BBQ’S CAN BE HEALTHY
Summer is on the way and so is bbq season. It can be easy to over indulge but if you’re watching what you eat, with some simple tips BBQing can be a really healthy way to cook food.
Choose lean protein rich foods such as chicken, steak, fish or prawns and limit the burgers and sausages which are often much higher in fat. Or alternatively make your own low fat burgers using steak mince, onion, egg and seasoning.
Ditch the buns or just having a bun base which will save around 100 calories.
Make your plate as colourful as possible – no I don’t mean slathering it in ketchup, but if you load up on salad and colourful veggie sides it will likely be a healthier plate.
Limit salad dressings which can be high in sugar and fat and easily add an extra hundred calories to an otherwise healthy salad. Try making your own using ingredients like low fat yoghurt, lime juice and herbs.
Watch out for marinades, sauces, pickles and chutneys which can be full of sugar and can bump calories up in just a teaspoon. Add flavour to meat prior to cooking with ingredients like garlic, ginger, lime, chilli and herbs.
Try making a pasta salad with courgette and a low fat pesto for a lower calorie side option.
Slice up a whole cauliflower and cut up chunky veg and throw them on the BBQ for a healthier side option.
Make your own low calorie alcohol-free drink drinks with slimline tonic, soda water, or sparkling water and try adding different flavours with lime, strawberries, watermelon, mint, basil, cubed cucumber and a splash of fruit cordial.
Use a side plate or smaller plate instead of a dinner plate to help with portion control.
For lower calorie desserts try making frozen yoghurt with low fat fruit yoghurt or fat free fromage frais or making ice lollies using water or skimmed milk and a quality fruit cordial.
Most importantly enjoy everything in moderation!
Coach Kate