Harvest barbeque

Sides take centre stage

It may sound counter-intuitive for the barbeque, but the meat doesn't need to be the focus of meal planning. After all, the essence of fall is in the seasonal vegetables and the more you plan to grill, the more you'll need to pay attention to space and timing.

When looking for recipe ideas, start with what's in season:

Tomatoes: Grilled tomatoes can be stuffed, tossed in salads, served on garlic bread or used to make pasta sauce with a unique barbeque flavour.

Squash: Try grilled squash with recipes that include warm, buttery toppings. Spaghetti squash is a great alternative to pasta for a low-carb dish.

Peppers: Make your own roasted red peppers to use in recipes (click here for the simple technique), stuff them with your favourite ingredients or toss them in with other mixed vegetables.

Slice up some zucchini, eggplant and yellow squash, brush them with olive oil or an oil-based salad dressing and place them on the grill.

Corn on the cob will appeal to any age. An easy way to roast it is to soak the corn (husk and all) in water for about an hour. Place them on the grill and cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes. Turn it occasionally and don't be alarmed if the husks brown or blacken (that's supposed to happen). Handle with care when they're done, and be warned the process could be messy