Healthy grilling ideas for summer

Get ready for a fun summer season with some quick and easy grilling ideas. Grilling is a great way to eat healthy, save time and cut calories.  Follow these easy tips for some flavorful and healthy meals.

How to prepare healthy low-fat meals

There are a few options for creating delicious healthy meals on your grill. For example, you can marinade your food, use different spices to create great tasting rubs, or use skewers for shish Kebabs. Not only is this a healthy way to eat, it only requires a minimal amount of effort to prepare.

Marinades – use marinades to add flavor to lean meats, poultry and fish. Below is an all-purpose marinade.

Ingredients

·        3 cloves crushed garlic

·        1/2 cup soy sauce

·        1/4 cup olive oil (to cut calories, use less oil)

·        1/2 cup water

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine the garlic, soy sauce, olive oil and water; mix well. Marinate meat of your choice for at least 8 hours.

Rubs – use rubs on lean meats and chicken. Use this rub recipe to add flavor to your next grilled meal.

Ingredients

·        1/4  cup  chili powder

·        1/2  teaspoon  ground cumin

·        1/4  teaspoon  dry mustard

·        1/8  teaspoon  ground cinnamon

·        1/2  teaspoon  dried oregano

·        2  teaspoons  kosher salt

Preparation

In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, cumin, mustard, cinnamon, oregano, and salt. Add a small amount of olive oil to make a paste and rub over raw meat, over chicken, or on seafood.

Shish kebabs – For another way to eat healthy; create grilled recipes that include veggies.

FYI – pre-soak the wooden skewers for 30 minutes to avoid burning, or use metal skewers if you have them available. Use any combination of veggies such as green or red peppers, onions, tomato, or fruit such as pineapple. Or you can use a combination of veggies and lean meats, chicken or seafood such as shrimp; alternate between veggies and meats/seafood on your skewers.  Shish kebabs are easy to prepare, and are a great way to add some variety to your grilled dishes.

Marinades, rubs and shish kebabs will add variety to your healthy cuisine. There you have it, three quick and easy ideas for healthy grilling. Enjoy your summer and your meals too!