From the Team Beachbody Newsletter
Shorts and sandals weather is officially here. The sun is shining, but it’s not meltingly hot yet, and I, for one, am itching to spend the entire weekend outdoors.
It’s time to dust off the barbecue, fire up the grill, and chill out in the backyard. Here are 5 delicious recipes that take advantage of the seasonal fruits and vegetables that are arriving in the markets now, plus a few tips to get you and your barbecue back in grilling shape.
5 Grilling Recipes You’re Going to Love:
Grilled Romaine Lettuce and Walnuts
Grilled Peach Panzanella
Grilled Corn and Jalapeño Salad
Honey Cumin Chicken
Grilled Pineapple Mint Julep Dessert
15 Tips That Will Earn You the Title of “Grillmasterâ€
1. To make cooking easier, clean your grill thoroughly before and after each use with a sturdy wire brush (if you’re serious about barbecue, this one is worth the dough).
2. Spray or brush the grill with cooking oil to prevent food from sticking. This can be done with cooking oil spray or with a clean rag dipped in oil. Do this only when the grill is cold and be careful when you light it!
3. Preheat your grill for at least 30 minutes with the lid closed. This allows it to reach prime cooking temperature. It also prevents flare-ups because it burns off fats and foods that stuck to the grate the last time you cooked.
4. If you’re using charcoal, arrange all the coals on one side of the barbecue to create an area of direct heat (right over the coals), and indirect heat (away from the coals). Food can be moved to different temperature zones as needed. If you have a gas grill, keep the flame higher on one side.
5. Don’t pile everything on the grill at once. Consider cooking times and temperatures for each item and schedule your firing times accordingly.
6. Leave at least 30% of the grill’s surface area unused. This gives you an emergency evacuation area to transfer foods if they start to burn.
7. Don’t crowd the grill. Leaving space between foods prevents steaming, helps items to cook evenly, and is crucial to achieving the mark of a pro a delicious caramelized surface.
8. Keep the lid closed. Lifting the lid releases the heat and the smoke that gives food its barbecue flavor. If you’re looking, you’re not cooking!
9. Use extra-long tongs (like these from OXO) not a fork when moving meats. Piercing the meat causes all of the precious juices to escape, drying out your dinner.
10. Not sure if it’s done? Don’t pull the amateur move of cutting into the meat to check (see above)! Get it right every time with an instant read thermometer, or a fancy wireless BBQ thermometer and use this meat temperature chart or this handy infographic to help you cook it just the way you like it.
11. Use a special slotted pan or grill basket for cooking vegetables and delicate seafood so they don’t stick to the grate or slip through the holes.
12. Add extra delectable smokiness to your grilled foods with wood chips. Soak hickory, mesquite, or other wood chips in water or apple juice (for sweeter flavor) for 30 minutes beforehand so they’ll smolder without igniting. Wrap soaked wood chips in an aluminum foil packet poked with holes, and lay the packet directly on the on the coals or above the gas flame before adding food to the grill. These wood chips from Charcoal Companion are conveniently packaged in an aluminum smoking tray and are ready to soak right in the tin.
13. Brining soaking meat in a saltwater and spice mixture before cooking adds flavor and ensures that meat stays moist even if you like it on the well-done side. Brining is, essentially, infusing meat with salt, so be aware that it will increase the amount of sodium in your food. Use sea salt or Himalayan salt, no additional salt is needed during cooking. This quick brine recipe can have your poultry or pork (never beef!) grill-ready in just a few hours. A whole chicken should soak in brine for at least four hours, but smaller cuts of meat, like chicken breasts, can be removed from the brine after two hours.
14. Keep a beverage handy while you grill. It can be used to quickly douse flames if your food catches fire.
15. A little char is what barbecue is all about, but enjoy it in small doses as it’s carcinogenic.
RECIPES
Honey Cumin Chicken
(Makes 4 servings)
2 Tbsp. raw honey
2 Tbsp. 100% orange juice
4 (4-oz.) each raw chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. ground cumin
Sea salt and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
1. Preheat grill to medium.
2. Combine honey and orange juice in a small bowl; whisk to blend. Set aside.
3. Brush each chicken breast lightly with oil. Sprinkle both sides evenly with cumin, salt (if desired), and pepper (if desired).
4. Place chicken on grill; cook, without turning, for 5 minutes. When chicken releases easily from the grill, turn, cook for an additional 3 minutes.
5. Reduce grill heat to low. Brush chicken evenly with honey mixture. Be careful, honey will burn if exposed to flames. Grill until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of each breast reads 160 °F*. Remove from grill. Let chicken rest 5 minutes before serving.
* The FDA suggests cooking chicken to a temperature of 165 °F. Chicken will continue to cook after it is removed from heat, so we recommend that it be removed from the grill at 160 °F to prevent drying out.
Nutrition per serving: 184 calories, 7 g fat, 10 g carbohydrates, 23 g protein
Grilled Romaine Lettuce and Walnuts
(Makes 6 servings)
2 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. olive oil, divided use
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
½ tsp. Dijon mustard
Sea salt and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
3 romaine lettuce heads, stems attached (to hold leaves together), quartered
Nonstick cooking spray
¼ cup coarsely chopped raw walnuts
2 tbsp. shaved Parmesan cheese
1. Preheat grill to high.
2. Combine 2 Tbsp. oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt (if desired), and pepper (if desired) in a small bowl; whisk to blend. Set aside.
3. Brush romaine with remaining 1 tsp. oil. Place on grill that has been lightly coated with spray; cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until romaine blackens but does not burn. Remove from heat.
4. Chop lettuce into bite-sized pieces, discarding stems. Place in a large serving bowl.
5. Drizzle with dressing; toss gently to blend.
6. Top with walnuts and cheese.
Nutrition per serving: 142 calories, 10 g fat, 12 g carbohydrates, 5 g protein
Grilled Peach Panzanella (Adapted from a recipe at aidamollenkamp.com)
(Makes 4 servings)
Panzanella is an Italian salad made from torn bread that soaks up the juices of tomatoes and dressing. This version gets luscious sweetness from grilled peaches.
1 ½ cups halved cherry tomatoes
1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. olive oil, divided use
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
Sea salt and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
3 slices whole-grain bread
3 ripe medium peaches, cut in half, pits removed
Nonstick cooking spray
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1. Preheat grill to high.
2. Combine tomatoes, shallot, 2 tbsp. oil, vinegar, salt (if desired), and pepper (if desired); whisk to blend. Set aside.
3. Toast bread on grill for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until browned. Cool; tear into bite-sized pieces. Place in a medium serving bowl. Set aside.
4. Brush cut side of peaches evenly with remaining 1 tsp. oil. Place cut side down on grill. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until just charred but still firm. Remove from heat. Cool; slice into bite-sized pieces.
5. Add tomato mixture, peaches, and basil to bread; toss gently to blend.
6. Serve immediately.
Nutrition per serving: 187 calories, 9 g fat, 25 g carbohydrates, 5 g protein
Grilled Corn and Jalapeno Salad
(Makes 4 servings)
4 ears of corn, husks removed
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. olive oil, divided use
1 medium jalapeño
¼ medium red onion, chopped
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
Sea salt and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
1. Preheat grill to medium.
2. Bring large pot of water to boil; add corn. When water returns to a boil, remove corn.
3. Brush corn with 1 tsp. oil. Place corn and jalapeño on grill, turning frequently, for about 4 minutes, or until corn kernels are lightly browned and jalapeño is browned but not charred. Remove from grill.
4. When corn is cool enough to handle, slice kernels off the cob; place kernels in a medium serving bowl, discard cob.
5. Slice jalapeno in half, discard seeds, and finely chop.
6. Add jalapeno, onion, cheese, cilantro, remaining 1 Tbsp. oil, vinegar, salt (if desired), and pepper (if desired) to corn; toss gently to blend.
Nutrition per serving: 192 calories, 7 g fat, 31 g carbohydrates, 6 g protein
Grilled Pineapple Mint Julep Dessert
(Makes 6 servings)
1 oz. bourbon
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 fresh pineapple, sliced into rounds, core removed
¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1. Preheat grill to high.
2. Combine bourbon, brown sugar, and extract in a small bowl; mix well.
3. Brush pineapple with bourbon mixture.
4. Place pineapple on grill; grill for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until grill marks form. Remove from heat.
5. Arrange pineapple rounds on a serving plate; garnish with mint.
Nutrition per serving: 97 calories, 0 g fat, 22 g carbohydrates, 1 g protein
