BBQ is a summer staple for many families, but what about those family members who don't eat meat?

Well, when one such viewer came to "Top Chef" star Richard Blais for advice on meatless barbecue alternatives, he had plenty to say.

Q: My family loves barbecue during the summer, but I'm vegetarian. Any advice on what I can do?

A: "I am a big fan of throwing really whatever vegetable you love on the grill," Richard says.

As it turns out, you can grill pretty much any veggie — and while it's a basic concept, you can also get pretty creative with it.

Richard loves to blanch what he calls "horse carrots" then cook them on the grill — "the large carrots that no one buys at the market," he explains.

"I love carrots because they have this sort of meaty texture to them, and they'll hold up to all of those barbecue flavors," the chef explains, "and what you love about barbecue — it's not the meat — it's the flavor of the grill and the marinade."

You can do that with any vegetable, he continues, from eggplant to onions. If you're low on space, Richard suggests wrapping onions in foil and letting them cook on the side of the grill.

Want more ideas? Try Richard's Grilled Potato Rosemary Kebabs and check out our list of 4 surprising foods to grill this summer (including a recipe for Grilled Watermelon Pizza)!