Edmonton has been HOT this week. While I have been relishing the heatwave, I think this weather calls for a delicious meal that involves no cooking indoors – Grilled Sausage & Vegetables.  Say no to the oven, and hello to a cooler house. Here is an awesome, healthy, one-dish meal that you can grill outside on the BBQ. It presents beautifully, and is full of the bounty of harvest available this time of year. Thanks to Spolumbo’s and my parents Barb and Floyd for the recipe inspiration! We shared this yummy meal out on the deck a few weeks back while entertained by hummingbirds and ospreys hunting for fish in the lake. Feel free to adapt the vegetables in this recipe to what you have on hand or bursting forth from your garden.

Ingredients:

• 4-8 higher welfare, organic sausages of your choice (TK Ranch and Sunworks Farm have many delicious options)
• 1 medium organic onion
• 2 organic red, orange, or yellow peppers
• 6 organic carrots
• 3 organic potatoes or 1 organic sweet potato
• 1/2 head of organic broccoli
• 2 small organic zucchinis
• 5-6 small patty pan squash
• 8-10 cherry tomatoes
• Fresh organic basil and rosemary
• Organic olive oil
• 2 TBSP white balsamic vinegar
• Sea salt and pepper

Make it:

1. Light your BBQ and heat to medium-high. Chop the veggies into bite-sized chunks, and mince the herbs, keeping the carrots, onion and potato separate from the other veggies in their own bowl. To the bowl without carrots, onions and potatoes, add the fresh cut herbs and balsamic vinegar. Toss both sets of veggies lightly in olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper.
2. BBQ the sausages until lightly grilled.
3. Place a grill plate on the BBQ, allow it to heat, and lightly spray with olive oil. Place the sausages around the perimeter to continue cooking. Add the carrots, potatoes and onions to the grill and close the lid for 8-10 minutes, turning the sausages and veggies as necessary.
   
4. Turn the sausages and veggies again. Add the rest of the vegetables and BBQ another 6-10 minutes or until cooked to your liking.
   
5. Slice the sausage into generous pieces on top of the grilled vegetables and serve.

Enjoy!

Serves 4