Grilled Vegetables with 'Feta'

Lovin' my grill pan these days, so here's another fun way to use it...

First make a vinaigrette by combining 2 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette, one tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 tsp. black pepper, 1/4 tsp. salt and 2 small, minced garlic cloves - stir well with a whisk. I made the mistake of using up the last of my garlic last night, and thinking I wouldn't need any until the end of the weekend! Luckily, I have dried minced garlic in my spice cabinet, but since it's more potent than fresh, I only used a 1/4 tsp.

Slice one medium zucchini (about 1/2 pound) in half lengthwise. Place in a large bowl along with 2 quarters of a red bell pepper and 2 quarters of a yellow bell pepper. Toss with two tablespoons of the vinaigrette.

Brush the other two tablespoons of vinaigrette over 2 (4-inch) portobello mushroom caps and 2 (1/2-inch thick) slices of sweet onion - try Vidalia or Walla Walla.

Grill the vegetables on a grill rack or grill pan coated with cooking spray for 2 1/2 minutes on each side. I used medium-high heat, and grilled the veggies in 2 separate batches since my grill pan is a bit small.

Transfer to a cutting board and cut each vegetable in half.

Place 1/2 cup cooked basmati rice on each of four plates. Top each serving of rice with one quarter of the vegetable slices - i.e. one yellow pepper slice, one red pepper slice, one zucchini quarter, one portobello slice and one onion slice). Top each serving with a tablespoon of crumbled 'feta' cheese - try the vegan feta from Sunergia: www.sunergiasoyfoods.com

Each serving is 350 calories - this recipe easily doubles if you're entertaining for a crowd... The only downside I can see is that it requires a lot of pans, ergo a lot of cleanup, so enlist a few helping hands to do the dishes in the kitchen while you - the chef - kick back with a chilled glass of wine.

Cost:
zucchini $1.03
red bell pepper $1.44
yellow bell pepper $1.64
vidalia onion $0.51
portobello caps $3.49
basmati rice $1.93