I grew up in a house that considered a potato a vegetable.  Salad was iceberg lettuce with packaged croutons and bacon bits.  Other veggie options included canned green beans with bacon and boiled broccoli with melted Velveeta cheese.  mmmm.

I was fortunate enough to have veggie-loving roommates in San Francisco who also knew how to cook.  The secret to making veggies taste good is:  1.  buy (or grow) really good veggies; 2.  do as little as possible to them so you enhance, not kill or smother, their flavor.

Now that spring is here everyone wants to grill - so here's my little recipe for grilled vegetables.  Everyone in my family loves these - even the cattle farmer!

1.  Get a pile of veggies you like.  I usually use eggplant, zucchini, and a variety of bell peppers.
2.  Cut them in a way so they'll hold up on the grill but not get burned too fast (eggplant takes longer - cut slices about 1/3" thick.  Zucchini and peppers are a little faster.  I cut zucchini in slices lengthwise and cut the peppers into eighths).
3.  Pour a little olive oil over the veggies (you want them to glisten, but you don't want them drenched), then sprinkle on some spices.  You can use fresh or dried.  I like black pepper, oregano, basil, and a little thyme.
4.  Throw them on the grill and watch them carefully.  They'll be done in 5-10 minutes, depending on the veggie, heat of the grill, and how you cut them.

My family's grilling this weekend and oh - look at that!  My brother just send me a text asking me to bring some veggies!