Bored with burgers?

Temperatures are rising and flowers are blooming, which means it's time to dust off the backyard grill! Cooking meals on the grill allows us to enjoy the beautiful weather despite busy schedules. However, the same old thing on the barbecue can get old rather quickly. Here's how to add some pizzazz to your grilling routine.

Instead of tossing hamburgers, steak, or fish filets on the grill, try preparing kebabs. Kebabs may be prepared using metal or wooden skewers (make sure to soak wooden ones first). Try skewering bite-sized pieces of chicken, beef, tofu, or shrimp, and alternate with vegetables like cherry tomatoes, potato wedges, slices of onion and bell pepper, mushrooms, summer squash and zucchini rounds, and Brussels sprouts. For a tropical flair, add some pineapple to the kebabs or grill it on its own. Grilled pineapple is delectable by itself or brushed with a little bit of cinnamon and brown sugar glaze.

Another tool to make grilling fun is the grill basket. A wire basket that is created for grilling pieces of food that might otherwise fall through the grill onto the flames. Wire baskets allow us to grill so much more, which can make mealtime that much more intriguing. Spray the grill basket with cooking spray and add vegetables like green beans, carrots, asparagus, shallots, broccoli, and cauliflower that have been marinated in red wine vinegar, olive oil, and rosemary for a dish with a Mediterranean vibe.

For a fun treat, try grilling fruit with the following recipe.

Grilled Summer Fruit Medley

1 cup diced peach

1 cup diced nectarine

1 cup diced cantaloupe

1 cup diced pineapple

1 cup diced plum

Sea salt to taste

Fresh ground peppercorns to taste

1/4-1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (use more if you prefer a stronger balsamic flavor) 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, shredded

Spray a grill basket liberally with cooking spray. Place all fruit in basket. Grill fruit until grill marks begin to appear. Make sure to move fruit around so all the fruit is cooked evenly. Place grilled fruit in bowl and add balsamic and mint. Sprinkle salt and pepper lightly over mixture. Serve and enjoy!

Make mealtime grilling your next great adventure!

Whitney Beck is a University of Idaho dietetics student.