Fire Up the Grill

Spring has sprung and, among other things, that means dusting off that sweet grill—the quintessential warm-weather meal maker. Besides being a great excuse to be outside, grilling is one of the healthiest cooking methods around. Whether you choose chicken, fish, vegetables, fruit, or a lean cut of steak, grilling allows you to retain moist, robust flavor, without having to add unwanted and unnecessary fat.

This year, turn your grilling from good to great—season with new herbs, marinate in savory sauces, attempt diverse dishes. Try to incorporate something colorful into your menu—vegetable and fruit kabobs, grilled pineapple rings, corn on the cob hot off the grill…or even delve into uncharted territory. Marinating in a little sweetness, like sugar or honey, cuts the acidic flavor of certain foods and provides a rich, crusty surface. Garlic, herbs, mustard, and the like provide flavor, acid (wine, vinegar, citrus juice) tenderizes, and just a small amount of oil moisturizes. Marinating may also help your health, as it creates a barrier against the direct heat that creates HCAs (the potentially-cancer-causing chemicals you’ve heard about which are created when meat, poultry, and fish are scorched at high temperatures on the grill).

When grilling, remember food safety and avoid cross-contamination. Keep your meat, poultry, fish, tofu or vegetables covered and refrigerated while marinating, and don’t reuse the same cutting board or cooking utensils on raw and cooked foods.

Here are several recipes and ideas to get you started. Serve up with a colorful, ornate salad, and you might find yourself wanting to grill up every night!

Lee T. Murphy, MS-MPH, RD, LDN