There is nothing better than cooking outside. Regardless of the weather, grilled food tastes amazing, and you should try to do it as often as possible. When we were kids, our families used charcoal briquettes, which worked pretty well. That signature smell was part of summer memories, but times have changed, and people prefer to use gas grills for their versatility and lower impact on the environment.
Gas grills are highly recommended because you can fire it up quickly and control the temperature easily. The next question is what do you cook next? While it may be tempting to throw in a steak or burger, there are healthy grilling options as well. Use these six healthy gas grilling ideas for your next BBQ and have fun feeding your family and friends.
Idea #1: Grill at lower temperatures.
BBQing is usually about high heat and fast cooking. Fat is dripping off meat and smoking up the backyard, and you can hear the sear! You want to avoid unhealthy chemical reactions with open flame cooking by reducing the heat and taking your time.
Meat cooked with high heat produces mutagenic heterocyclic amines. That means HCAs change your DNA and are carcinogenic. AGEs (advanced glycation end-products) are in our food, but they increase with high heat cooking of meat and fat. PHAs, or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, are created in meat when the temperature is high for cooking. These are linked to leukemia and lung cancer. To minimize the risk of all these chemicals, cook your meat at lower temperatures.
Idea #2: Grill healthier proteins
When you think of grilling, the first thing that comes to mind is hamburgers and hot dogs. They taste great, of course, but are not necessarily the healthiest protein option available. What not switch it up with other choices?
Bring out some chicken and fish to grill up. It is a tasty alternative and a healthier one too. There are so many varieties of fish that you will never get bored and for the vegan guests at the BBQ, grill up some big portobello mushrooms to go between the burger buns. Shrimp on skewers with pineapple is another healthy hit.
Have your steaks, burgers and hot dogs here and there but include these other proteins into the rotation, and your body will thank you.
Idea #3: Grill veggies
Your BBQ isn’t just for meat, you know. Grilled vegetables are so easy to cook, and they taste amazing. You can make up skewers with onions, peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and any other veg you like. Bake some potatoes, chop them up with green onions and herbs, and bake them on the grill in tin foil. Corn also is mandatory at your BBQ.
Idea #4: Upgrade Your Cold Sides
You need to balance on the plate, and salads are usually included in any BBQ event. To keep with your healthy theme, you should switch out the regular macaroni and potato salad for greek and coleslaw. They are packed with nutritious veggies and healthy oils that everyone will love.
Add a whole-grain side like sun-dried tomato, spinach and quinoa salad or a strawberry and feta salad. They are different and delicious. Put out a raw veggie plate for people to grab and go as well. The healthier options you include while grilling, the better.
Idea #5: Grill Up Fruit
For some sweet, juicy flavours, you should use your grill for fruit too. Fruit is pretty fragile, so make sure you cut up big pieces to put on the BBQ. Leave the rind on watermelon and just cut the peaches in half and leave the skin on all stone fruit. Smaller fruit can be put on a skewer and grilled to perfection but make sure the grill is hot, so there is no sticking.
Great fruit for grilling includes:
- Pineapple
- Peaches
- Watermelon
- Strawberries
- Plumbs
- Nectarines
- Pears
- Cherries
- Apples
Idea #6: Marinades & rubs
It’s easy to throw a steak on the grill and dump BBQ sauce on it, but it isn’t the healthiest or tastiest option out there. Why not make your marinade and rubs to take your flavours to the next level?
You can buy marinades and rubs from the store, but they are easy to make yourself. Do a quick search online and prepare it beforehand. You probably have most of the ingredients already in the cupboards. For meat and poultry, marinate for 1-2 hours. Fish and veggies only need 1 hour. Use healthy culinary herbs and spices for your rubs. Dry rubs can be put on a few hours before, and then you are good to go when it’s time to cook.
This will prevent you from basting at the grill because using a brush back and forth between raw and cooked meat is a no-no. Stick with marinades and rubs and enjoy that homemade flavour.
