Squash, eggplant, tomatoes and peppers are plentiful. There’s nothing better than seasoned grilled vegetables served over rice or rolled up in a tortilla. Sometimes I just coat them in a drizzle of olive oil and season with salt, pepper and spices before grilling.

Depending on my mood, I usually use oregano and thyme, however, a little turmeric and cumin give them an Indian-cuisine flair.

When grilling beef, I like to marinade the tougher cuts. In that case, I use a sauce – either store-bought or making my own.

Teriyaki Beef and Vegetable Kabobs
1/3 c. soy sauce
1/3 c. rice wine vinegar
1/3 c. brown sugar
1-1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
2 tsp. garlic, minced
2 club (or strip) steaks, bone, excess fat and connective tissues removed
1 onion, large cubed
4-5 squash (any variety), large cubed
1 pint, large grape tomatoes
2 bell peppers (green or red), large cubed
small package button mushrooms
2 Tbsp. avocado oil, or vegetable oil

Mix the ingredients soy sauce through garlic together to make the marinade. Reserve about a third of a cup for the vegetables. Cut the club steaks into 1-inch cubes. Place in a sealable bag and pour in the marinade. Refrigerate for 4-8 hours. Massage the contents periodically to make sure the marinade is evenly distributed.

In a separate bag, pour the reserved marinade and oil. Add chopped vegetables and massage to coat all. Marinate for about one hour.

When ready to cook, heat the grill for 10-15 minutes on high while preparing the skewers. I use metal skewers, but if using wooden, soak in water for 30 minutes before use.

I also skewer the meat separate from the vegetables. I prefer the vegetables to still have a little crunch, so I remove them once they have grill marks. I think that’s especially important with the squash and tomatoes since they can get really mushy when cooked too long.

For the meat, cook each kabob for about 10-15 minutes, making a quarter turn every 3-4 minutes. If the meat sticks to the grill when turning, wait. Generally the meat will release when it’s time to turn.

A sauce can be made with the leftover marinade. It is really important to bring it to a boil and then simmer for around 10 minutes to ensure all the meat juices have cooked.

Let the beef kabobs rest for 10 minutes. Then serve vegetables and beef over rice, drizzling with a little of the cooked marinade sauce.

The marinade can also be used with fruit. Just toss pitted peach halves, pineapple chunks, mango and even cantaloupe with marinade and then skewer.

Watch them closely and cook just until the grill marks show. The salty sweetness of the grilled fruits is amazing with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.