Dear Barbie Q., Believe it or not, there’s so much more you can cook on the grill besides the usual hamburgers and hot dogs. Your husband must have been eating more than just grilled meat if he’s packed on that much weight since November. I used to be the same way. Grilling for me used to be slapping a few burgers and dogs on the grill. Not anymore. First let’s start with the meat itself. If you’re going to do burgers, use the leanest ground meat you can find. Ground turkey is an excellent choice because it’s generally much leaner than beef or sirloin. You might also want to try adding some finely chopped vegetables to the ground meat. I like to throw in some chopped onions and green peppers and even a few Italian seasoned bread crumbs for extra flavor. I love to grill turkey sausages. They are lower in fat than regular sausages and still have that great sausage flavor. You can’t go wrong with grilled chicken breasts either. They are very lean , a great source of protein and easy adaptable to a lot of different seasonings. Don’t be afraid of fish either. One of my favorites is grilled salmon. You can buy a salmon fillet or steak for not much more money than a beef steak. What’s great about salmon is that it contains omega-3 fatty acids, which research shows is good for your heart and overall health. Kebabs are another great alternative to hamburgers and hot dogs. Instead of lamb, try it with cubes of chicken or fresh tuna. The best thing about kebabs is that you can load up the skewers with lots of vegetables like cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, onions and peppers. Speaking of vegetables, you don’t necessarily need kebobs to grill your vegetables. There’s nothing easier or healthier than vegetables on the grill. Simply cut your vegetables into nice thick pieces so they don’t fall through the grill and toss them with a tablespoon or two of olive oil, salt and pepper. Then grill away. Be creative too. Have you ever tried barbequed asparagus or broccoli? I have and it’s totally awesome! The biggest nutrition pitfall with barbequing is not just the meats you grill but the sides and condiments you choose. You can really pack on calories and fat with some of the old standards like cole slaw and potato salad. But by making a few simple substitutions you can transform your barbeque into more healthful fare. Here are some of my favorites:
For some great grilling and barbeque recipe ideas take a look at Al Roker's Big, Bad Book of Barbecue: 100 Easy Recipes for Backyard Barbecue (Scribner, 2002). He has some low-fat recipes and helpful grilling tips and techniques. You can check out the book at his website www.alroker.com. © Joe Decker 2003 |