Food for Thought : Memorial Day

Although  technically summer does  no  start for another  month , Memorial  Day marks unofficial start of the season .  Summer is synonymous with barbecues , grilling and fresh fruit. The mention of summer  conjures up thoughts of hamburgers , lemonade , ice cream  and , of course , bathing  suits .
Keeping healthy habits throughout the summer can be  easy  if  you do  a little planning ahead . Here  are  a  few  tips  to help  you healthfully  navigate  your  summer  menus .

1 .   Load up on in-season vegetables :
Squash , cucumbers , tomatoes  and  green beans  are  abundant  this  time  of year .  the are  low  calorie  and filling . Pre-meal snacking on these is great to help curb our appetite.

2 .   Cook  once and eat several times :
If you are going to fire  up the grill , you might as well get the most bang  for  you buck . Cook hamburgers for today , some chicken for  lunch  salads  this  week , vegetables  for  breakfast  omelets , and  so  forth . Get creative  with your  menu planning .

3 .   Use different marinades : 
To  keep leftovers  from seeming repetitive . Use  light-tasting vinaigrettes  for  meats  you plan to use  in salads  and  more  savoy ones  for  entree  meats .

4 .   Make  your  side  with a fruit , vegetable  or  plant  based  foods :
A cool three bean salad  or  simple  sliced  cucumbers  make  a healthful  and  flavorful dish .

Grilled Garden Vegetables and Smoked Sausage

Grilled smoked sausage served with grilled bell peppers, summer squash, zucchini and onions. 
Prep / Total Time: 50  minutes        Makes 6 servings 
Ingredients

1        regular size package Eckrich® Smoked Sausage
1        medium red bell pepper, seeded, quartered
1        medium yellow bell pepper, seeded, quartered
1        medium green bell pepper, seeded, quartered
1        large summer squash, halved lengthwise
1        large zucchini, halved lengthwise
1        large sweet onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices (Do not separate into rings)
1/4     cup olive oil
1/2     cup sun-dried tomato dressing 

1 .   Spray cold grate of outdoor grill with grilling spray. Prepare grill for medium heat. Brush bell peppers, squash, zucchini and onions with oil. Place vegetables and sausage on grate of grill; cover grill with lid. 
2 .   Grill 12 minutes, or until sausage is heated through and vegetables are crisp-tender, turning after 6 minutes. 
3 .   Remove sausage and vegetables from grill; cut into large pieces. 
4 .   Place sausage and vegetables on large platter. Drizzle with dressing. Serve warm.

Words of Wisdom :

For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.

One of the most beautiful qualities of true friendship is to understand and to be understood.

Memorial Day isn't just about honoring veterans, its honoring those who lost their lives. Veterans had the fortune of coming home. For us, that's a reminder of when we come home we still have a responsibility to serve. It's a continuation of service that honors our country and those who fell defending it.


137 years later, Memorial Day remains one of America's most cherished patriotic observances. The spirit of this day has not changed - it remains a day to honor those who died defending our freedom and democracy.

A proud grand-poppa    G.