Healthy Father’s Day BBQ
With Father’s Day right around the corner, we’ve been racking our brains for a great way to show the fathers and father-figures in our lives how much we care, and decided that there’s no better way to show our love and appreciation than looking out for his health! We’ve put together our tips for a healthier Father’s Day BBQ:
1.) What to Grill
While hotdogs and hamburgers may be what first comes to mind, they also come with a lot of negatives. The patties and dogs themselves are often highly processed, packed with preservatives like sodium phosphate and nitrates. What’s more, the meat you’re grilling can actually come from hundreds of different cows since suppliers often combine meat from various sources during the mincing process. Choosing a lean protein like chicken or fish is a better option, but we encourage you get creative and experiment with grilled veggies like corn on the cob, peppers, eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, and pineapple!
2.) Grill Make Your Own Marinade
Regardless of what you’re grilling, the marinade you coat it with is important. Many store bought BBQ sauces can be loaded with excessive sugar, but making your own allows you to control exactly what’s going in it (plus you can modify the flavour to your liking!).
This recipe only takes 15 minutes to prepare:
Image via Margaret Wertheim
Homemade Barbecue Sauce via Margaret Wertheim
Here’s What You’ll Need:
1 ½ cups canned tomatoes
½ medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic
½ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon honeyHere’s How to Make It:
1.) Place tomatoes, onion, and garlic in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
2.)Add tomato mixture to a medium sized pot, and add all of the remaining ingredients.
3.) Whisk well to mix.
4.) Heat over high heat until sauce start bubbling vigorously whisking occasionally.
5.) Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes.
3.) Serve Healthy Sides
When it comes to a healthy BBQ, what you serve on the side is just as important as what’s on the grill! Consider making an assortment of sides like a Cucumber Dill Salad, Asian Brussell Sprout Slaw, Zucchini Fritters and a healthy 7-Layer Dip.
4.) Scrub the Grill
Taking time to properly clean off your grill after each use will not only keep it sanitary by removing charred bits of food, but will also prevent potentially dangerous chemicals from building up over time. Consider lightly oiling your grill before cooking to prevent anything from sticking in the first place!
