Chillin' and Grillin'

Oh, how I love to grill! Nothing smells better than a charcoal grill being lit. It brings back memories of my family time at Two Lights State Park in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. A beautiful, wonderful park, we would spend the whole day - playing, hiking, watching the surf crash against the rocks, and of course - there was always the cook out. Even now that I am an adult, the grill is my favorite cooking apparatus. With the Fourth of July weekend upon us I thought I'd pass along some grilling wisdom to help us all get through an Independence Day weekend without losing control of our healthy eating plans!

One great way to enjoy the grill without feeling guilty: vegetable shish kabobs - check out the "chicken and veggies" post from June 16 to read a good marinate recipe and directions. If you add some chunks of meat to the kabob, that can be your whole meal, and it really helps cut back on the portion of meat you consume. But can you get your whole family on board with veggie kabobs?? Not in my house! Here's how to change some standard grill fare into healthier eating:

• Ground turkey. Check the label and make sure you buy all white meat - if you get the cheaper dark/white combo you're getting a lot more fat - not cheaper in the long run! Add a bunch of your favorite spices and form into patties - delicious! These are wonderful with avocado slices - keep the slices thin and you'll add some of that good, belly-slimming fat your body needs without adding too many fat grams. Not everyone enjoys a turkey burger as much as I do, so if your family is going to want a more traditional burger, go with ground round over ground chuck to get a lower fat beef, and mix with the ground turkey. You can add quite a bit of turkey without taking away from the taste of the beef burger. And of course, think small!! Not every burger needs to be two inches thick and bigger than a dinner plate! Buy smaller buns (whole wheat buns, too!) and fill up the rest of the plate with veggies.


• Chicken. I buy large amounts of chicken and after we bring everything off the grill I throw a heap of chicken on it. It cooks while you eat - if you use charcoal the grill stays hot for a long time - and then I have lots of grilled chicken for the following week. Very easy to bring lunch from home when you have chicken all cooked and ready to go! Don't forget to get the skinless kind!


• Fish. You can buy a fish grilling basket that keeps the fish from falling into the coals - it makes some amazing fish! You can also wrap it tightly in tin foil with lemon juice and spices and throw it on the gill that way - very moist and flavorful.


• Veggies - if you don't want to do the kabob, try whole or sliced veggies. Eggplant slices are hearty enough to stand up to the grill. Get some spray olive oil and lightly spray them so the spices stick and they don't dry out. Ditto for squash or zucchini. And how about some roasted peppers? Put the whole pepper right on the grill until it turns black. That's right - BLACK. Peel away the skin, slice, and put into a container with olive oil and spices. Great alone or on sandwiches or salads.


• Hot dogs. Don't do it. Seriously, just don't. The tofu dogs... well, you know how I feel about those. And the regular hot dogs are just too full of fat (not to mention floor sweepings) to make it worth the splurge. The salt content alone will make you retain water and the next morning if you are brave enough to step on the scale - ugh. So, if your family insists on hot dogs, DO NOT cook the whole package! Only cook one dog per person - there won't be one left for you to scarf down in the kitchen while you're "cleaning up." Oh, yes, I know that trick - I perfected it.

I hope some of these tips will help you celebrate Independence Day - YOUR Independence!! We can be free from junk food, free from unhealthy eating, free from feeling sluggish and fat and jiggly! I want independence from the fat racks - have you seen some of those clothes???? I want independence from my couch - give me energy to get my house clean, play with my kids, go out with some friends! And most of all I want independence from food - I want to learn to eat for bodily sustenance, not emotional! I'm getting it - slowly but surely, I really am. Want to join me?