Spicy Tuesday – Grilled Veggies with Pesto – Cayenne Pepper

by | Aug 10, 2022 | Appetizers, Spicy Tuesday

Best Veggies for the Grill

No Grill? All these veggies can be roasted in a 400F Oven.

  • Sliced Eggplant
  • Sliced Fennel, (Held together with bamboo skewers)
  • Halved Baby Bella Mushrooms
  • Radicchio in Quarters
  • Red Peppers
  • Poblano Peppers
  • Vidalia Onions
  • Zucchini
  • Yellow Squash
  • Asparagus
  • Green Onions

Three Tips to Vegetable Grilling Success

  1. Slice the vegetables the same thickness so they cook at the same rate
  2. Put oil on the vegetables before grilling, and season with salt and pepper
  3. Close the lid.Closing the lid of your grill creates the same environment as an oven, baking the vegetables as they lightly char.

Serve these veggies up with easy basil pesto. If you’d like it to be creamier, simply stir in a couple of tablespoons of ricotta.

*Easy Basil Pesto

  • 2 Cups Basil Leaves
  • ½ Cup Chopped Toasted Pine Nuts, Almonds or Walnuts
  • ¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • ½ Tsp Sea Salt
  • ¼ Tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • 1 Garlic Clove
  • 3 – 4 TB Grated Parmesan Cheese

In a food processor, blend the ingredients together until smooth.

* We are not adding the cayenne to make it hot, simply to add a tiny zip that will “point” up or make the other flavors sing. Cayenne, is a ground chile or a chile powder. It’s actually a healthy seasoning with significant amounts of beneficial nutrients. To start, it has Vitamin A, Vitamin C, potassium, phosphorus, and a small amount of calcium.  Research shows that capsaicin, found in chili peppers/powders, has an anti-inflammatory effect, which may help ease arthritic swelling and pain.

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