Grilling Up Some Healthier Fare
Backyard barbeques—which mark many of our get togethers from Memorial Day through Labor Day—are typically set ablaze to grill up some mouth-watering, yet waist-expanding and cholesterol-raising, hamburgers, hot dogs, and beef steaks.
What if you and I broke from normative BBQ traditional fare this summer and instead offered our friends and family members some equally satisfying, but much better-for-you, grilled options?
Are you game? Okay, great! Here are some tasty suggestions for healthier BBQ fare:
THE “ITALIAN” BURGER: Beginning with ground turkey meat (which, granted, can be boring by itself), make a meatball mix by adding store bought pesto, crushed garlic, a bit of salt, some seasoned (whole wheat) bread crumbs, and one egg for each pound of meat. Form this mixture into hamburger patties and grill them to perfection.
THE “CHICKEN WITH A KICK” BURGER: For four burgers, form eight thin patties. Place a tablespoon of grated pepper jack cheese in the center of four of those patties. Then I cover each with a second patty and pinch the sides closed. Your family will likely find these stuffed, cheesy burgers to have much greater appeal than the plain old beef patty option.
“SEA” STEAKS: Instead of “cow steaks”, try grilling salmon (on a water-soaked cedar plank), tuna, or swordfish steaks—if your budget allows. The rule of thumb is that less is more when it comes to seasoning and cooking these—as soon as the fish becomes opaque in the center, it’s done! Top these sea steaks with a dressed mescaline or microgreens salad and people will forget all about those “not-so-hot dogs.”
A SIDE OF VITAMINS: Finally, grill up some veggies and fruit to eat alongside your main course. Grilled eggplant and zucchini* drizzled with balsamic vinegar and pineapple wedges sprinkled with cinnamon are some of my family’s favorites.
*Before grilling, brush the eggplant and zucchini on both sides with olive oil to prevent sticking.