Father's Day is as good a time as any to go back to our caveperson roots. Hunters and gatherers alike can enjoy an al fresco meal made up of grilled things that pretty much require our eschewing mannerly fine dining habits and eating the way Mother Nature intended. Or, as the adage goes, "Fingers were invented before forks."

Our bill of fare for the day that honors Dad features just what the guys (and most gals) like by way of summertime eating: Sassy fare, cooked outdoors, that you can pretty much eat with your fingers. That we accomplish our ends without the use of any red meat helps make this repast different from the "usual" Father's Day offerings.

Don't forget the napkins.

Crispy zook strips

We lighten the fat load by making our creamy salsa dip with fat-free sour cream, and by baking the zucchini instead of frying it. You can "create" celery sticks without a recipe, can't you?

2/3 cup favorite salsa (preferably chunky and of medium heat)

1/3 cup fat-free (or reduced-fat) sour cream

1 pound zucchini, about 2 medium size, cut into 1-inch wide by 3-inch long strips, for a total of 48 sticks (6 pieces each)

1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

2/3 cup yellow cornmeal

3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons minced, fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

About 1/2 cup flour

4 large egg whites, lightly beaten

Cooking spray

Celery sticks, to accompany zucchini sticks

For the dip, combine salsa and sour cream. Refrigerate until serving time.

For the zucchini, heat oven to 450 degrees. Prep zucchini. Combine bread crumbs, cornmeal, parmesan, parsley and salt and spread on a piece of wax paper. Spread flour on another piece of wax paper. Beat egg whites and pour into a shallow bowl. Dredge 8 zucchini pieces in flour, then in egg white, then in bread-crumb mixture.

Spray-coat a baking sheet, and place zucchini on sheet. Repeat with remaining zucchini, flour, egg white mixture and crumb mixture (you may have to use 2 baking sheets). Lightly coat zucchini sticks with spray. Bake about 25 minutes, until lightly browned and crisp, turning after 12 minutes. Serve hot with chilled celery sticks and creamy salsa.

Spice is nice

We've designed these three barbecued protein sources to occupy the grill at the same time. A bit of thought will be required, so pay attention. For best results, get Dad to be the grillmeister, with you as meister grillmeister.

The chicken

We start the birds in the oven (early in the day?), then finish outdoors.

2 (4-pound) chickens, each cut into 8 pieces

1/3 cup olive oil

Coarse sea salt

1 cup honey

1/4 cup reduced-fat/sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons country-style (coarse) Dijon mustard

3/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

Pinch of hot red pepper flakes

Additional olive oil, for grilling

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Use the one-third cup olive oil to coat chicken pieces, then place them on baking sheets. Roast until nearly cooked through, about 20 minutes for breasts and 25 minutes for dark meat. Pour off fat and discard. If not grilling right away, cool chicken and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before grilling.

In a saucepan, bring honey, chicken broth, mustard and coarse pepper and red pepper to a boil. Add a pinch of salt if you must.

Heat grill. Pour honey mixture into a large bowl and toss chicken pieces in it. Grill chicken, skin-side down, for about 5 minutes. Turn, and baste with some of the honey mixture and olive oil (if needed), and grill 5 minutes longer, until skin is glazed deep brown but not burnt.

The shrimp

2 tablespoons (Spanish) smoked paprika (smoky but not spicy)

1 tablespoon ancho chile powder

4 teaspoons light brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper

10 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

About 1/2 cup peanut oil, divided

48 large (for 6 shrimp per serving), deveined but not shelled

12 large bamboo skewers, soaked in water 30 minutes before threading

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

5 scallions, thinly sliced

In a large bowl, combine paprika, chile powder, brown sugar, cumin, salt, pepper, garlic and 1/4 cup of the peanut oil. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Let stand 20 minutes.

Thread shrimp lengthwise onto skewers, 4 shrimp per skewer. Grill over medium-high heat, basting with remaining peanut oil, for about 3 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, over medium heat, melt unsalted butter. Add scallions and cook 4 minutes.

When shrimp are done, remove shrimp from skewers to a serving platter. Drizzle with the melted butter/scallion mixture.

The sides

The beans provide more protein, fiber, and even a leafy green ; the grits take care of the carb quotient.

You'll have to provide some utensils for these goodies.

Barbecued beans

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped Vidalia (sweet) onion

5 garlic cloves, minced

8 cups chopped kale (about 3/4 pound)

2/3 cup favorite bottled barbecue sauce (hickory, mesquite, etc.)

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons country-style Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, e.g. Tabasco

2 (16-ounce) cans kidney beans, drained, rinsed, drained again

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large, non-stick skillet, over medium, heat oil. Add onion and garlic and saute 5 minutes, until onion is tender. Stir in remaining ingredients, heat through, then remove to a 2-quart baking dish. Cover and bake for about 45 minutes, until thoroughly heated. Remove cover during last 10 minutes.

Cheesy grits

4 cups water

1 cup (uncooked) quick-cooking grits

1 1/2 cups (about 6 ounces) shredded, sharp cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons finely chopped, fresh chives

2 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt, if using

In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Gradually add grits, stirring constantly. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 5 minutes, until thick, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in shredded cheese, butter, garlic powder, thyme and salt.

Berry parfaits

We take pity on Dad, and ourselves, by fixing a fun, easy (we even use the microwave), seasonal dessert with yogurt as a base instead of ice cream. We also load up on the chemicals by incorporating a whipped topping not made from real cream. But the berries are natural.

4 cups raspberries or blackberries or combination, plus more, for garnish

1/2 cup sugar, divided

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 (32-ounce) containers low-fat, vanilla-flavored yogurt

1/2 cup frozen whipped topping (e.g. Kool Whip), thawed

8 parfait (tall, stemmed) glasses, or use large wine glasses

In a blender or processor, puree the 4 cups berries. Press puree through a sieve into a microwave safe bowl. (Discard seeds.) Add 1/4 cup of the sugar and cornstarch. Whisk until well blended. Microwave on high for 3 minutes, until thick and bubbly, stirring halfway through cooking. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the mixture into each of 8 parfait glasses. Chill for 15 minutes. Reserve remaining berry mixture.

Layer some paper towels onto a baking sheets. Spread yogurt onto paper towels. Top with more paper towels and let stand 5 minutes (to remove some of the liquids). Scrape yogurt into a bowl. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Stir well.

To assemble, divide yogurt among the 8 chilled berry glasses. Divide remaining berry mixture among glasses. Cover loosely and chill 2 hours or more.

To serve, top each parfait with about 1 tablespoon whipped topping. Garnish each parfait with a few whole berries.