This grilled veggie salad can help fight diabetes

Make this wonderfully delicious grilled salad when summer vegetables are at their peak flavour. Just fire up the grill and make this delicious salad that's also diabetes-friendly.

• 1 small eggplant, 350 g (3/4 lb)
• 1 small bulb fennel, 175 g (6 oz), trimmed
• 1 medium yellow summer squash
• 1 medium zucchini
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) salt, divided
• 1 small red pepper, halved lengthwise and seeded
• 3 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise and seeded
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 ml (1 tsp) finely chopped fresh marjoram or 2 ml (1/2 tsp) dried, crumbled
• 7 ml (1/2 tbsp) balsamic vinegar

Preparation time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 25 minutes. Serves 6.

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high. Cut the eggplant, fennel, squash and zucchini lengthwise into 1.5-centimetre-thick (3/4-inch-thick) slices. Sprinkle with one millilitre (1/4 teaspoon) of the salt and spray generously with cooking spray.
2. Grill the pepper, skin side down, until blackened and blistered, three to four minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. Grill the eggplant, fennel, squash and zucchini on one side until grill marks are dark brown but the vegetables are still very firm, about four minutes. Turn and grill the other side until browned and just tender, about three minutes for the squash and zucchini and five to six minutes longer for the eggplant and fennel. Remove from the heat.
4. Coat the cut sides of the tomatoes with cooking spray. Grill, cut sides down, just until light grill marks appear, about three minutes.
5. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, marjoram and remaining salt. Sauté for one minute.
6. Peel the grilled pepper and cut into strips. Cut the rest of the vegetables into bite-size chunks. Transfer to a medium bowl and add the olive oil mixture and vinegar. Toss to coat and serve at room temperature.

Per serving:

• 85 Calories
• 2 g Protein
• 10 g Carbohydrates
• 5 g Fat
• 1 g Saturated Fat
• 0 mg Cholesterol
• 4 g Fibre
• 211 mg Sodium

Full of nutrients like beta-carotene from red peppers and lycopene from tomatoes, and low in calories and carbs, this salad isn't just good to eat, it's good for you. Plus, this is another great excuse to fire up the grill.