Fit and Full: 5 Healthy Grilling Recipes to Use All Summer

Fire up your grill and embrace the sizzling summer season with a burst of flavor and health! Who says you have to compromise on taste to stay fit and healthy? With these 5 healthy grilling recipes, you can indulge in mouthwatering dishes that nourish your body and satisfy your taste buds.

Whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue or simply craving a delicious and nutritious meal, these recipes will make you the grilling master of the season. So, grab your tongs, ignite the flame, and let’s dive into a summer of irresistible flavors that will keep you feeling energized, confident, and ready to embrace the sunny days ahead. It’s time to make your taste buds dance and your body happy with these mouthwatering, guilt-free grilling creations.

Benefits of grilling for a healthy lifestyle

Grilling is not just a delicious way to cook your food (although delicious is typically enough in my book). That smokey, summertime flavor also offers several health benefits:

• Nutritional advantages: the high heat level needed for grilling seals in the natural juices of the food, ensuring that it remains tender and flavorful. It also means your food retains more nutrients in the food compared to other cooking methods, making it a great choice for those who want to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Plus, since grilling allows you to cook without adding excessive oils or fats, making it a healthier cooking option.
  
• Flavor and satisfaction advantages: grilling makes it easier for your taste buds to detect and savor flavor precursors (compounds that occur naturally in meat and vegetables). Heat transforms these compounds into their final form: delicious, complex flavor molecules we can smell and taste. The end result is cooked meat with flavors we crave and find extremely satisfying.
  
• Lean protein and veg-forward: grilling also encourages the consumption of lean proteins and vegetables, which are essential for a balanced diet. By incorporating more grilled foods into your meals, you can increase your intake of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. It’s a fantastic way to get your daily dose of antioxidants and promote overall well-being.

Tips for safe and healthy grilling

1. Preheat your grill properly to ensure even cooking and prevent food from sticking.

2. Clean your grill grates before and after each use to remove any leftover food particles.

3. Use long-handled tongs and spatulas to handle the food on the grill and prevent burns.

4. Avoid charring or burning your food by keeping a close eye on the cooking time and adjusting the heat as needed.

5. Use a meat thermometer to ensure that meats are cooked to the appropriate internal temperature.

6. Consider using natural hardwood charcoal or hardwood chips for added flavor without the use of chemical additives.

7. Serve grilled dishes with a side of fresh salad or steamed vegetables to complete a balanced meal.

Fresh ideas for healthy grilling

Before we dive into the recipes, here are a few ways to freshen up your grilling equipment and ingredients.

Opt for lean cuts of meat, such as skinless chicken breasts or thighs, pork tenderloin, bison or fish, as they are lower in calories and saturated fats. Marinating your meat with herbs, spices, and a touch of olive oil can add flavor without the need for excessive salt or sugar.

When it comes to vegetables, choose a colorful assortment that adds both visual appeal and nutritional value to your grill. Bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes are excellent choices. They are packed with vitamins and minerals while adding a burst of flavor to your dishes.

Use a grilling basket to ensure smaller vegetables get close enough to the flame, but don’t fall through the grates. This grill basket is great for easy accessibility – I like to use it like a sauté pan for veggies. And this one is perfect for that “one pan meal” chef.

Grilling gives you the opportunity to level up your flavor profile in unique ways. Brining locks in moisture and flavor deep into the meat. A small bouquet of hearty herbs like rosemary, thyme and oregano, tied together with butcher’s twine, adds a really nice smoky, herby note. You can lay the herbs right on the grill or use it instead of a grill brush to paint on light marinades.

Healthy Grilling Recipes to Use All Summer

Chicken Skewers with Rainbow Vegetables

Family-friendly and fun for a crowd. I like to make a big batch of roasted potatoes and serve these with homemade Creamy Avocado Cilantro Vinaigrette for dipping.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into chunks
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into chunks
• 1 red onion, cut into chunks
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
2. Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and place them in a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice, orange juice, honey, oregano, salt, and black pepper.
4. Pour the marinade over the chicken pieces and toss to coat evenly. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.
5. Thread the chicken, bell peppers, and red onion onto skewers, alternating between the ingredients.
6. Grill the skewers for about 10-12 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
7. Serve hot and enjoy!

Grilled salmon packets with lemon and dill

Salmon is my favorite fish to grill but it’s easy to overcook and dry out. Cooking it in a foil packet keeps it moist and flavorful. Plus, easy clean up!

Ingredients:

• 2 salmon fillets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 lemon, sliced
• Fresh dill sprigs
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat your grill to medium heat.
2. Season the salmon fillets with salt and black pepper.
3. Place a few lemon slices and fresh dill sprigs on each salmon fillet.
4. Wrap each fillet tightly in aluminum foil, creating a packet.
5. Place the foil packets on the grill and cook for about 8-12 minutes, or until the salmon is flaky and cooked through.
6. Carefully open the foil packets, remove the lemon slices and dill sprigs, and serve the grilled salmon hot.

Grilled summer vegetable kebabs with a tangy marinade

Ingredients:

• 1 zucchini, cut into chunks
• 1 yellow squash, cut into chunks
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks
• 1 red onion, cut into chunks
• 5 radishes, halved lengthwise
• 8-10 cherry tomatoes
• 8-10 mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• fresh parsley

Instructions:

1. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper.
3. Add the zucchini, yellow squash, red bell pepper, red onion, radishes, cherry tomatoes and mushrooms to the bowl with the marinade. Toss to coat the vegetables evenly. Marinate 15-20 minutes.
4. Thread the marinated vegetables onto skewers, alternating between the ingredients.
5. Grill the vegetable kebabs for about 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and lightly charred.
6. Sprinkle with parsley and enjoy.

Hawaiian grilled shrimp and pineapple skewers

When we lived in Hawaii, we rarely cooked inside. If it wasn’t fresh poke, it was charred fish and veggies out on the communal grills at our condo complex. And of course, pineapple.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 cup pineapple chunks
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Cilantro, chopped

Instructions:

1. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, lime juice, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper.
3. Add the shrimp and pineapple chunks to the bowl with the marinade. Toss to coat them evenly.
4. Thread the marinated shrimp and pineapple onto skewers, alternating between the ingredients.
5. Grill the skewers for about 2-3 minutes per side, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through.
6. Sprinkle with cilantro and savor the tropical flavors of the grilled shrimp and pineapple skewers.

Grilled peaches with honey-yogurt dip

Dessert on the grill? Why not!?

Ingredients:

• 2-3 peaches, halved and pitted
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoons honey
• 4 ounces full-fat Greek yogurt
• Lime slices
• Fresh mint leaves, minced

Instructions:

1. Preheat the grill to medium heat.
2. Slice the peaches in half and remove the pits. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the cut sides.
3. Place the peaches cut side down onto the grill over low to medium heat and cook until the peaches are warm and beginning to soften, about 8 minutes, flipping halfway.
4. Meanwhile, combine honey and Greek yogurt in a small bowl.
5. Remove peaches from grill and top each half with honey yogurt, a squeeze of lime, and a sprinkle of mint. Enjoy!