By Kathryn Reed

Summer vegetables mean barbecue season. I think I could have grilled veggies every night for dinner.

It’s that savory taste of veggies from the farmers’ market marinated in some concoction that is never the same that makes me love this time of year. Shopping at a farmers’ market is also likely to mean the veggies are never the same because it’s all about buying what is in season.

There is no wrong combo of things to cook together. It’s a matter of what sounds good. Hopefully, you know what tastes good together, too.

The key to a medley of vegetables is a variety of color. All green is not very appetizing no matter how delicious the marinade or the food is.

Peppers are a good way to add color. Carrots are too, though they take longer to cook. Yellow squash, red onions, cauliflower – good to mix with all those green veggies.

Marinades come in all flavors. I tend to mix my own instead of buying something at the store. Ones in the store are often full of sugar, salt and things I cannot pronounce.

As I was wrapping up my summer drink research, I carried over that tropical mindset into a marinade. It turned out pretty darn good.

I don’t list measurements because I didn’t write any down as I was cooking. And the bigger reason is the quantity of marinade needed depends on how many veggies you are grilling.

When making a marinade, it’s safest to do so in a bowl so you taste it before putting it is on the veggies. Then taste a veggie during the day to see how the marinade is holding up. You can adjust flavors as you go along.

I tend to cut up enough to nearly fill a 9 x 13 glass dish. Then I refrigerate the marinating veggies for the better part of the day. Sue grills them up in a basket that is like a wok for the grill, but has holes in it.

This is a main dish for me, but can be a side dish. Served with rice pilaf (I do it from scratch, not a box) and fresh fruit (from the farmers’ market) and a good white wine (from the foothills) and it’s a delicious meal – and you are eating sustainably.

Summer Marinade

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

Juice of several limes

Juice of 1 lemon

Several cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch green onions, chopped

Olive oil, as needed

Rum, not too much

Garlic salt, lightly season

Mix ingredients together in a bowl. Pour over chopped vegetables when flavor is just right. Refrigerate a few hours before cooking.