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Friday, August 13, 2021 5 Brooklin Town Crier Summertime and the eating is easy Plant-Based Eating by Sheree Nicholson Summer is the perfect time to increase your plant-based eating. The hotter weather seems to naturally lead you to crave more fruits, salads and lighter fare. I find even my family and friends who eat meat tend to eat less of it during the summer. As local vegetables start to show up in stores, it's natural to reach for them. Local is so tasty. I look forward to the time of year when I can buy them. I'm often asked what I barbecue in the summer if I'm not eating or cutting back on meat. The answer is that I grill marinated vegetables and occasionally use premade hamburger replacements. It's also good to think out of the box and test your grilling skills with non-traditional food items. One example is avocado. I first tasted grilled avocado in a little cafe in Tofino. It was served in a salad with a peanut dressing. I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. Avocados can be tricky as they go from ripe to overripe very quickly. If you want to grill them, they shouldn't be overripe, just firm. Avocado is also a "super food," one of the most nutrient-dense foods available. Ounce for ounce, they are among the richest in fibre, folate, potassium, vitamin E, and magnesium among all fruits. There is, however, a lot of controversy around deforestation and unethical farming practices as the demand for avocados increases. If this is a concern, I suggest you research where your avocados are coming from and make choices that align with what's important to you. Another non-traditional grilling item is watermelon. You may think that it's too watery to grill, but you will be pleasantly surprised. Watermelon is a perfect summer food as it's 91% water and yet grills so well. I "veganized" the following recipe by substituting some items. It's from the blog titled "Abbeys Kitchen." Grilled watermelon and avocado salad 3 avocados halved, pit removed and sliced into 1/2" thick slices 1/2 large seedless watermelon sliced into 1/2" thick wedges 1 red onion cut into 1/4 "thick slices 4 tbsp mint 4 oz vegan feta cheese crumbled 3 tsp red hot chilli pepper seeded, de-veined and finely minced Dressing 2 tsp Dijon mustard 2 tsp maple syrup 1/4 cup lime juice 1/4 cup olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Instructions Preheat the grill to medium- high heat and lightly grease to prevent sticking. Add the watermelon, avocados and onions in batches, flipping once you see deep grill marks on each side. Remove from the grill and allow them to cool to room temperature. Once cool, dice the watermelon and avocado and add to a bowl along with the onions. Season with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Meanwhile, mix together the Dijon, maple syrup, and lime juice. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until completely emulsified, and then season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the dressing over the watermelon and avocado and toss very gently. When ready to serve, garnish the salad with feta cheese, mint and chilli peppers. Enjoy at room temperature. Sheree's hack: Slow down the ripening of avocados by storing them in your refrigerator. Speed up their ripening process by placing them in a paper bag with a banana. The 412-418 tolls are still there.