Remember when cookouts used to mean hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, and potato salad? Those heavy foods are such a drag! Grilling today can be light, creative, and meatless... and we're not just talking about veggie burgers.

When you grill with oil, choose one that's low in saturated fat, such as canola or olive oil. To learn more about oils and their saturated fat content, consult this table.

You can cut down on the amount of oil you use by applying it with a brush, or by using spray oil (you can buy olive oil spray at natural food stores).

Appetizers

Grill up some veggies to get everyone's appetites going. Try these ideas:

• Skewer up your favorite veggies, baste in a light salad dressing, and grill until tender (about five to seven minutes). This works well with asparagus, broccoli, mushrooms, strips of squash or eggplant, onion, and tomato wedges.
• Cook bigger chunks of vegetables directly on the grate for that char-grilled look. Brush with oil or salad dressing to make sure they don't stick to the grill. Be careful not to knock them in!
• Make a foil packet for root vegetables, which take longer to cook than other veggies. Cut up chunks of beet, yam, winter squash, or potato. Sprinkle in a little oil and seasonings, and let them cook for 20-30 minutes, turning foil packet once.
• Grilled corn: soak ears of corn in water for 30 minutes, then grill in the husk for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the silk before grilling.

Entrees

You could make soy or vegetable burgers, but why not try something really special?

• Portobello burger: Marinate a large Portobello mushroom in oil and vinegar or light salad dressing and grill it like a burger. Serve it on a bun or alone, as a "mushroom steak."
• Tofu dog kebobs: skewer a variety of colorful veggies—cocktail onions, cherry tomatoes, green and yellow pepper chunks, alternating with cut up tofu dogs. Grill as is or brush lightly with oil and seasonings.
• Meatless pizza: grill toppings separately in a foil or metal dish. Brush the bottom of a prepared pizza crust with a little oil and place on the grill. Spread pizza sauce and low-fat cheese on top, then add toppings. Grill until cheese melts.

And Don't Forget Dessert

The dry heat of the flame caramelizes the natural sugars in fruit, intensifying the fruit's flavors. Cook on low heat, once the fire has died down, and watch fruit carefully to prevent burning.

• Halve peaches, plums or nectarines. Cook for a few minutes on each side (starting with the cut-side down), and sprinkle with brown sugar before serving.
• Skewer chunks of apples, pears, cantaloupe or pineapple (or grill them in a foil packet or dish). Add a bit of lemon juice and a dash of cinnamon.
• Slice bananas lengthwise, in their peels, and brush the cut side with canola oil. Place cut-side down on the grill and cook until lightly browned, about two minutes. Turn and grill for about two more minutes, when the bananas begin to pull away from the peel.
• Lightly grill slices of angel food cake until sides are golden brown. Top with chilled strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries.

With these ideas in your apron, you're a grilling gourmet!