The sun is shining, the temperatures are rising. Summer’s almost here. Even as I type this, I’m sitting outside in the sunshine. One thing that automatically comes to mind when summer kicks up is barbecues. People are going to cook out, and have fun doing it.
I wanted to let you know, there are ways to enjoy cooking out without hurting your health. You don’t have to give up the summer favorites like hot dogs and burgers. A few tweaks can make a big difference.
Health Alternatives
First of all, look at the type of meat you’re cooking. While many people worry about losing quality in their burgers, turkey or pork burgers can actually just as good, if not better. I have plenty of experience with these white-meat burgers, and they’re delicious. It’s easy to mix things up, too. Finely-chopped vegetables, fresh herbs, and ground spices (salt-free) can easily be blended into these burgers, adding flavor and variety. You can also marinate burgers in things like fruit juices and special mixes of water, herbs, and spices, for added juiciness and flavor.
There’s alternatives for hot dogs, too. There are turkey and chicken-based dogs, as well as tofu dogs. Like burgers, many people assume they won’t be as tasty as the original. Even if they’re a little bit of a difference, they are still incredibly delicious. You can find low-sodium condiments, too.
Avoid Steak
One of the biggest things to avoid here is one of the most savory: steaks. Unless you’re willing to go for a lower-grade cut with less marbling, it’s a safer bet to go with skinless white-meat chicken or pork chops. These alternatives soak up flavor easily, though, so it’s not hard to find fun, interesting ways to prepare them. They’re lower in the cholesterol that’s often associated with red meats, and still have plenty of healthy protein. A great tip to reduce overeating is to butterfly your chicken breasts and pork chops. This reduces cooking time because the actual cut is thinner, but also gives the impression of eating more by filling up more of the plate.
Lay Off the Sauce
Something to keep in mind is that summer-time barbecues often include barbecue sauce. This tends to be a bad thing, since barbecue sauce is incredibly high in sodium and sometimes fat. Both of these are worth avoiding for your heart health. Instead, find healthy alternatives. An olive oil and herb brush goes well on just about any meat. On chicken, try a salsa made with citrus juice, ground pepper, tomatoes, and herbs. There are so many possibilities to pull in natural, heart-healthy flavor, that there’s really no need to use all that harmful stuff.