Barbeque
Maintenance
Checklist

How do you maintain a BBQ? The season of grilling is upon us! If you haven’t yet, this is the time to clean up your barbeque. Here’s some key tips for maintaining your grill.

Gas grills need a little extra care and attention.

• Always ensure that when you replace your propane cylinder it has been properly filled, and doesn’t exceed the 80 percent capacity rule. This leaves room for the liquid to expand.
• Check for gas leaks whenever you disconnect and reconnect the regulator — especially the first time of the year! Check hoses for abrasion. Look for leaks by using a soap and water solution to test for leaks.
• Tip: Always leave the lid of your grill open when lighting the burner. If the lid is closed, then sometimes gas can build up, and that can lead to a flash-off when the burner does light.
• Make sure that you have the grill set up in an open, and well-ventilated space. Best practice is to place it at least 10 feet from the home.
• Before the first grilling session of the year make sure all the grill parts are secure and working properly. This includes the legs, wheels and lid hinges & handles.
• Always clean and brush up the grate for the first grilling session of the year. Start by preheating the BBQ up to 500-550 degrees. This burns away any leftover debris and corrosion. Use a stainless steel bristle brush to remove the ash and debris. The start of the grilling season is also a good time to buy a new brush.

To go along with the wonderful weather, and chances to get outside, here’s a healthy and nutritious dish perfect for grilling season.

Grilled Veggie Salad

The great thing about this salad is that you can add your own unique style to what is a classic. Choose the veggies you want to grill. Mix up your own seasoning. Dress it however you want. Grilled vegetable salad is an all-time favourite!

A really simple approach is to char the veggies over your hot grill grates. Then remove and toss them with a simple herby lemon vinaigrette. From there you can add blue cheese, or maybe goat cheese? You can even toss in some crunchy garlic croutons.

Another great thing about the grilled veggie salad is that it is the perfect complement to just about any other main dish. Pair it with grilled salmon, or a grilled pork tenderloin.

To kick things off here’s some of our favourites for grilled veggies salad:

• asparagus
• red onion
• mushrooms - yes, grilled mushrooms are a delight!
• sweet corn
• red bell peppers
• yellow squash
• zucchini

For a real special treat try tossing in some orange chunks, fresh grapes or cherry tomatoes as a final touch when dressing the salad.

Here’s to an awesome season of grilling great food outdoors!

Health & Wellness

This Christmas season try starting the day with a Spiced Cranberry Smoothie. This smoothie is nutrient dense and is bursting with the flavours of cinnamon and ginger — a perfect winter season smoothie.

Ingredients

1 large banana
20 fresh cranberries
6 strawberries
400 ml cranberry juice
0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
0.5 tsp ground ginger

Add all ingredients to your blender, and blend until smooth. Serve and enjoy!