A little bit of summer heat coupled with some of that wonderful summer breeze equals good grilling weather.  Heat up the grill and take the cooking outdoors for a fun backyard barbeque! Grilling is a healthy cooking technique that cuts the fat and calories by letting the fat melt away, while still keeping the flavors intact.  So when you want to take your next meal to the grill, be adventurous.  Your taste buds will appreciate it.

Along with the traditional meat items, such as hamburgers, hot dogs or steaks, grill up some vegetables or fruits for a low-fat option.  So, if you are just learning to be grill master, concerned about carcinogens (a substance capable of causing cancer in living tissue), or want to prepare healthy low-fat meals follow these tips and  check out these delicious recipes (Click the links):

Tips to Grilling Up A Slimmer Summer

• Marinate your food.  Before you start grilling, take some time to make a marinade, which provides coating around the foods, limiting the formation of harmful carcinogens.  There are many varieties of marinades to make from citrus to sweet; it will make a big difference to your grilled foods.
• Give it a good clean.  Make sure to clean the grill with a wire brush to remove any buildup of char, which can be carcinogenic to your health.  Then wipe down with a damp cloth or paper towels to remove anything that wasn’t taken off by the wire brush.
• Watch out for flames.  When grilling meats, poultry or fish on an open flame, the fat from these proteins drips onto the flames creating a carcinogenic smoke.  By grilling leaner protein sources can result in less bad smoke.  Another precaution to take is to line the grill with foil poked with holes, to make a barrier against the smoke and food.
• Don’t let it burn.  Discard any noticeable burnt areas around the food and try not to eat, as those pieces have the cancer-causing substances.
• Fruits and veggies please!  Grilling fruits and vegetables caramelizes the natural sugars that give it a great flavor.  Keep it plain or marinate them, it tastes just as delicious.  You can also make a switch from your traditional salads and grill them, like a grilled Caesar salad.  Also, increase your fruit and vegetable intake and replace the meat entirely with vegetables like grilled eggplant or portabella mushrooms for a similar meaty texture.
• Instead of steak, try grilled fish.  Salmon, trout, and herring are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are very heart healthy.  Shrimp is great on the grill as well, bringing out a tasty smoky flavor.
• Keep it lean with chicken.  Grill chicken breast, but remember to remove the skin.  Try grilled chicken kabobs in between layers of fresh veggies or a zesty grilled chipotle chicken sandwich with your favorite veggies.
• Choose your meats wisely.  Choose lean meats that have less fat, such as loin or round cuts of beef or pork.  Choice and select grades of meat, instead of prime, have lower amounts of fat.  This of course limits the amount of fat that will drip onto the fire while grilling, limiting the production of the bad smoke.  Also, remember to trim the extra fat after you take it home.  Try a lettuce wrap with grilled steak or grilled pork fajitas.

Summer is around the corner, as well as Father’s day.  Treat your dad to a grilled feast with low-fat grilled veggies and proteins.  There are many food items you can grill, so when it heats up inside the kitchen, go outside and take it to the grill!