Courtesy of ARA Content

There are tasty, lower fat, healthier alternatives to typical barbecue fare. Grilled vegetables, fish and chicken can be the stars of the show with a little flavor boost from zesty marinades. In addition to adding flavor, marinades have the added benefits of tenderizing food and keeping it moist during cooking.

When using a marinade, there are a few things you need to keep in mind:

* Use a non-reactive container (one made of glass, porcelain, clay or stainless steel) to marinate your food. Zip-lock plastic food bags also work well. Avoid aluminum and cast iron, which can react with acids in the marinade.

* The container you use should be shallow, so the marinade covers as much of the food as possible; turn the food at least once an hour.

* When marinating meat, fish or chicken, do it in the refrigerator, not on the kitchen counter, to avoid contracting harmful bacteria.

* Do not reuse leftover marinade. During contact with raw foods, the marinade can pick up harmful bacteria that could make you ill. For the same reason, it's wise to cook leftover marinade before using it to baste with or to add to a sauce (boil for five minutes to destroy any harmful bacteria).

The flavors you can use to marinate your food are limited only by your imagination. However, if you have more imagination than time, there is a wide variety of choices on your grocer's shelf. If your goal is a healthy meal, just be sure to choose a marinade that doesn't include a lot of added fat, chemicals, preservatives and salt. Read product labels carefully to make sure you know what you're getting.

Michael Chiarello, chef, author, and host of the PBS television cooking series "Season by Season," has teamed with Consorzio to create an all-natural line of marinades with fresh, bold flavors. These products use only natural ingredients and no preservatives, and marinate in 10 minutes.

Best of all, you only need to marinate your food for 10 minutes for fabulous flavor. That means your food will be ready to cook by the time you heat up the coals. If you just can't wait even 10 minutes, simply brush the marinade onto the food as it cooks. There are nine flavors to choose from, including three new flavors for the summer: Jamaican Jerk, Sesame Ginger and Dijon Peppercorn.

To get you started toward healthy grilling, here is a recipe for a surprising "steak" sandwich.

1/2 cup Consorzio Roasted Garlic & Balsamic 10-Minute Marinade

4 jumbo portobello mushrooms, stems trimmed flush with caps

4 1/2-inch-thick slices of crusty bread

2 ounces Gorgonzola cheese (about 1/4 cup) at room temperature

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

Red Pepper Vinaigrette:

1 red bell pepper, roasted, (or 1/3 cup chopped, drained bottled roasted red peppers)

1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar

1 tablespoon water

2 cloves roasted garlic (or 2 tablespoons bottled roasted garlic)

Fresh thyme leaves for garnish

Place mushroom caps and marinade in large, resealable plastic bag and seal, pressing out excess air. Marinate at room temperature for a minimum of 10 minutes or for up to two hours.

Blend all vinaigrette ingredients together and allow flavors to mingle.

Prepare grill.

Grill one side of bread on a rack set about five inches above glowing coals until golden, about one minute. Divide bread, toasted side down, among four plates. In a bowl, use a fork to mash together Gorgonzola and butter, and spread on soft side of bread.

Remove mushrooms from marinade and grill about three minutes on each side, or until tender. Transfer to a cutting board and thinly slice.

Arrange warm mushrooms on toasts and spoon vinaigrette over each open-faced sandwich. Garnish with thyme.

For more recipe ideas and for information on (or to order) all of Consorzio's products, visit www.consorzio.com or call (800) 288-1089.

Courtesy of ARA Content