Spice Up Your Outdoor Grilling for Fun and Health!

Do you love to cook outside on a grill? Are you trying to eat healthy and wondering how you can combine the two? Well, wonder no more, because you can still enjoy grilled foods from your back yard barbecue, and eat healthy, all at the same time!

Choose a Lean Cut of Meat to Grill

If you must grill hamburgers, choose the leanest hamburger you can afford. Ground chuck has the least amount of fat ground up in it, so splurge and buy it. Your grilled burgers will stay large and firm, instead of shrinking up as the grease and fat cooks up.

To spice up the taste, I add about a teaspoon of "Liquid Smoke" flavoring per pound of ground meat. Liquid Smoke can be purchased at most grocery stores. You'll find it by the steak sauce. I also sprinkle in just a little Mrs. Dash seasoning.

Allow the hamburgers to cook slowly. Arrange them around the outer part of the grill. Any excess fat will drip away as they slowly cook. Searing the hamburgers on to hot of a fire on the grill actually traps more of the unwanted grease inside. Don't worry, your burger will still come off of the grill nice and juicy!

Boneless chicken breast is another way to go for the health conscious people that enjoy grilling. To add some zesty flavor to the chicken, marinate it overnight. Place the chicken breast in a zip loc bag and pour in enough lemon juice to coat the pieces. Sprinkle in a little pepper and a small amount of parmesan cheese.

Get Some Veggie's on the Grill for a Healthy Meal

Instead of boiling the nutrients out of your vegetables, add them to the out door grill. Cut potatoes up into slices in packets of foil. Pour on just a drop or two of olive oil or canola oil. Add in a few sprinkles of chives, or Mrs. Dash seasoning. Close up the foil pouch and grill until the potatoes are soft.

They'll taste great and you have retained all the vitamins and nutrients instead of pouring them down your sink with the boiling water. You can even use foil packets to steam other vegetables on your grill. To add more moisture to steamed cauliflower on your grill, cut a tomato up into the packet.

Grilled zucchini is healthy and delicious. To grill zucchini, you will need to lay a sheet of foil on the grill. Sprinkle the zucchini slices with some lemon juice for flavor and lay them out on the foil. Slice the zucchini without peeling it and it add visual appeal as well as taste great.

You do not have to give up grilling to eat healthier. You just have to adjust the way you grill. Stay away from meats that have a lot of fat on them. If you just can't stand not having a grilled pork steak, take the time to trim away as much of the fat as you can.

Forget the barbecue sauce and find other interesting ways to "spice" up the flavor of your grilled food. Experiment with different combinations, such as mix some sage with lemon juice and marinade your chicken breast. Use the spices out of your cabinet, instead of expensive barbecue sauce!