Healthy Eating Barbeques
Everyone loves a good barbecue. It’s a chance to get together with friends and family and enjoy the sunshine in a relaxed environment. Even if you don’t have access to a garden, barbecues are allowed in many public parks and commons. However, if you’re trying to eat healthily, you might be understandably apprehensive about attending a barbecue. The standard fare of burgers, sausages and steaks, served up with coleslaw and bread, tends to be high in both fat and calories, so whether you’re trying to lose weight or lower your cholesterol, you might find yourself tempted to stay at home. It doesn’t have to be that way: there are plenty of tasty barbecue foods that are healthy too. Here are a couple of sure-fire winners:
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Barbequed Salmon
Ingredients:
• 2 skinless salmon fillets
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry (or Japanese rice wine if you can get it)
• Dash of groundnut oil
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• Small piece of grated fresh ginger
Method:
1. Put the salmon in a dish or bowl.
2. Mix all other ingredients together and pour over salmon, covering thoroughly.
3. Leave to marinate in the fridge for 1 hour.
4. Cook on a medium-heat BBQ for around 5 minutes on each side (or until cooked), turning once.
Salmon is perfect for the BBQ, as its meaty texture means the fish stays together well on the heat and doesn’t crumble. This goes excellently with a fresh cucumber salad. Add chilli to the marinade if you like your food with a little heat.
Vegetable Kebabs
Ingredients:
• 4 button mushrooms
• 8 cherry tomatoes
• ? courgette, thickly sliced
• 1 red and 1 green pepper, thickly sliced
• 1 onion, thickly sliced
• 2 large garlic cloves, sliced
• Olive oil for brushing
• Dijon mustard
Method:
1. Take 4 skewers.
2. Place vegetables on the skewers, distributing evenly.
3. Brush lightly with oil and mustard.
4. Cook on a medium-heat BBQ for around 15 minutes, or until cooked, turning regularly.
This is a highly flexible recipe, and you can add whatever vegetables you like, as long as they fit on your skewer! Try and get a mixture of colours and textures for the best results. You can also substitute another flavouring for the mustard, depending on taste.
