Juicy hamburgers and thick steaks have long been the mainstay of masters of the backyard BBQ. But today vegetables, meatless burgers, and even fruits are beefing up the options available to those who preside over the grill. Loaded with fiber, vitamins, and minerals, these meatless grilling options are terrifically tasty, too.

Elizabeth Karmel, author of Taming the Flame: Secrets for Hot-and-Quick Grilling and Low-and-Slow BBQ, has firsthand experience watching the "aha" factor kick in for novice vegetable grillers. Instructing a class to take two bunches of asparagus, she asked them to trim both, steaming one bunch over boiling water, then seasoning it with olive oil, kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper. The second bunch was tossed into a resealable plastic bag with the same seasonings, removed from the bag, and placed on the grill. The hands-down winner of the ensuing taste test was the grilled version.

"The grill's heat caramelizes sugars found in vegetables and fruits, intensifying the taste, even as it roasts and browns the food," Karmel says. Often, she adds, grilling doesn't require adding unnecessary fats and sugars to bring out flavor.

THE MAIN EVENT
Besides tasting great, grilled vegetables are fast and easy to prepare, even as a main dish. Try a creation like eggplant Parmesan. Simply grill ¾-inch-thick slices of eggplant, then add cheese and tomato slices, and close the grill lid for a few minutes to melt the cheese. Serve with a salad or add pasta for a heartier meal.

Portobello mushrooms - the steak of the vegetable world - are rich, succulent alternatives to beef. You can make a killer sandwich by loading mozzarella, tomatoes, and arugula on a toasted roll with grilled portobello slices. Or follow the lead of Karen Adler, coauthor of The BBQ Queens' Big Book of Barbecue, by putting pizza toppings inside a grilled, degilled portobello cap. Add some crumbled feta, chopped tomato, and a little onion, and you'll have a satisfying Mediterranean-style pizza in minutes.

Craving real pizza on a day when it's too hot to turn on the oven? The grill's the thing. For a quick pizza, Adler suggests picking up premade dough at the store and fashioning individual-sized crusts, which are easier to maneuver on the grill. Dab a little olive oil onto both sides of the dough and throw it over the fire, turning it once when the dough begins to bubble and pop. Adler suggests cooking one side well and the other partially before adding ingredients.

"Put goodies on the well-cooked side so they can melt as the second side finishes cooking," she says. "When grilling pizza, get away from the idea of red sauce and pepperoni. As far as ingredients go, less is better on a grilled pizza. A little goat cheese, fresh basil, and sliced tomatoes, and you're good to go."

Choose firm tofu for grilling, preferably water-packed tofu sold in a plastic tub or pouch. Draw out some of the moisture by wrapping the tofu in a clean kitchen towel. Put a heavy weight such as an iron skillet on top of the wrapped tofu and let it sit for about 30 minutes to express excess water. Then lightly oil the tofu with vegetable or olive oil, slice it at least ½ inch thick, and grill it over a medium fire, about 5 minutes per side. Grilled tofu is done when it is medium brown in color with a slight crust.

Another grill-friendly option is a roll of packaged polenta. Slice the polenta into sections about ¾ inch thick. Lightly brush each slice with oil - try truffle oil for an exotic flavor - and add salt and pepper. Grill the polenta until it's warmed through, a few minutes on each side. It should look slightly brown and have a few grill marks.

SIDESHOW DISHES
Even if you're a confirmed carnivore, you'll find that a grilled-veggie side dish can make a great addition to any meal. Tour the vegetable section of your neighborhood Publix, picking and choosing whatever catches your eye, and mark it for the grill. Try red, yellow, or green peppers. Or toss together summer squash and onion slices with grape tomatoes and some olive oil, place on the grill in a foil pan, stir once or twice, and in about 5 minutes you'll have a medley of stir-grilled vegetables that can be plated with any main dish.

Meat lover or vegetarian, you'll find the meatless recipes that follow a fresh new way to enjoy nature's summertime bounty with outdoor flair.

A yellow sweet pepper has more than twice the vitamin C of a green one. Vitamin C is a water-soluble antioxidant that helps protect cells from damaging free radicals.

1 18-ounce package water-pack firm tofu (not silken), well drained
Several dashes bottled hot pepper sauce
1 14-ounce can vegetable broth
¾ cup water
1 cup uncooked jasmine or basmati rice
¹/8 teaspoon thread saffron or dash ground saffron*
2 tablespoons organic olive oil
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1 large yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise
1 large organic zucchini, halved lengthwise
1 organic orange or yellow bell pepper, quartered
Salt
Ground black pepper

ONE Cut tofu into 6 slices, about ¾ inch thick. Place tofu in a 13×9×2-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with a few dashes hot sauce, turn slices over, and sprinkle with more hot sauce. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours.

TWO In a large saucepan combine the vegetable broth, water, rice, and saffron. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 15 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Cover and keep warm.

THREE In a small bowl combine the oil and garlic. Brush over the yellow squash, zucchini, and bell pepper.

FOUR Grill vegetables and tofu on the lightly greased rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals, turning once halfway through grilling. Grill tofu for 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned; grill vegetables 8 to 10 minutes or until they are crisp-tender.

FIVE Cover the tofu and keep warm. Transfer the vegetables to a clean cutting board; cool slightly. Cut the vegetables into bite-size pieces; stir into cooked rice. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Place tofu slices on serving plates. Top tofu with the pilaf mixture. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 248 cal., 8 g total fat (1 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 363 mg sodium, 32 g carbo., 2 g dietary fiber, 10 g protein.

*NOTE: You can substitute ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric for the saffron.

Eggplant contains chlorogenic acid, a phenolic antioxidant that may reduce the risk of some types of cancers.

8 slices eggplant*, cut ¾ inch thick
Salt
Ground black pepper
¼ cup organic olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
²⁄3 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
²⁄3 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese
4 medium organic roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
¼ cup finely shredded basil
3 cups hot, cooked whole grain pasta

ONE Sprinkle eggplant slices lightly with salt and pepper. Combine olive oil and garlic; reserve 1 tablespoon. Brush remaining oil mixture on both sides of eggplant slices. In a small bowl toss together Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses; set aside.

TWO For a charcoal grill, grill eggplant slices on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 5 minutes. Turn eggplant slices and sprinkle with half of the cheese. Top with tomato slices and remaining cheese. Cover and grill for 2 to 3 minutes more or until eggplant is tender and cheese has melted. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place eggplant on grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.) Top with shredded basil before serving.

THREE Toss pasta with reserved oil mixture. Serve eggplant slices over pasta mixture. Makes 4 main-dish servings.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 397 cal., 21 g total fat (6 g sat. fat), 21 mg chol., 496 mg sodium, 39 g carbo., 7 g dietary fiber, 17 g protein.

*NOTE: Leave the skin on the eggplant and cut the slices from the center. The skin helps retain the eggplant's shape, and the center slices are the right size for this dish.

Cooking animal proteins on high heat, whether by grilling or frying, can form carcinogenic substances called heterocyclic amines (HCAs), explains Karen Collins, R.D., and spokesperson for the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR). But HCA production occurs only with meat protein, Collins says. "So by cooking these other types of food, you avoid HCAs and you get more of the antioxidants and phytochemicals that actually help protect us from carcinogens."

Barbecue aficionados should be aware that smoke caused by dripping fats also can be a health concern. The smoke contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are deposited on the food above as the smoke rises. To prevent excessive dripping and reduce barbecue flare-up and smoking, apply oils and sauces carefully and sparingly, suggests Collins. Or cover the grill grate with aluminum foil.

LEARN MORE: For other ideas on how to avoid HCAs and PAHs, see the AICR's The Facts About Grilling pamphlet at www.aicr.org