Lightly Flavored Grill-Steamed Broccoli

Andrew and I have recently purchased a grill.  It's a super cheap charcoal grill from Walmart so it's not of the highest quality.  Still, it seemed ok and we got one use out of it before our dog, Roxie (who, while small, tends to be a bundle of nervous energy) knocked it upside down.   See sometimes when we let her out she will bolt through the door the moment that she sees an opening large enough for her to fit through, which is naturally too small for us to fit through with her.  Probably anxious to see one of the many stray cats that she had seen who knows how much earlier in the day, she will charge across the patio as fast as she can, which is very quick if you're not paying close enough attention, and in this case the grill was being stored just a bit too close to the door.  So now the grill is a bit rickety and I sometimes worry that it will topple over while being used.  Still, the grill has given us a case of new toy syndrome and we seem to be using it as much as we can.  I just ignore the grill's signature wobble and happily grill away with a watering can full of water nearby just in case (I was a Boyscout after all). 

The Grill especially comes in handy on these 90 degree days that we have been having.  On days like these using the oven or the stove-top are the last things that we need as they really heat the apartment up.  A jug of water left on top of the stove while the oven is on will reach 80 degrees probably within a half hour to forty five minutes.  It's a great way to heat water for water changes on our fish tanks, but not good for our apartment's temperature or my good mood.  I've gotten extremely sensitive to the heat, which I'm thinking is one of my Fibromyalgia symptoms, and as the heat causes my body to melt so does my ability to do anything, including being patient.  Sure, I've always been a bit sensitive to the heat, but now that trait seems to have been kicked into overdrive.  I will be dripping with sweat when the temperature reads anything above 72 degrees.  Yes, we have the air conditioner on, but using the oven, even the stovetop, there are times when I still just become too uncomfortable.  If I can find ways to do most of my cooking outside, I think that I am happier; even if it means soy veggie products, which my bladder sometimes reacts to and sometimes doesn't.  Of course, I do my best to eat soy veggie products only if I don't have any Quorn products on hand, which are made with mycoprotein and are soy free (they don't seem to upset my IC).  I have to get my protein in somehow, and luckily this recipe helps out!

Anyway, it's Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial start of the summer season (and grilling season), and to celebrate I thought that I would start a series of recipes to cook on the grill.  This first one was inspired by my love of oven roasted broccoli and garlic.  I was craving it yesterday but as yesterday was in the nineties and as I mentioned before, I do not like to ad heat to our apartment when it is that hot.  I actually thought that in a foil pouch on the grill, would simulate an oven roasted broccoli.  Instead, what came out was more like steamed broccoli; not what I expected but nevertheless good.  Andrew thought that they were delicious!  Enjoy the recipe, I'm hoping the temperature has dropped enough for me to go outside and cook because my plans are to go grill and then watch a marathon of "The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" (resting tonight before the family BBQ tomorrow)!


Oh yeah, and as always, if you have IC, leave out any ingredients that you are sensitive to.  What works for one doesn't always work for another!

Ingredients: 

*Green = Bladder Friendly foods; *Orange = Foods to try wih Caution; *Red = Foods to Avoid

*1 broccoli crown

*3 cloves of garlic, minced 

*1/8 tsp black pepper

*1/8 tsp adobo sans pepper

*1/4 tsp oregano

*2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

*1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Foil

Method:

Preheat your grill.  Seperate broccoli florets from the stems.  In a bowl, toss the separated broccoli florets with the olive oil, garlic, black pepper, adobo, and oregano. Once everything is mixed well, spread the broccoli in a single layer in the middle of a large peice of foil.  Sprinkle the broccoli with the grated cheese and fold the foil into a closed pouch.  Place the foil packet on the grill and cook about 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked through.  The broccoli florets should come out like they were steamed.  Serves 2-3.

Nutrition facts are based on a 2,000 calorie a day diet and are computed using the MyFitnessPal app.  As I have entered the ingredients by hand and picked The best matches from a list, some human error may exist in their calculations.