1. Get your grill on! I have to admit,I really like this option because 95% of the time, my husband is the grill master. It is easy, does not heat up your kitchen and in my budget. What to grill? The options are endless! Lean cuts of meat, vegetables and fruit...yes you got that right, fruit! This is an area that you can let your creative juices flow. Last summer, I tried grilled pizza, this is a great way to make personal size pizza and it is easy too!
This is a picture of my Farmers Market Pizza : tomatoes, mushrooms, and green pepper. I find that making a single serve pizza works best. Check out this video and it will walk you through the process. I love the idea of using humus! Humus is so easy to make and you can be creative. Use the video to get your creative culinary side come alive! Remember, these are just some ideas. Watch the video for the basics of making pizza on the grill and you can add and subtract. If you are more of a pepperoni pizza person, then just make it like you would a pepperoni pizza and use the basic directions found in this video for grilling.
If I am making pizza for my family and guests, the best way is still in the oven, I do select ingredients that are I season, more economical and of course,they taste the best! For more ideas on Pizza, check out my blog on 4/2/13.
Ranae's Humus Recipe
Ingredients:
1 (lb.) can chick
peas, drained
¼ c. vegetable oil
(1/8 is more than enough!)
1 lg. or 2 sm.
Cloves of garlic
Salt and pepper to
taste
Directions:
Meat, this is truly the old school theme when it comes to grilling. It also can be the most expensive. What can you do to keep it in your budget? The first way is to remember, you only need 5 1/2 ounces per day. A serving size is 3 ounces, or the size of a deck of cards in the palm of your hand. If you concentrate on portion sizes, you usually can find a grilling steak in your budget. One of my favorite cuts of meat is the flat iron steak. This was developed by a meat specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Here is an article that describes the Flat Iron Steak and it's development http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/articles/detail/flat-iron-steak#section1 Hamburger is of course one of America's favorite things to grill. I also like chicken and salmon is very nice when grilled. The best part about salmon, is it takes a small amount of time on the grill and it is done. Be sure to watch your local adds for special deals on meat. When I find a special, I stock up and freeze the meat. I freeze them in quantities enough for one meal for my family. Recently, I have found that hamburger is not always in my budget, so I buy other cuts of meat, such as skinless, boneless flash frozen chicken breasts that grill up quickly for a weeknight dinner.
Don't forget, you wil want to be mindful of food safety. If you do not have a meat thermometer, go and get one! Your local department store that carries kitchen gadgets will have one. They are very in-expensive and they will prevent you and your family from food borne illness. For more information on food safety for grilling, take a look at this information from the USDA
Salads, this is an easy way to fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables. There are also some great salads that incorporate grains in them as well. A standard at our house is the fruit salad, so easy! Whatever fruit is on hand goes in a pretty glass bowl and that is it! This is a part of the meal that kids can help with. For a more dessert like fruit salad, mix with vanilla low fat yogurt or serve it as a dip for the fruit salad. So simple, but you can make it classy with just the addition of yogurt. The yogurt also increases your dairy intake!
Another idea is salads that have all of the food groups. This is a great base recipe that you can make and you can adapt it to include other fruits and vegetables that you have on hand.
Choose My Plate Salad
½ bunch dark green leafy lettuce ½ C cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tomato, chopped ½ c
cooked turkey or cooked ham cubed
1 carrot, chopped or shredded Favorite low fat
dressing
½ cucumber, chopped
¼ C raisins (or dried cranberries)
1 apple, chopped
- Wash
lettuce and tear into bite size pieces.
Place in a large bow.
- Add
the remaining ingredients and mix.
- Toss with your favorite dressing.
Summer is a great time to get everyone involved in the kitchen. Take a trip to the local farmer's market and try something new. Plan together, prepare and eat together. Create summertime fun and don't forget the food! Remember to include all of the food groups and you will have a healthy summer as well! Don't forget the Sun Screen!
