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vegetable bun As the summer grilling season gets under way, scores of hosts across the Capital Region are asking themselves the age-old question, “What the heck am I going to serve the vegetarians at my backyard barbecue?” Until recently, this increasingly prevalent problem has often been solved with a green salad, vegetarian baked beans and maybe a dried-out frozen veggie burger. But now, there are a variety of new cookbooks that can help home chefs serve up tasty and healthy fare that even nonvegetarians will find appealing. Andrea Chesman, author of “The New Vegetarian Grill,” said she noticed that “people were at a loss when it came to putting together vegetarian meals, especially when one person was a vegetarian and the rest were meat eaters. It seemed they would focus on the meat, with maybe one veggie and a salad, and that was really boring.” Chesman, who grew up in Troy but now lives in Vermont, says vegetables are easy to prepare outdoors, as long as you have one essential piece of equipment. “If you buy a vegetable grill rack, it gives you an enormous amount of versatility, and it’s inexpensive .?.?. $15, $20,” she said. “Look for an enamel-coated one.”In simple terms, a vegetable grill rack is a metal sheet with holes cut out that sits on top of the regular grill. It allows you to cut vegetables into smaller pieces, so that smoke and flavor can penetrate the food, but it keeps the pieces from falling into the flames. It’s also helpful for foods that tend to stick, such as pizza, tofu and veggie burgers. For the cook just starting to experiment with vegetarian cuisine, Chesman recommends Portobello mushrooms, lightly oiled, grilled and served on a bun with onions and barbecue sauce. Homemade lentil burgers can be prepared in advance and cooked on the grill along with traditional burgers and hot dogs. But she also advises beginners to think outside the bun.“I really love all the sandwiches in my grill book,” Chesman said. “Mushroom steak sandwiches with blue cheese dressing. That’s a really great sandwich. Grilled peppers, big slabs of bell peppers, are also delicious on sandwiches. Eggplant is very easy and delicious and rewarding. And they’re really easy to make.” The host of the Food Network’s “Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee” agrees that vegetarian dishes can be both easy to prepare and tasty enough to be served to everyone.“Just because it’s a vegetable doesn’t mean that it has to be bland,” Lee said. “Grilled asparagus is fantastic with a spicy mustard dipping sauce. Instead of marinating meats, try substituting a hearty vegetable like a Portobello mushroom.”Lee’s new book, “Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Grilling 2,” contains a whole chapter on “Veggies and Sides.” And her Food Network show recently featured “Drive-In Walnut Burgers,” a treat she remembers from her childhood visits to Rudy’s Drive-In in La Crosse, Wis. But she said the vegetarian lifestyle is one she’s long been familiar with. “My Grandma Lorraine was a vegetarian. While other mothers were cooking pot roast, she’d roast a medley of vegetables and toss them with yogurt, dill, Italian seasonings, experimenting with all kinds of different flavors,” she said. “Whether or not someone is a full-time vegetarian, it’s certainly a great way to add lots of essential vitamins and fiber to your diet, and there are so many creative options now — more than ever!”