables is to prepare them so they are all roughly the same size and will cook at the same rate. In colder months, use root vegetables (sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips) rather than summer vegetables (zucchini, eggplant, peppers). Other spring and summer vegetables, such as asparagus or green beans, would be good in this dish as well.

Rustic Roasted Vegetables

2 aubergine (baby eggplant) or 1 large eggplant
3 medium zucchini
2 sweet bell peppers, such as red, yellow, or orange
1/2 large sweet onion
1/2 lb baby bella mushrooms
2 cloves of garlic, minced
salt and pepper, to taste
zest of 1 lemon
olive oil
flat-leaf parsley, minced (optional)

Preheat oven to 400F and coat a 13×9 baking dish with cooking spray (or olive oil).

To prepare eggplant, remove cap and stem, then halve lengthwise and cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces. Repeat with zucchini. For peppers, cut into 2-inch wide strips. Place cut side of onion on board and cut in half crosswise, then cut lengthwise into pieces about 2 inches wide. Rinse mushrooms under lukewarm water and halve any large mushrooms.

In prepared 13×9 baking dish, toss prepared vegetables with garlic, salt, pepper, lemon zest, and olive oil. Use enough olive oil so that vegetables are lightly coated. Add minced parsley, if desired.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until vegetables have cooked through and are crisp-tender (or to desired tenderness). If pan dries out, add additional olive oil or water as needed.

Here is a twist on a typical side dish. Instead of a rice pilaf, try it with shredded zucchini. This cooks up quickly and can take the place of a side of rice or couscous, and also works as a side of veggies.

Zucchini is easy to shred using a standard cheese grater. Earthy mushroom and tart apple balance the dish. Toasted almonds would also work well here.

2 large zucchini, shredded
8 oz mushrooms, diced
1 large apple, cored and diced
zest of 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

Heat a small amount of oil in a large skillet. Add mushrooms and saute 3 minutes. Add zucchini to pan and cook an addition 3 minutes. Season to taste with salk and pepper.  Add apple and lemon zest and cook 2-3 minutes until apple is cooked through.

Tip: after cutting, drizzle apple with a small amount of lemon juice to prevent browning.

As part of my return to the kitchen, I came across a recipe for chimichurri sauce and used to create this chicken dish with Argentinean flair.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 recipe Spicy & Smokey Rub
1 recipe Chimichurri Sauce
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
2 garlic cloves, minced
olive oil

Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with foil. Place a baking rack on top of the sheet and foil. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Rub each piece with a small amount of olive oil. Using hands, massage dry rub into meat, coating lightly. Bake for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink.

Meanwhile, prepare Chimichurri Sauce. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a skillet. Add peppers and saute 3-5 minutes, until near tender. Add garlic and saute 1 minute. Add prepared chimichurri sauce and toss with peppers. Cook until sauce is warmed through, then remove from heat.

To serve: slice chicken and spoon peppers and sauce over top.

Here is a rub good to try on chicken breasts or pork chops:

1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp instant espresso powder
Salt and pepper
olive oil

Combine all ingredients but salt, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl. Season meat with salt and pepper. Rub meat with olive oil. Using hands, massage dry rub into meat, coating lightly. Bake or grill meat as desired.

Tip: Wash hands immediately after rubbing (chili powder will stain skin).