Photo by Mike

It’s time to bust out the grill, summer has arrived! It’s that time of year when the warm weather and longer days inspire us to cook outdoors. A tasty marinade or rub is essential to getting flavor in your summertime favorites. Marinades are liquid mixtures containing an acid (vinegar, citrus, white wine) and a base (oil, yogurt, honey), along with herbs and/or spices. Marinades add strong flavors while making food more tender and moist. Rubs are combinations of herbs and spices that are rubbed all over meat, fish, vegetables, or whatever you choose. Rubs may create a protective layer around food that slightly insulates it from the direct heat of the grill, keeping it moist. It also adds lots of flavor and a crispy crust and works best when the food is grilled, broiled, baked, or roasted.

Marinating meat, fish, and poultry prior to grilling also cuts down on the amount of carcinogenic compounds produced. The acids in marinades also may slow down the growth of harmful bacteria that often flourish at summer cookouts. However, despite all their benefits, choosing the wrong marinades or rubs could wreck your diet. Some store-bought options can be unhealthy, which are often loaded with sodium, fat, added sugars, and preservatives. Try some of these healthier, yet tasty combinations that will keep your summer cookout a healthy one.

HEALTHY MARINADES

When making your own marinade, try lower sodium options – no-salt seasonings, herbs, spices, and/or low-sodium soy sauce. Try some of these heart healthy marinade recipes and use on your favorite protein source (also try on a mix of your favorite vegetables!):

#1: 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce, 2 teaspoons vinegar, and 3 minced garlic cloves. Slowly whisk 1 teaspoon olive oil until combined.

#2: 4 tablespoons safflower oil, 4 tablespoons olive oil, 1/8 cup lemon juice, 2 garlic cloves (minced), ½ teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon tarragon

#3: ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, ¼ cup toasted sesame oil, 1/8 cup unseasoned rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Thai chili-garlic sauce (Sriracha), zest of 1 lemon, 3 to 5 cloves of garlic, grated, and 1 small knob of fresh ginger, grated. Mix to combine.

(Note: Marinate meat for a minimum of 30 minutes to a maximum of overnight for the best results. Over-marinated meat will soften and become mushy because of the acid breaking down the food.)

HEALTHY RUBS

Rubs are a healthier alternative to heavy sauces since most ingredients in a spice rub have few calories. The type of rub chosen depends on the type of food and personal flavor preference. A stronger rub may complement heartier foods (paprika and chili with steak or salmon), while a milder rub may pair better with chicken breast or white fish (such as mahi mahi). Here are some easy flavor combinations that doesn’t require added salt:

#1: Paprika, pepper and chili powder

#2: Garlic, onion powder, dried basil and oregano

#3: Chili peppers, lime juice, fresh garlic and cilantro

#4: Oregano, thyme, pepper, coriander, onion powder and garlic powder

#5: Tarragon, mustard, chive, chervil and fresh shallot

#6: Garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, paprika

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!

Fire Up the Grill!

The month of June brings in summertime, which means it’s barbecue season and time to fire up the grill! Barbecues can be a time to enjoy good food with your loved ones, but does not always consist of healthy meals. Use this time as an opportunity to come up with some tasty and healthy new dishes for the next barbecue with your family and friends!

Serve up tasty and healthy dishes this barbeque season

Try some of these ideas for healthy grilling:

– Trim visible fat from meats to help reduce calories and fat in the meals

– You can still choose your favorite meats, (although lean meat is healthier), but consider eating smaller portions and balancing them with low fat, fiber-rich side dishes.

– Grill vegetables! It’s better to grill veggies first before the meat to limit the risk of cross-contamination. After grilling the vegetables, set them aside while the meat cooks. Try cutting zucchini or eggplant, brush with olive oil and herbs, and then grill on both sides until tender. Quartered and seeded bell peppers or thickly sliced onions make good options as well. Don’t be shy to grill fruit! Peaches or pineapple slices are delicious complements to chicken or beef.

– Make kabobs. You can stretch out your meat by adding less meat to the kabobs and adding in small chunks of fruits and veggies. Be creative. Add different colors for a more visually-appealing kabob and choose a variety of flavors.

– Marinate your meat in advance. Not only does it enhance flavors of the meat, it has also been shown to reduce carcinogens by 57% – 88%. A marinade typically consists of a mixture of oil, vinegar, herbs and spices.

This summer, try some of these healthy grilling tips to make meals that everyone can enjoy!

Happy grilling!