Time to take Meatless Monday outdoors. Because, well, who wants to turn on the oven when it’s hotter than heck?

If you happen to have a shady place to grill, this Meatless Monday’s for you. A sweet marinade peps up season veggies of your choice, which in-season Napa cabbage serves as a cooling addition.

Serve this salad as a main course or use that already-heated grill to do up some veggie burgers and serve the salad on the side. Either way, you can’t go wrong.

Mixed Grill Vegetable Salad

1/4 cup red wine or balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

10-12 cups assorted organic vegetable chunks (for skewering)

1 small head Napa cabbage, chopped (or substitute Romaine lettuce)

Sour cream

1. Make a marinade in a large bowl by combining the vinegar, basil or thyme, mustard and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk in the olive oil in a thin stream. Toss vegetables in the marinade and let stand, tossing occasionally, about 1 hour.

2. Heat coals in an outdoor grill. Skewer the vegetables, one type per skewer. Grill veggies until barely tender, returning them to the marinade as each type is done.

3. Portion the chopped Napa cabbage or romaine onto 4 large plates. Toss the veggies and portion them over lettuce. If desired, drizzle a little of the vegetable marinade over all. Sprinkle each salad with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve with sour cream for dipping veggies as they’re eaten. Serves 4.

— Recipe by Terese Allen for www.organicvalley.coop

p