Grilling in the great outdoors

Vegetarian recipes:
• Barbecued Stuffed Tomatoes
• Bulgur and Mushroom Burgers
• Cider-Glazed Apples and Onion
• Curried Lentil Burgers with Coriander Yogurt
• Grilled Acorn Squash with Balsamic Drizzle
• Grilled Corn with Chili Lime Mayonnaise
• Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches
• Grilled Vegetables and Feta Quesadillas
• Mushroom "Steaks"
• Tofu and Vegetable Skewers with Peanut Sauce

Safety first
• Avoid charring foods on the barbecue. Substances called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs, are found in charred foods and have been found to be cancer-causing. To reduce the flare-ups that cause food to burn, trim excess fat from meat and turn it with a spatula or tongs rather than a fork.
• E. coli grows in intestines of some animals, including pigs, sheep, cows and poultry, and can spread to the top muscle or outer surface after the animal is butchered. Searing a steak or roasting meat kills any existing E. coli since they are only on the surface of the meat. Therefore the meat can be eaten rare or medium provided outsides are well-cooked.
• In ground meats, E. coli is impossible to isolate, which is why ground meats must be cooked thoroughly until well done and temperature on digital thermometer inserted sideways into centre reads:

Ground beef: 160°F (71°C)
Ground pork and lamb: 170°F (75°C)
Ground chicken and turkey: 185°F (85°C)

• Always transfer cooked food to clean serving plates using tongs and lifters that have not come in contact with raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood.