Celebrate Father’s Day by having a traditional BBQ that dad’s love, while substituting some healthier alternatives!
- Make your burgers with lean ground turkey meat instead of beef
- Avoid pre-seasoned or flavored meats – very high in sodium!
- Buy SKINLESS poultry products
- Use low-fat and no-fat cheeses (cheddar has 30mg of cholesterol, while fat-free cheddar only has 4mg!)
- Avoid processed/pre-packaged slices of cheese
- Marinade all meats! Use a homemade recipe with acid-based ingredients help to break down the tough fibers
- If side salads like coleslaw or potato salad are a MUST, use a low-fat plain yogurt or low-fat mayonnaise recipe with less egg and oil
- For recipes that require egg, use only half of the egg yolk – or even eliminate the yolk all together, if possible!
- Try seasoning corn on the cob with lime juice and spices, like cayenne pepper, instead of salt and butter
- Burger bun substitutes: Large Portobello Mushrooms, Lettuce Leaves, 100% Whole Wheat Pita Bread
- Buy breads labeled “100% Whole Wheat” – Check first ingredient on label – must read “Whole Wheat Flour”
Heart Healthy Turkey Burgers
3 lbs. lean ground turkey meat
1/4 cup finely diced onion
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Form into 15 small – medium size patties.
Grill on medium-high for about 3-4 minutes on each side.
During the last minute of cooking, add a low-fat or fat-free cheese to the top and cover the grill until melted.
Mediterranean Kabobs
For Kabobs:
6 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast (cut into small cubes)
1 large white onion (cut into small squares)
1 red bell pepper (cut into small squares)
12 cherry tomatoes
12 skewers
For Marinade:
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. fresh parsley (dried and chopped)
Preheat grill pan or oven broiler on high
Combine all ingredients for marinade in one bowl. Set aside a small portion of the marinade in a separate bowl for cooking and serving.
Mix chicken cubes and vegetables in the bowl of marinade and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
Place one of each chicken, onion, pepper, and tomato on each of the 12 skewers
Grill or broil the skewers for a total of 9-12 minutes, grilling each of the 4 sides about 2-3 minutes.
Deviled Eggs
12 hard-boiled eggs
1/2 cup nonfat cottage cheese
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup minced fresh chives (finely chopped)
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. minced parsley or paprika
Halve eggs lengthwise and gently remove the yolks. Place 4 yolk halves in the food processor (discarding the remaining 20 yolk halves), add cottage cheese, mayonnaise, chives, and Dijon, and beat well. Stuff hard-boiled eggs with the mixture and refrigerate. Before serving, dust with minced parsley or paprika.
ENJOY!