Lake Highlands resident Chris LaFaille has something a little different to throw on her grill this summer than the usual slab of beef.

LaFaille shares a recipe that smokes vegetables on the grill and has 103 calories per cup – how could you go wrong?

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β€œIt’s a heart-healthy recipe,” LaFaille says. β€œI use it almost every time we grill.”

LaFaille’s 5-year-old son even gobbles up the concoction, she says.

β€œHe loves it and always eats it all,” says LaFaille, who has lived in Lake Highlands for three years.

As with any recipe, making adjustments to the recipe is half the fun, and grilled vegetable salad welcomes innovations.

β€œWhatever vegetables you have, you can put in the salad,” LaFaille says. β€œAbout the only thing we don’t throw in is the vegetables that tend to get bitter, like asparagus or broccoli.”

The recipe calls for a grill topper, which can be found at Service Merchandise or Bed Bath & Beyond (they carry a wok topper, which is basically the same thing); both units sell for $9.99. Several grocery stores also carry the grill topper in the barbecue section. The topper looks like a basket, and it’s made from the same enameled metal as a grill. The topper has holes that are a little bigger than the diameter of a pencil, LaFaille says.

LaFaille found the recipe in Southern Living magazine several years ago and says every time she makes it for guests, they hound her for the secret behind basting vegetables on the grill.

β€œI like to cook,” she says. β€œThis is my creative outlet.”