With today’s low-carb lifestyle barreling it way into our lives, it is time to rethink our summertime barbeque and picnic menus. Traditional American (read: mayo-laden) pasta and potato salads, are now relegated to the back of the buffet table, if they make an appearance at all. Green salads are a healthier option, but they tend to get soggy and wilted before the last guest has taken a helping.

So, what’s a cook to do? Vegetables, beans, and fruits, coupled with fresh herbs and tasty dressings, offer endless possibilities for salads and sides that are healthy, colorful, and most importantly, will be the tasty hits of your next barbeque.

I began thinking seriously about alternative salads long before I had heard of the South Beach Diet, or even considered cutting back on carbs. I have never been much of a “salad person” and always marveled at the number of people ordering salads at lunchtime, or even as an entree during the dinner hour. To me, lettuce seemed boring, and simply a vehicle for eating other chopped vegetables or rounding out a meal. So, when I started the process of creating some new side dishes to serve at my summer barbeques and parties, I kept the veggies but ditched the lettuce.

In one early experiment I put together different combinations of grilled vegetables to create a colorful dish. The “salad” included grilled bell peppers, red onions, asparagus, and zucchini, arranged on a platter and drizzled with a balsamic vinaigrette. It made a beautiful display, but it served more like an antipasto; guests selecting the vegetables they preferred, and eating them separately. I wanted something where the flavors of all the ingredients were blended together into one dish. I turned my attention to roasted red peppers.

I particularly love roasted red peppers, and wanted to use them in a way that would highlight their vibrant color, sweet flavor, and versatility. I remembered seeing a beautiful roasted red pepper salad during a trip to Italy. Using that idea, I made some minor modifications to create a side dish that has become a favorite with my family.