I love cooking. I really do. But when it's summertime, I find myself much less inclined to spend time in the kitchen—summer is so short and fleeting in my part of the world, I feel like I must carpe diem the hell out of it and spend every possible minute outside.
It's hard for a foodie to be inside when these beauties are in bloom!
The month of July, therefore, is dedicated to meals that can be prepared quickly or grilled. This grilled vegetable salad is absolutely scrumptious and so simple to prepare. Whip up the dressing and let the vegetables marinate while you happily stare at your flower garden, soaking up the Vitamin D. Toss the vegetables every twenty minutes or so when you need to go inside to refill your chilled glass of wine. Throw the veggies on the grill along with some burgers or "not dogs" for about the amount of time you need to drink another glass of wine, and voila! This amazing side dish is ready!
This salad is even better cold the next day, so I make a huge amount to enjoy later, which means even less time in the kitchen and more time in the garden.
Ingredients:
Place mushrooms, peppers, zucchinis, and cherry tomatoes in a very large bowl. Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, honey, basil, thyme, and garlic. Pour over the vegetables and toss to coat. Allow to marinate for 1-2 hours, stirring and tossing every 20 minutes or so. In a wire vegetable basket, over a medium hot grill, cook for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. No grill? No worries. Pour vegetables and marinade into an oven-safe casserole dish and roast in a 425 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes, until vegetables are tender. This salad is delicious hot or cold, so store leftovers in an airtight container and enjoy for lunch!
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