Add Flair to Your BBQ With Vegetarian Fare

Chef Aikens' Party Paella
Grilled Rustic Roll-Up
Pollo Pomodoro Panini

(Family Features) - There's nothing quite like the delicious flavor of food cooked on a grill and enjoyed with family and friends to make a meal feel like a celebration. The same old burgers and dogs may get tiring after a while, though. If your barbecue fare needs a little flair, try adding in veggies. Now more than ever, a variety of foods are being enjoyed on the grill. It's never been easier to serve up healthful and delicious dishes for a backyard barbecue.

Whether you're entertaining friends or preparing a pleasing family dinner, there are plenty of vegetarian grilled recipe options to tempt your taste buds. Sensational veggie side dishes, zesty burgers and veggie skewers add a twist to the traditional barbeque.

Celebrity chef and cookbook author Curtis Aikens uses seasonal vegetables like peas, peppers, potatoes, corn and beans in summer, and squash, broccoli, carrots and onions in autumn to liven up his menu.

"It's so easy to make great veggie foods all year-round," Aikens said. "I want people to see veggies differently because there are so many delicious recipes and flavors available, your taste buds will never get bored!"

Chef Aikens suggests a tangy combination of fresh baby spinach, tomatoes, cheeses, garlic, basil and olive oil to dress up grilled vegetarian Chik'n Parmesan sandwiches. Bring some paella to the party with his colorful vegetarian dish that uses vegetable stock as a flavorful base. Looking for a refreshing twist on a traditional wrap? Chef Aikens recommends creating a zesty mixture of marinated vegetables with either strips of Morningstar Farms Spicy Black Bean Veggie Burgers or Garden Veggie Patties and wrapping them in a flour tortilla.

For more easy recipes and fun food ideas, visit www.seeveggiesdifferently.com.

Chef Aikens' Party Paella
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Time to Table: 35 minutes
Makes: 12 cups, 8 servings

2 cups finely chopped fresh green beans
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 teaspoons olive oil or vegetable oil
4 cups vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups chopped tomatoes
2 cups long grain rice
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 8-ounce package Morningstar Farms Meal Starters Chik'n Strips

1. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook and stir green beans, onion and garlic in hot oil over medium-high heat about 5 minutes, or until tender.
2. Carefully stir in broth, tomatoes, rice, paprika and turmeric. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 18 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is nearly absorbed.
3. Stir in Chik'n Strips. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through. Serve immediately.

Grilled Rustic Roll-Up
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Time to Table: 90 minutes
Makes: 8 servings

2 small yellow summer squash (3 to 4 ounces each)
1 medium eggplant (about 12 ounces)
3 1/2-inch-thick onion slices
1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
4 Morningstar Farms Garden Veggie Patties (with more veggies) or Morningstar Farms Spicy Black Bean Veggie Burgers (with roasted corn)
8 9-inch flour tortillas, warmed
2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers (2 ounces)

1. Cut each squash lengthwise into 3/8-inch-thick slices. Cut eggplant lengthwise into 12 slices. Place squash, eggplant and onion slices in large resealable plastic bag. Drizzle with soy sauce, orange juice and olive oil; seal bag. Place in shallow pan; refrigerate 1 to 12 hours, turning occasionally. Drain vegetables. Discard marinade.
2. Coat cold grill rack with nonstick coating; preheat grill. Place burgers and onion slices on grill rack over medium heat; grill 3 minutes. Add eggplant slices to grill rack; grill 3 minutes more. Add squash slices to grill rack. Continue grilling 5 to 6 minutes or until vegetables are tender and burgers are heated through, turning once.
3. Cut burgers into strips. Separate onion slices into rings. Cut squash and eggplant slices into strips. Top tortillas with burger strips, onion rings, squash strips, eggplant strips, lettuce and cheese; roll-up. Horizontally cut each in half.

Note: Recipe makes 18 tablespoons marinade. Three tablespoons of marinade is absorbed by vegetables; remaining marinade is discarded (but is needed to coat vegetables).

Pollo Pomodoro Panini
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Time to Table: 25 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

2 tablespoons finely shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 1/4-inch-thick slices firm-textured tomato
1 8- to 9-inch focaccia, cut into fourths and split horizontally*
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 Morningstar Farms Chik Patties Original
4 slices mozzarella cheese (about 1 ounce each)
(optional)
1 cup baby spinach leaves

1. In small bowl, combine Parmesan cheese, basil and garlic. Sprinkle over one side of each tomato slice. Set aside.
2. Brush cut sides of focaccia with olive oil; set aside.
3. Coat cold grill rack with nonstick coating; preheat grill. Place patties on grill rack over medium heat. Grill 6 minutes, turn patties, grill 2 minutes more. Top each patty with cheese slice, if desired. Place tomato slices, Parmesan side up, and bread pieces, oil side down, alongside patties on grill rack. Grill about 2 minutes more or until cheese begins to melt and bread begins to brown.**
4. Arrange spinach on half of the bread pieces. Top with patties, tomato slices and remaining bread pieces. Serve immediately.

*If desired, substitute one ciabatta loaf for the focaccia.

**If desired, prepare in oven. Bake patties according to package directions. Top each patty with cheese during the last minute of baking, if desired. Remove from oven; keep warm. Place tomato slices, Parmesan side up, and bread pieces, oil side up, on shallow baking pan. Broil 4 inches from heat 3 to 4 minutes or until cheese begins to melt and bread begins to brown. Assemble sandwiches as directed above. Serve immediately.

SOURCE: Morningstar Farms