Healthy Memorial Day Side Dishes

Memorial Day kicks off the beginning of summer in a tasty way. What I love best is not grilling the requisite hamburgers and hot dogs for my family on Memorial Day picnic, but whipping up some seasonal side dishes.

Grilled Summer Vegetable Kabobs

This zesty summer picnic side dish should take about 20 minutes to prepare. Marinade for at least two hours or overnight. Cook on the grill for 12 minutes before serving. Serves four to six.

4 zucchini
2 yellow squash
six carrots
1 red pepper
1 green pepper

Marinade

⅓ cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
salt to taste, or not

Slice the zucchini and squash into circles. Peel the carrots, cut in half and then in half again. Cut the peppers into strips.
Pierce the vegetables with skewers and line them up in the bottom of a dish. Pour the marinade over the vegetables. Grill when ready.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Strawberries start becoming more plentiful in the spring. Preparation time is under 20 minutes and the dish serves about eight.

1 bag baby spinach
1 pound strawberries
2 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese (optional)
Unsalted walnuts

Wash, rinse and dry baby spinach leaves and the strawberries. Toss them together. Drizzle on a store-bought raspberry vinaigrette before serving. Garnish with chopped walnuts and small chunks of fresh mozzarella cheese.

Knightly Asparagus

Grill some sword-like asparagus spears wrapped in prosciutto, which is a good substitute for bacon according to the Mayo Clinic.

1 bunch of asparagus
12 slices of Prosciutto, sliced in half lengthwise
4 oz. fat-free or low-sodium feta cheese

Wrap sprinkle feta cheese on prosciutto and wrap one or two asparagus spears inside. Secure with wooden toothpicks and grill for seven minutes. Serves 20-24.

The Eggs Have It!

1 dozen eggs
2 avocados
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon lime juice
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Hard boil the eggs, cool, cut in half and remove the yolks. Make a mixture of the avocado, lemon juice and spices. Stuff the hard boiled eggs with the avocado. Sprinkle with Kosher salt. Serves 24.

Crazy for Beans Salad

1 cup fresh green beans, chopped
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can white beans
1 can garbanzo beans
1 fresh carrot, chopped
1 red onion, peeled and chopped
Italian dressing

Rinse beans, mix with veggies and toss with Italian dressing. Add salt and pepper (to taste). Serves 10. Fresh cilantro and parsley are optional.