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Friday, May 28, 2010

Lighten Up Your Memorial Day BBQ

Memorial Day is a perfect time to barbecue with family and friends. However, it’s also a day where many of us will consume 2,000+ calories at one meal! Don’t get me wrong, I love a great BBQ, but all those calories are definitely NOT what we need right at the beginning of bathing suit season.

Don’t despair! There are plenty of great low calorie, low fat options for your Memorial Day barbecue that will taste great and leave you feeling satisfied. So put down the hot dogs, hamburgers, cheeseburgers and steaks, and check out some of these great alternatives.

Hamburgers/Cheeseburgers. Traditional burgers are full of calories and fat. This year try one of these healthier alternatives: turkey burgers, veggie burgers or mushroom burgers. You can make your own or you can buy them already made at many stores.
Hot Dogs. Everyone loves a good hot dog at their BBQ however, they are not the healthiest choice. I found a great alternative. Try some low fat chicken or turkey sausage. You can still put onion, relish, mustard and ketchup on them and you can eat them on a bun or alone to save calories.
Pasta Salad/Potato Salad. These two salads seem to be a staple at every BBQ, but you can ditch them this year and replace them with a healthier alternative. Try some fresh corn on the cob cooked on the barbecue. Just wrap it in foil and turn it a few times. It will be done in no time and it comes out so tasty you won’t even need butter. If corn is not your favorite, you can grill just about any vegetable. Try red onions, red and yellow peppers and eggplant. Just brush them with a little olive oil and place them on foil or in a veggie basket. They will only take a few minutes to grill and they will taste fantastic. You won’t have to add anything else to them (besides adding a little salt and pepper). They make a great side dish or a topping for a delicious turkey burger.
Dessert. Cakes, cookies and ice cream are everywhere at barbecues. It seems that every guest wants to bring dessert. This year tell each guest to bring fruit. You can put almost any fruit on the grill and make a delicious dessert with it. You can use your veggie basket and grill slices of banana and pineapple. It will only take about 5 minutes and they come out delicious. You can also make grilled fruit kabobs for everyone. Cut some honeydew, cantaloupe and apples into little chunks and slide them onto a skewer. You can sprinkle them with cinnamon, ginger or brown sugar and then just grill them for about 5 minutes. Serve them with a scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt or all alone. Grilled fruit is a great dessert that many of your guests may have never tried.

Try some of these healthy alternatives at your Memorial Day Barbecue. For the best grilling results, keep the gas on low and avoid charring your food. Enjoy and have a great Memorial Day!

- Jennifer

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Sensei Talks: BUNNY DOGS
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Labels: healthy eating, Holiday Eating, holiday ideas, Jennifer