The sun is out and what better way to enjoy it than eating outdoors with a barbecue? It doesn’t have to be just the traditional burgers and sausages, there are so many ways that you can enjoy eating al fresco whilst still eating healthily. It’s National Barbecue Week this week so I’ve put together some ideas of ways for you to enjoy delicious food and still make healthier choices.
1. Turkey burgers
Turkey mince is a great choice for making burgers with as it is low in fat. You can buy ready-made turkey burgers in the supermarket or have a go at making your own. BBC Good Food have an Easy Turkey Burgers recipe to try at https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/turkey-burgers
2. Chicken or vegetable skewers
Making chicken or vegetables on skewers is a great dish for any barbecue as they are quite easy to eat with fingers and look great. If you want to make your own vegetable kebab, just skewer on any vegetables you have available like courgette, pepper, onion or aubergine. Use vegetables that are in season as they are cheaper and will taste great.You can marinate in lemon juice or spice to add flavour without adding fat. Try this recipe for Jerk-style Chicken Skewers from Change4Life https://www.nhs.uk/change4life/recipes/jerk-style-chicken-skewers-recipe
3. Sweet potato jackets
These are easy to make yourself and are a delicious alternative to jacket potatoes.
– wrap your sweet potato in kitchen foil
– place directly on the hot coals or on to the grill
– cook for 30 minutes on each side.
– then unwrap and check if cooked
– if not, grill for a bit longer until perfect
4. Salads and vegetables
Don’t forget to have loads of salad and other vegetables with your barbecue. You can keep it traditional with lettuce, cucumber and tomato or be more adventurous by adding herbs such as coriander and using rocket or spinach. If you’ve been growing your own veggies at home, now is the chance to eat them with your barbecue. There are loads of recipes for healthy salad ideas for barbecues on the BBC Good Food website and there is a great easy, recipe for dairy-free slaw https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/dairy-free-slaw
5. Grilled pineapple slices
If you fancy a bit of sweetness to finish your meal, then how about making grilled pineapple slices? They are super easy to make and taste delicious https://www.nhs.uk/change4life/recipes/chargrilled-pineapple-recipe
So get the barbecue lit and get grilling! If the weather lets you down, you can always grill these recipes inside.
