Spring and summer are great times of the year to have a cookout! Cookouts do not have to consist of your typical high-fat “tail-gating” foods. Grilling is actually a low-fat way to cook and can make healthy food even tastier. Here are some healthy tips and suggestions to make your next cookout a healthier one.
- Grill more than just burgers and hotdogs. Try grilling fish such as salmon or grilling chicken.
- Use whole wheat buns.
- Always have water. Don’t drink all your calories!
- Bring or provide a vegetable platter, a fruit salad, or mixed nuts.
Want to add more flavor without adding all the fat and salt?
- Marinate the vegetables as well as the meat, poultry, or fish.
- Brush on light oil-based sauces early in grilling. For less charring baste sauces containing sugars (fruit puree, honey preserves) toward the end of cooking.
- Grill vegetables. Brush them lightly with oil and herbs beforehand.
- Brush on a little liquid smoke. It adds more outdoor taste and is safe to eat.
- Toward the ending of grilling, sprinkle flavorful fresh herbs, citrus or apple peels, even whole, unpeeled garlic cloves on your coals.
Supermarket shelves carry many premixed rubs for meat, seafood and poultry. Or you can make your own at home.
Combine flavors that taste good together. Apply the rub by pressing the mixture onto the surface of the meat, seafood or poultry before cooking. The food usually becomes more flavorful the longer the seasoning mixture is on.
Try these rubs, or make one based on your favorite flavors:
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Citrus rub: Combine grated lemon, orange or lime peel (or all three) with minced garlic and cracked black pepper.
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Pepper-garlic rub: Mix together garlic powder, cracked black pepper and cayenne pepper.
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Italian rub: Combine fresh or dried oregano, basil and rosemary with minced Italian parsley and garlic.
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Herb rub: Use fresh or dried marjoram, thyme and basil.
Always wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw meat, seafood and poultry.
Adapted from: www.eatright.org
