ITALIAN: Grilled Vegetables over Rice

I would call this my first grown-up recipe—the first day I made it and ate it was the first day that I had eaten vegetables and truly enjoyed them. It was the beginning of my recovery from my childhood hatred of vegetables.

1 green bell pepper, cut into wedges
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 cup yellow summer squash, sliced
1 small onion, cut into wedges
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 ½ tsp olive oil
1 ½ tsp fresh oregano, chopped, or ½ tsp dried oregano
1 ½ tsp fresh basil, chopped, or ½ tsp dried basil
¼ tsp salt
1 large tomato, cut into eight wedges
1 cup cooked cannellini beans
4 cups cooked brown rice

1. Prepare and cut vegetables. The vegetables should be approximately the same size so that they are done at the same time. The carrots should be very thin so they will be cooked enough in 10 minutes. Combine in mixing bowl all ingredients, except the tomatoes, rice, and beans. Toss vegetable mixture lightly to glaze the vegetables with olive oil, herbs, and salt.
2. Spoon vegetable mixture onto a broiler pan or cookie sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray. Broil 5 minutes; stir tomatoes and beans into vegetable mixture. Baste with additional marinade and broil for 5 additional minutes, or until vegetables are tender and lightly browned. Tomatoes and beans should be just warmed. If you prefer the tomatoes softer, add at the beginning of the 10 minutes.
3. Serve roasted vegetables over a bed of rice.

From More Choices by Cheryl D. Thomas Peters