If you've ever eaten at Outback Steakhouse, you're probably familiar with one of the restaurant's signature dishes: a deep-fried onion presented in the shape of a blossoming flower. This grilled onion recipe draws inspiration from that cult-favorite dish, but spares you the fried batter (and some of the calories that come with it).

Ingredients
1 large white onion
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons shredded mild cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons your sauce of choice (steak sauce, hot sauce, soy sauce, etc)

Directions
Heat the grill, and cut the onion into six to eight wedges, stopping 1/2-inch short of the bottom. Leave bottom intact. Place the onion on a piece of aluminum foil, and gently open the onion a bit, pulling the wedges apart. Drizzle the onion with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add cheeses in the open center of the onion. Drizzle the entire onion with the sauce of your choice. Wrap it up tightly and grill for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the onion is tender. Remove the onion from grill, carefully open up the foil and serve.

Image and recipe via diethood.com

Just when you thought you'd eaten kale prepared in every way possible...

Ingredients
4 small golden beets, peeled and cut into wedges
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon maple syrup
12 fresh figs, black mission or Turkish brown figs, stemmed and halved
1 generous cup of fresh ricotta
One bunch of dinosaur (lacinto) kale (or green kale), bottoms of the stems removed
Salt and pepper

Directions
Preheat your oven to 425 F. Toss the beet wedges with one tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle them with salt. Spread them in a baking dish and roast, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 20 minutes.

Whisk together two tablespoons of olive oil together with the balsamic vinegar and the maple syrup. When the beets come out of the oven, toss them with the dressing. Heat your grill and coat the kale with the remaining olive oil and a good sprinkling of salt. Spread the leaves out on the grill and cook them, turning each over once, until they have developed crispy edges and charred splotches, several minutes. Transfer the kale to a cutting board, and chop it coarsely.

Put a spoonful of ricotta on each salad plate, then divide the kale between the plates. Divide the beets between the salads, and drizzle some of the dressing that is leftover from the beets over each of the salads. Divide the figs between the salads, dollop the remaining ricotta over the salads and sprinkle each with salt and pepper.

Image and recipe via fiveandspice.com

Brussels sprouts and bacon go together like, well, brussels sprouts and bacon.

Ingredients
2 to 2-1/2 pound brussels sprouts, even in size, cleaned with loose outer leaves removed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 to 1/2 pounds bacon lardons
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions
In a large pot with a steaming basket or a pasta strainer insert, boil just about one-inch of water with a dash of salt. Add the brussels sprouts and cover. Steam for five minutes. Remove from pot and allow to cool for handling.

Cut the bacon lardons into half-inch to one-inch pieces (pro tip: Put the bacon lardons into the freezer for a few minutes to firm up a bit for easier slicing). Alternating lardon pieces and brussels sprouts, thread the skewers. Mix the salt, pepper and olive oil, and brush the mixture onto skewers. Grill over medium heat for about three to five minutes a side, depending on how hot your coals are running.

Image and recipe via sarahsprague.com

The debut of zucchini at the supermarket is one of the telltale signs of summer. And while there are about a zillion ways to prepare it (a rough estimate), we're partial to this one, that's seasoned with za'atar spice, a Middle Eastern herb, served with labneh, a tangy Lebanese cream cheese.

Ingredients
2 pounds zucchini or summer squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons Za'atar spice
1 teaspoon salt
3 cloves garlic, finely minced

For Garnish
Flat leaf parsley
Lemon
Greek yogurt or labneh
Olive oil
Baby tomatoes
Chili flakes

Directions
Preheat grill to High. Slice the zucchini on the diagonal, into 1/2-inch thick slices and place into a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt, Za'atar spice and minced garlic. Toss to combine until well mixed. Place zucchini on the hot grill using tongs. Turn the heat down to medium high, close the lid and give the zucchini a good sear (about five minutes). Turn over, and grill until cooked through about five more minutes.

Place the grilled zucchini on a platter. On one side of the platter, or in a little bowl, spoon on smoked yogurt, Greek yogurt or labneh, garnish with a few cherry tomatoes, Italian parsley, a squeeze of lemon and chili pepper flakes.

Image and recipe via feastingathome.com

Give your next barbecue some Asian flare with this umami twist on grilled eggplant.

Ingredients
6 Japanese eggplants, halved lengthwise
3 tablespoons canola oil or vegetable oil
1 shallot/scallion, finely sliced
1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Miso Glaze
1/4 cup white miso
2 tablespoons mirin
1 tablespoon sake (Japanese cooking wine)
1 tablespoon sugar


Directions
Preheat grill to medium. Whisk together the miso glaze ingredients. Brush the cut side of each eggplant with the oil. Do it two to three times to use up all the oil. Place the cut side down on the grill and cook for four minutes until it turns a light golden brown. Turn over, and cook for three to four minutes. While it is cooking, use a spoon to spread a generous amount of miso glaze on the cut side of each eggplant. Squeeze the side of the eggplant with your tongs to check for doneness -- it should be squishy and soft. Turn over and grill just for 30 seconds to one minute, just to caramelize the glaze. Remove from grill, garnish with shallots and sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Image and recipe via recipetineats.com