Our SpendSmart.EatSmart poll the past month asked how many of you have cooked fruits or vegetables on the grill?   73% of you said you have grilled fruits and vegetables which is great!  Grilling brings out great flavors without a lot of added fat or sugar.  You do have to be careful that your food does not char on the outside before it heats all the way through.

This summer I tried grilling peaches for the first time, and they were delicious.  I did have trouble getting the pit out.  After a little research I learned that next time I should look for “freestone” peaches instead of “clingstone” because the pits are easier to remove.  The peach skin came off easily after I dipped the peaches for 10-15 seconds in boiling water.   The recipe I was using called for drizzling the peaches with balsamic vinegar and then sprinkling on brown sugar and letting the mixture sit for a while.  Other recipes just call for grilling the peaches and sprinkling with brown sugar after they are cooked.

Grilling the peaches was easy.  All you have to do is brush them with oil (I also oiled the grill grates). Place the peach halves face-down on the grill. Turn the peaches after 3 to 4 minutes, after they have given up the brightness in their color, sprinkle flat side (now facing up) with more brown sugar. Remove after another couple of minutes, or when you poke them with a fork and they are soft all the way through.

I served mine with frozen yogurt for dessert.  They would also be good as a side dish with grilled meat.

I think you could do pears and plums using the same process as the peaches.  Next I am going to try making cubed cantaloupe/grape kabobs and try brushing on honey with a bit of mint added.

Tip: Refrigerating peaches can make them mealy. Do not refrigerate your peaches unless you are sure they are ripe. You may prolong their shelf life, but the loss of quality isn’t worth it.