Summer Sizzle
By Mary Jo Plutt and photos by John Hubbard
Gather family and friends, fire up the grill, and enjoy flavorful, healthy eating
SUMMER IS HERE and it’s time to savor one of the season’s greatest outdoor pleasures — grilling! While it is a veritable symbol of summer fun, grilling also has become one of America’s favorite healthful cooking methods. Why? Because its high-heat cooking process quickly sears foods and locks in flavors with little or no added fat.
Grilling also gives you a chance to boost the flavor of the food on your plate. Beginning in middle age, most of us experience a gradual decline in our senses of taste and smell. If your palate is changing, it is easy to add an extra flavor dimension to grilled meats, poultry and fish by using a few simple, oh so-good seasoning strategies — such as rubs, glazes and wood chips — while still keeping fat, salt and sugar to a minimum.
Smoke It
Smoked Halibut With Citrus-Cucumber Relish
Citrus adds a delicious fresh flavor to fish. For an extra squirt of freshness, squeeze the juice of a lime over the halibut before adding the relish.
Per Serving (with relish): calories: 150, 25 calories from fat total fat: 3 g, saturated fat: 0 g, trans fat: 0 g cholesterol: 40 mg, sodium: 65 mg carbohydrates: 3 g, fiber: 1 g, sugars: 2 g, protein: 26 g vitamins: vitamin A (6% DV), vitamin C (25% DV), calcium: (6% DV), iron (6% DV). Exchanges: 3.5 very lean meat, 1 vegetable.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Grilling Time: 12 to 20 minutes
Yield: Serves 4
- 1 cup alder wood chips
- No-stick cooking spray
- 4 fresh halibut fillets, 1 to 1 1/4 inches thick (1 to 1 1/2 pounds total)*
- Cracked black pepper
- Citrus-cucumber relish
- One hour before grilling, soak wood chips in enough water to cover.
- Lightly coat cold grill rack with nonstick spray. Preheat gas grill to medium-low (325°-350° F) for indirect grilling.
- Drain wood chips. Fill smoker tray with wet chips.** Place tray on grill rack directly over lit burner.
- When grill is hot and chips are smoking, lightly coat fish with nonstick spray. Place fish, skin side down, on grill rack over unlit burner. Cover and grill for 12-20 minutes or until fish flakes easily. Transfer fish to plates.
- Sprinkle with pepper. Serve with citrus-cucumber relish.
*If 1- to 1 1/4-inch-thick halibut fillets are unavailable, use two 8-ounce halibut steaks, cut 1- to 1 1/4-inch-thick. To serve, cut each steak lengthwise in half, remove and discard skin and bone, transfer fish to plates, and serve as directed.
**If you do not have a smoker tray, place drained wood chips in center of a 12x12-inch piece of heavy aluminum foil. Bring up two opposite sides; fold down to close, making 2 or 3 tight folds. Fold to close remaining open sides, making 2 or 3 tight folds. Poke several large holes in top to allow smoke to escape. Place foil packet directly on grill rack over lit burner.
Brush It
Orange-Glazed Chicken
Start with a reduced-sugar marmalade for a simple, sweet-tasting glaze that’s lower in carbohydrates and delicious on both chicken and pork. To complete the meal, just add rice pilaf and grilled asparagus.
Per Serving: calories: 170, 30 calories from fat total fat: 3.5 g, saturated fat 1 g, trans fat 0 g cholesterol: 80 mg, sodium: 105 mg carbohydrates: 3 g, fiber: 0 g, sugars: 3 g protein: 29 g vitamins: vitamin A (0% DV), vitamin C (0% DV), calcium (2% DV), iron (6% DV). Exchanges: 4 very lean meat, 1/4 other carb.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Grilling Time: 12 to 25 minutes
Yield: Serves 2
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (8 to 12 ounces total)
- No-stick cooking spray
Glaze:
- 3 tablespoons reduced-sugar orange marmalade
- 1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped green onion
- 1 small clove garlic, crushed (1/4 teaspoon)
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
- Preheat gas grill to medium for direct grilling. Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels; set aside.
- For glaze, stir together glaze ingredients in small bowl.
- Lightly coat chicken with no-stick spray. Grill chicken, uncovered, for 6 minutes. Turn chicken over; spoon and spread glaze on top. Grill for 6-9 minutes more or until chicken is tender and no longer pink.
Season It
Paprika-Spiced Pork
To complement the rich, slightly sweet red pepper flavor of paprika, serve these chops with grilled tiny new potatoes and a salad of mixed baby greens, sweet onion and garden-fresh tomatoes dressed with a sherry vinaigrette.
Per Serving: calories: 180, 60 calories from fat total fat: 7 g, saturated fat 2.5 g, trans fat 0 mg cholesterol: 70 mg, sodium: 290 mg carbohydrates: 1 g, fiber: 1 g, sugars: 0 g protein: 27 g vitamins: vitamin A (10% DV), vitamin C (2% DV), calcium (4% DV), iron (6% DV). Exchanges: 4 lean meat.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Marinating Time: 1 to 3 hours
Grilling Time: 8 to 10 minutes
Standing Time: 5 minutes
Yield: Serves 2
- 2 boneless top loin pork chops, cut 3/4-inch thick (about 10 to 12 ounces total)
- No-stick cooking spray
Rub:
- 1 teaspoon paprika*
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Combine rub ingredients in small bowl. Trim visible fat from pork chops, if necessary. Place each chop on a large piece of plastic wrap. Sprinkle and rub spice mixture evenly on both sides of chops. Wrap tightly in the plastic wrap; refrigerate for 1-3 hours.
- Lightly coat cold grill rack with no-stick spray. Preheat gas grill to medium-high for direct grilling.
- Grill chops, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until internal temperature of pork reaches 155° F, turning chops over halfway during grilling. Transfer chops to platter. Loosely cover with foil; let rest for 5 minutes.