The arrival of spring not only kicks off good weather but also the start of cookout season. However, the cookout presents a challenge for healthy eaters and dieters. Whether you’re with family or friends, the following modified recipes can help achieve the flavor of a grill without ruining your beach-body diet.
Suzie Goodell, nutrition professor and registered dietitian, said that there are ways to eat healthily without sacrificing taste.
“When preparing your backyard barbeque, people can add on lots of calories and lots of fat without really even knowing it,” Goodell said. “There are things you can do to eat healthy while still having fun.”
Leaner meats like chicken, turkey, or bison burgers would be the way to go, but if you’re craving a beef patty, go with 90-95 percent lean beef. To keep from overeating and to increase fullness, stack your bun with plenty of vegetables like lettuce, tomato, mushrooms, or onion and hold the mayo to keep the unhealthy fats (and pounds) at bay.
Condiments like mustard, fat-free Miracle Whip and low calorie or no salt ketchup are ways to boost flavor without adding excess calories. Other condiments, like avocado, add healthy fats as well as a creamy texture.
Goodell said that looking for a variety of colors is a way to ensure healthy choices.
“That means don’t just eat brown and white, like brown fried chicken, brown sweet tea and white rolls,” Goodell said. “Eat red cabbage salad or a colorful fruit salad with green kiwis, red strawberries, blueberries and yellow banana.”
Although fries are a popular side dish for cookouts, they tend to add extra calories. Making baked sweet potato fries is a way to supplement the traditionally oil-heavy fry. Not only do sweet potatoes cut saturated and trans fats, but they also provide vitamins A and C and antioxidants.
Quintessential American favorites like macaroni salad, potato salad and coleslaw typify the traditional picnic, but carry with them a high calorie count. According to Goodell, success in dieting does not depend on cutting these heavy dishes completely out, but rather modifying them. Altered versions cut the mayonnaise and oils and add plenty of vegetables with fiber, which will keep you full for longer than the original fat-laden recipes.
“Another thing you can do is go ‘low and lean,'” Goodell said. “That means, eat lower fat dairy products and leaner meats. This cuts down on the calories and saturated fat without necessarily cutting down on the taste.”
Goodell also said that whole grain options help with satiation. Such options include whole-wheat pastas, whole-wheat rolls and whole-wheat crackers, which increase the vitamins, minerals and fiber.
Vegetable salads and fruits in place of bagged chips and pretzels are basic, yet popular ways to improve the health aspect of the cookout. This way you won’t be regretting your meal, but you won’t be missing the extra fat and calories either!
*The following recipes are serving sizes for 4 to 6 people.
Sweet potato fries
4 medium sweet potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Scrub potatoes and cut lengthwise into quarters. Cut each quarter lengthwise into four wedges. Arrange potatoes in a single layer in pan. Spray lightly with cooking spray.
2. Combine salt, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and pepper in a small bowl; sprinkle over potatoes.
3. Bake for 20 minutes or until brown and tender, turning once.
*Sweet potatoes provide you with fiber, Vitamin A, C and B6.
*These fries can be broiled on the grill too.
Lean burgers with a boost of flavor
1 pound lean (look for 90-95 percent) ground beef
1 egg
1/4 cup fat free half-and-half
1 tablespoons minced onion
1 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon thyme
4 whole-wheat hamburger buns
Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, egg, half-and-half, onion, Worcestershire sauce, oregano and thyme. Shape into 4 patties.
2. Broil or grill for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until internal temperature registers 150 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, or firm if poked. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes, as to let the residual heat continue to cook the burgers (temperature should reach 160 degrees).
*Whole-wheat hamburger buns provide insoluble fiber, which will keep you feeling full longer compared to starchy white flour buns.
*If your preference is hot dogs, try turkey hot dogs and you’ll only be eating 45 calories and 5 grams of fat.
Healthy macaroni salad:
1 cup whole-wheat elbow macaroni
4 cups water
1/2 cucumber
2 hard-boiled eggs, diced
1/2 cup fat-free cheddar cheese
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup carrot, grated
1/2 cup fat free mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Directions:
1. Cook the macaroni then drain and chill when it is done. Add the lemon juice and refrigerate.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and chill until serving.
Light Potato Salad:
3 pound(s) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
2 tablespoon snipped fresh dill
2 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Directions:
1. In 4-quart saucepan, combine potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and enough water to cover; heat to boiling on high. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes are just fork-tender.
2. Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk buttermilk with mayonnaise, dill, vinegar, Dijon, green onions, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper.
3. Drain potatoes well. Toss hot potatoes with buttermilk mixture until coated. (Mixture will look very loose before chilling.) Cover and refrigerate potato salad at least 2 hours or overnight to blend flavors and cool slightly, stirring gently after 1 hour.
Picnic slaw
1 medium head cabbage, shredded
1 large carrot, shredded
1 medium green pepper, sliced thinly
1 medium sweet red pepper, sliced thinly
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Dressing:
1/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup fat free buttermilk
1/2 cup fat free mayonnaise
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon vinegar