Broiled Summer Vegetables

Who wants to turn on the oven in late June? I believe it's important to respect and honor the hard work of my air conditioner in this most demanding of months by not baking or roasting my food.

That said, I love eating crispy-soft and sweet roasted vegetables, and my taste buds don't know June from December.

To get around preheating and long roasting times, I wanted to try popping some classic summer vegetables under the broiler. I wasn't sure it was going to work, but to my somewhat overblown excitement, the broiler softened the vegetables perfectly (no turning necessary) and barely charred the tops. Best of all, I had the oven off again before the AC had time to contemplate revenge.

I piled the broiled veggies on top of whole wheat couscous with some feta cheese and basil, then sprinkled raw almonds around the plate for extra crunch and protein. Scott skipped the almonds and used his last ingredient on a splash of balsamic vinegar, which was awesome.

9-Ingredient Broiled Summer Vegetables
Total Kitchen Time: 15 minutes. Serves 2.

4 yellow squashes
20ish green beans
6 cherry tomatoes
1 Tbls. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup dry whole wheat couscous
1/3 cup feta cheese* (milk, enzymes, rennet)
5 fresh basil leaves.

Snap ends off beans and cut squashes in thirds lengthwise. Toss both in olive oil and arrange on a cookie sheet with halved cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and paprika if desired.

Place vegetables under the broiler (a low broil if your oven has the option.)

Set couscous to simmer with twice the water.

Check both the couscous and the vegetables often! Remove vegetables when tops are brown but not burnt, about 5 minutes.

Serve vegetables over couscous and top with feta cheese and torn basil leaves.

*I bought block feta for this recipe instead of crumbled feta, because the crumbled kind has anti-caking agents and mold-inhibitors.