Katie Breazeale, MS, RD, LD
It’s that time of year for outdoor parties, holidays, and just good ole’ food. Grilling is a must for my family over the summer holidays especially one that involves fireworks! Do you find it kind of funny that grilling is a summer thing when most people want to stay inside out of the heat, not by a lit fire cooking food in the 100-degree weather.
Grilling is a healthy means of cooking and arguably the best cooking method for the summer. Think about it; there is no oil being cooked in (fried food), any fat would drip off into the grill not remain in the pan (bacon), and it does not have to be cooked in butter or anything else. Not to mention the added bonus that my husband is doing the cooking and less clean up in the kitchen. Where do we start when it comes to wanting to grill healthy, but not have dried out meat and make it taste amazing! Is it in the meat, the marinade, or the griller? You guessed it! It is all three.
Let’s start with the meat. Great options are chicken breasts, New York strip steaks, skirt steak, T-bones, and ground meats such as beef, turkey, or chicken. Do not forget the fish and seafood! You can use any fish- tilapia, salmon, flounder, orange roughy, or shrimp, scallops, and lobster tails. The ideas are endless when it comes to what you can grill; pizzas, tacos, dessert and kabobs for grilling meat with vegetables or even fruit. Instead of hamburger try a chicken burger. You can even grill fruit and vegetables, and not just corn on the cob. My favorites are asparagus, zucchini, peppers, and mushrooms. We have tried grilled peaches, pineapple, and strawberries.
We have the meat now how do we make it flavorful? Seasonings and marinades! My go to for grilled chicken is worstershire sauce and lemon juice. Have you tried Italian dressing and fajita seasoning to make chicken or beef fajitas? Fish and shrimp are amazing marinaded in lime juice, chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin. Strawberries and pineapple try a honey and lime blend or peaches a little cinnamon and butter. Those are just a few of my go to marinades, simple and quick.
We are ready to grill! If you are new to grilling check out our grilling guide for veggies, fruits, and meat. Now that you are hot and thirsty from all that grilling check out our summer beverage recipe below. Remember keep it safe, fun, and delicious.
Eat up!
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