Grilling out always adds an added layer of fun to dinnertime. Whether it’s serving up plates of delicious food while you catch up with friends or testing out new recipes on a romantic dinner date, it’s hard not to find a reason to fire up the grill. And contrary to what many people think, grilling out doesn’t always consist of fatty foods like hamburgers or potato salad. There are plenty of healthy (and tasty) options to serve up. While summer vibes are in full throttle, we recommend you invite some friends to grill out, and give a few of our favorite healthy dinner recipes a try. Here’s what we recommend...
#1: Grilled Chicken Kebabs
(Chicken kebabs are a classic grilled dinner recipe option--and they’re easy to make! Follow this Greatist recipe to enjoy crispy chicken and summertime vegetables (such as zucchini and portobello mushrooms) the right way. With dried dill, salt, pepper, garlic, and lemons for flavoring, you’ll more than satisfy your palate! Ingredients: For marinade:
- 3 lemons, juiced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup dried dill
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
For kebabs:
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, chunked
- 1 yellow onion, quartered and chunked
- 1 red pepper, chunked
- 16-20 baby portobello mushrooms, stems removed
- 1 small zucchini, sliced into 1-inch rounds
Directions:
- Prepare marinade in a long, shallow baking dish by combining lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
- Prepare kabobs by skewering alternating pieces of chicken and various veggies. Be sure to leave enough room on ends of skewers to flip them while cooking.
- Place skewers in baking dish with marinade, and roll to coat. Cover dish and refrigerate overnight or at least for a few hours.
- When ready to cook, heat grill to high. Place skewers on grill. Cook, using tongs to turn skewers occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Recipe Source:https://greatist.com/eat/recipes/grilled-chicken-kabobs(opens in a new tab)
#2: Grilled Cauliflower Steak Burgers
If you and/or your loved ones prefer to eat vegetarian--don’t worry! We haven’t forgotten about you! These cauliflower steak burgers are so good, they’ll tempt even the most passionate of meat eaters. With provolone cheese, arugula, onion, mustard, and more, there is no shortage of flavors included in this grilled dinner recipe. And, with the health benefits of cauliflower--such as reducing cancer risk, fighting inflammation(opens in a new tab), and balancing hormones, you can enjoy your meal with greater peace of mind that what’s going into your body won’t hurt it. Ingredients:
- 2 medium-size heads cauliflower
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 4 slices provolone cheese (or whatever cheese you like, or you can skip the cheese for a dairy-free option)
- 4 Ciabatta rolls or Ciabatta-style hamburger buns
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise (about 1 tablespoon per burger)
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard (about 1 tablespoon per burger)
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 1 cup arugula
Directions:
- Preheat your grill to medium, about 350 – 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Peel the leaves off of the heads of cauliflower and cut the stem off of the bottom. Sit the heads upright on the flat cut bottom and, with a sharp chef’s knife, cut into in 1-inch thick slices.
- Generally, you can only get 2 good steaks out of one head of cauliflower, the slices from the middle. Reserve the two middle slices and save the outer sections for later use. Repeat with the second head of cauliflower.
- Brush both sides of the cauliflower slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Cut the Ciabatta buns in half and brush the insides with olive oil, so that they’ll be ready to grill when it’s time. Set aside.
- Place cauliflower on the grill and cook, flipping occasionally, until golden brown on both sides and fork-tender in the middle, 10-15 minutes. Add provolone and cook until melted, about 1 more minute. Remove cauliflower steaks from the grill and set aside. Place the buns over the warm grates and cook until toasty, 1-2 minutes. Remove.
- Smear the insides of the buns with Dijon mustard and mayonnaise. Lay cauliflower on bottom bun and top with arugula and red onions. Close with the top bun, slice in half if desired, and serve.
Recipe Source:https://www.kitchentreaty.com/grilled-cauliflower-steak-burgers/(opens in a new tab)
#3: Garlic Herbed Grilled Tuna Steaks
With a tangy citrus flavor combined with the deep flavors of thyme and garlic, this recipe spices up tuna steaks to deliver the perfect grilled seafood(opens in a new tab)dish. Known to prevent cancer, improve cardiovascular health, and boost the immune system, tuna is a terrific alternative if you’re a pescatarian or are generally trying to minimize your meat intake. Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 4 tuna steaks (6 ounces each)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Directions:
- In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the lemon juice, oil, garlic and thyme. Add the tuna; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for up to 30 minutes, turning occasionally.
- Remove tuna from bag; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drain and discard marinade. Moisten a paper towel with cooking oil; using long-handled tongs, lightly coat the grill rack.
- Grill tuna, covered, over medium-hot heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 3-4 minutes on each side for medium-rare or until slightly pink in the center.
Recipe Source:https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/garlic-herbed-grilled-tuna-steaks(opens in a new tab) What are you waiting for? Now is the perfect time to gather ingredients at your local store or farmers market, fire up that grill, and get cooking. Impress your friends and family with one or more of these three fantastic grilling recipes before summer ends.
Looking for healthy salad recipes for light summertime lunches? Check out these three recipes.(opens in a new tab)
