Hopefully you enjoyed the 4th of July and got a chance to celebrate your freedoms with friends & family.
Just like me, I'm sure you'll be out cooking on the grill this weekend ... so we wanted to share these 4 healthy & delicious BBQ recipes with you!
Diet Friendly Double Cheeseburger
Ingredients:
Burger:
8 oz Lean Ground Beef (96/4)
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1/4 C (30g) Diced White Onion*
1/4 C (30g) Diced Banana Peppers*
1 Tbsp (15g) Yellow Mustard
4 slices American Cheese
2 Hamburger Buns
Iceberg Lettuce, Sliced Tomato, and Pickles (optional)
Special Sauce:
2 Tbsp + 2 tsp Light Mayo
2 Tbsp Sugar Free Ketchup
2 tsp Relish
1/2 tsp White Vinegar
1/2 tsp Granulated Sugar
Directions:
1. Begin to preparing the diced onion and banana peppers, all toppings for burger assembly, and the special sauce.
2. Toast the buns well in a large skillet or on a griddle. Optional: spread 1/2-1 tablespoon of light mayo on the buns for extra browning. Set the toasted buns aside.
3. Divide the ground beef into four 2-ounce portions. Don't over handle or roll into balls like meatballs. Add a pinch of salt and black pepper and set aside.
4. Heat your skillet or griddle over medium-high heat.
5. Once hot, carefully place the ground beef, one portion at a time, in the skillet. Place a small square of parchment paper or a large non-stick spatula on top of the beef and press firmly into the skillet. You want to smash them into a thin, lacy-edged patty. Repeat with the remaining beef.
6. Add the diced onion, chopped banana peppers, and yellow mustard on top of two of the four patties.
7. Continue cooking until a dark brown crust forms on the bottom of each patty before flipping and adding a slice of American cheese to each patty. (Don't worry about losing some onion/chiles when flipping.)
8. Cook for another minute or so after flipping. Once the cheese has melted, place the patty with the onion and peppers on top of the other patty and remove from the heat.
9. Add spread on both buns, place the lettuce, tomato, and pickles on the bottom bun, followed by the burgers. Close, serve, and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts:
Recipe makes 2 burgers
Calories: 415 (for a double burger)
Protein - 18g
Carbs - 28g
Fat - 33g
Pork Loin Skewers w/ pineapple & onion
Ingredients:
1 lb Pork Loin, trimmed and cut in 1 in pieces
½ Small Pineapple, trimmed and cut in 1 in pieces
1 small red onion
8 oz baby peppers, cut into 1 in pieces
2 tbsp- olive oil
Salt and pepper
Teriyaki
Sliced jalapeno
Directions:
1. In large bowl, toss pork, onion, and peppers with oil and ½ tsp each of salt and pepper
2. Thread pork and vegetables onto skewers. Grill, turning occasionally, until pork is cooked through (8-10 minutes total), basting with teriyaki sauce during last 5 minutes of cooking. Top with sliced jalapeños.
Nutrition Facts:
Recipe Serves 4
Calories - 310
Protein - 29g
Carbs - 24g
Fat - 11g
2-Step Homestyle Baked Beans
Ingredients:
1 package (16 ounces) dried pinto beans
1 quart water
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 to 2 tbsp. chili powder
2 to 3 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
Directions:
1. Place beans in a Dutch oven; add water to cover by 2 in. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand for 1 hour.
2. Drain beans, discarding liquid. Return beans to pan; add 1 qt. water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until beans are tender, about 1-1/2 hours.
3. Stir in remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer to allow flavors to blend, about 1-1/2 hours longer.
Nutrition Facts:
Recipe Serves 8
Calories: 226 (per 3/4 cup)
Protein- 14g
Carbs- 41g
Fat- 1g
Ranch Seasoned Wings & Buffalo Sauce
Ingredients:
Ranch Wings:
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. baking powder
2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 freshly ground black pepper
1/2 hot paprika
1 (1-oz.) packet ranch seasoning mix, divided
3 lb. chicken wingettes
Vegetable oil, for frying (about 8 c.)
Buffalo Sauce:
1/2 c. hot pepper sauce (such as Frank’s RedHot)
6 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tbsp. distilled white vinegar
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
Directions:
Wings:
1. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch, baking powder, salt, pepper, paprika, and half of ranch seasoning mix (about 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons); reserve remaining ranch seasoning until ready to use.
2. Pat chicken wings dry and transfer to a large bowl. Sprinkle half of cornstarch mixture over wings and toss to coat. Sprinkle remaining cornstarch mixture over and toss again to coat.
3. For extra-crispy wings, if desired, place a wire rack on a baking sheet and arrange wings skin side up in a single layer. Refrigerate uncovered at least 1 hour or up to overnight. Remove wings from refrigerator before heating oil.
4. Into a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven fitted with a deep-fry thermometer, pour oil to a depth of 3". Heat over medium-high heat until thermometer registers 375°. Working in batches, fry wings, maintaining oil temperature between 350° to 375°, until deeply browned and oil is no longer bubbling aggressively, about 10 minutes. Using a spider, transfer to paper towels to drain.
5. Let wings rest 5 minutes, then transfer to a large bowl. Sprinkle with reserved ranch seasoning and toss to coat.
Buffalo Sauce:
1. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, cook hot sauce, butter, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and Cajun seasoning, whisking occasionally, until butter is melted and sauce is slightly thickened and smooth, about 5 minutes.
2. Arrange wings on a platter. Serve with Buffalo sauce alongside.
Nutrition Facts:
Recipe Serves 4
Calories: 317
Protein- 20g
Carbs- 3g
Fat- 25g
