Heat Up That Grill!

Right now we are having the kind of weather that is just ASKING us to be outside. Because remember, in just a few weeks' time, the humidity will have arrived. We will be complaining about poofy hair, sticky skin, and sauna-like atmospheres. Ugh!

But right now, it's delightfully crisp and warm in the sun at the same time, and the humidity is low. Yes, the pollen sucks, but whatever. I take pollen over the 6-month humidity period in Atlanta anytime :)

Do you have a grill at your home or apartment? Some of the nicer complexes around town have grills for the community to share on a first-come, first-serve basis, and right now is the time to get outside to use them! We have some at my condo complex, and over the weekend we grilled out not once, but twice in one day. Grilling is really cost-efficient, and perfect fare for entertaining on a budget, too. People can BYOF (Bring Your Own Food) to throw on the grill, and you can just provide toppings and sides.

I had a healthy grilling idea to share with you, in case you aren't feeling the whole hot dog/hamburger thing. Healthy doesn't have to mean plain, or expensive. This meal has only 3 main ingredients but packs in SO much flavor with the spices. This was our lunch on Sunday and it was utterly fantastic, and was probably about $10 total, so you just can't go wrong.

BBQ Shrimp and Tomato Skewers with a Grilled Salad
Serves 2 hungry people for lunch

Shell and rinse a pound of pre-frozen shrimp (typically cheaper than the fresh ones) and add a container of cherry tomatoes to them in a big bowl. Drizzle on olive oil, and then sprinkle generously with your favorite BBQ seasoning; toss to coat. (Note: we used 3 Beer BBQ Rub that we picked up at Whole Foods recently, and I highly recommend it!) Skewer alternating shrimp and tomatoes onto soaked bamboo sticks.

Cut a whole romaine heart in half lengthwise. Throw the skewers and the romaine hearts directly onto a medium-heat grill. Turn everything after two minutes, cooking about four minutes in total or until shrimp are done and salad is browned. Top salad with Caesar dressing to serve, 1 romaine half per person. Enjoy!