The holidays have passed and you’re wondering, “Why are my pants so tight!?” Then you remember… it was all of the delicious food and drink you enjoyed with friends and family — probably since Thanksgiving! Now that the new year is year, you’re probably going to resolve to lose weight in 2019.
Did you know that you can assist your weight loss resolution by taking to the grill? Even pool owners in the colder areas of the country will brave the elements to fire up the grill and cook dinner. Let’s face it, there is nothing better than a steak, piece of chicken or grilled fruit or vegetable. Indoor cooking simply cannot compare.
Resolve To Lose Weight By Grilling In 2019
To help you succeed in your 2019 grilling weight loss resolution, we want to point out that most diet programs mention needing to eat healthier foods, watch the way you prepare foods (don’t cook in butter, for example) and adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet. When you grill foods you’re preparing them in a way that won’t have you making a compromise in flavor so you cn lose weight.
How do weight loss and grilling go together?
Cooking indoors sometimes requires you to fry or to add oil or butter to the foods. You don’t have to do this when you grill. You can skip the added oils and fats and focus on flavor and that will certainly help you succeed at weight loss.
Grilling adds to and heightens the flavor profiles of your foods. If your food tastes better, you’re more likely to stick to your weight loss and healthy eating resolutions.
Three delicious grilled recipes to try
We’ve pulled together three of our favorite delicious grilled recipes. They’re quick, simple and flavorful..
Grilled lime shrimp and corn on the cob
Lime, any kind of citrus, brings Vitamin C to your diet and that antioxidant flushes toxins from your body while adding flavor to your food. You can grill orange, lime and lemon slices on the grill plate. To add flavor to the meal, toss orange, lemon and/or lime peels right onto the coals.
Ingredients
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (slice up the squeezed lime and toss the rinds on the grill)
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (slice up the squeezed orange and toss the rinds on the grill)
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 ears of corn, each cut crosswise into 4 pieces
1 ½ lbs. large shrimps, peeled and deveined
4 cups cooked couscous (easy to make ahead. You can substitute quinoa or brown rice for the couscous)
Prep
- In a large plastic cooking bag, combine the juices, soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, sugar, coriander seeds and black pepper.
- Add the shrimp. Marinate for one hour.
- Preheat the grill to 450 Fahrenheit.
- Transfer the shrimp mixture to a foil pan.
- Add corn. You can add the corn and it will steam in the pan or if you prefer, you can grill the corn for a unique flavor profile
- Cover with aluminum foil.
- Place the pan on direct heat.
- Cook for 10 minutes.
- Serve with couscous.
Steak and Potato Mustard Salad
Source: Delish.com
Choose the cut of steak of your choice, flank steak has become more popular with backyard grillers because not only is it affordable, but it’s tender and has a lower fat content.
While carbs can be the “enemy” of a diet and weight loss program, potatoes are complex carbs — and that makes them better for you than a slice of white bread, for example. Your body needs complex carbs to operate at its highest level.
When you add a mustard dressing you’re getting a delicious flavor profile with no worry about additional calories.
Ingredients
1 ½ lbs small potatoes (salt potatoes are ideal for this and you won’t have to peel them — the skin adds fiber)
¼ cup chives, chopped, plus additional for garnish
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 ¼ lbs flank steak or cut of your choice
1 teaspoon ground coriander (if desired)
Salt and pepper to taste
Prep
- Preheat the grill to 350 Fahrenheit.
- Boil the potatoes — either indoors or out of doors on the grill. Place the potatoes in the boiling water for 15 minutes. OR you can steam the potaotes instead. Fill a kettle with about an inch of water, add a steamer basket then place the potatoes in the steamer basket for 15 minutes.
- Remove potatoes and set aside to cool.
- While the potatoes are boiling, make the dry rub for your steak. Grab the ground coriander, salt and pepper and rub this on the steak. Press it gently into the steaks to help it stick during the grilling.
- Grill the steak on indirect heat for three to four minutes per side. Insert a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the steak and cook until the internal temperature reaches 130 Fahrenheit.
- Remove the steak, cover with foil and let it rest for five to ten minutes.
- Leave the steak to rest while you prepare the salad dressing. In a large bowl, combine the grainy mustard, chives, apple cider vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. Mix together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Add the potatoes and gently mix until they are thoroughly coated.
- Slice the steak into strips
- Place the steak on a plate, sprinkle with chives. Serve with the potatoe salad. Yum!
Let’s not forget dessert: Grilled Fruit and Greek Yogurt
Dieting doesn’t mean deprivation. In fact, if you deprive yourself, you’re just bound to binge.
We have this delicious dessert that is virtually guilt free!
Grab your favorite fruit — peaches, pineapple slices or even pumpkin or apple, watermelon or sliced pears.
Ingredients
3 ripe peaches, pears or apples or fruit of your choice
2 cups plain Greek yogurt. You can add a few drops of vanilla flavoring if you don’t enjoy the “zing” of plain yogurt
¼ cup honey for drizzle
Cinnamon to taste
Prep
- Preheat the grill to 350 Fahrenreit.
- Cut the peaches, pears or apples in half. Remove pits/seeds.
- Place each fruit half on the grill, fruit side down on indirect heat
- Combine the yogurt and honey and vanilla if desired in a bowl and mix
- When the fruit has the desired grill marks, turn over and grill for two more minutes on indirect heat.
- Remove from the grill.
- Serve warm with a dollop of the yogurt mix in to the middle of the fruit.
- Sprinkle more cinnamon to taste and serve.
Grilling makes it easy to get tasty and healthy foods throughout the year. If one of your goals for 2019 is weight loss, look for ways to take your favorite meals and make them “lighter.” There are many food swaps you can make that still give you flavor without added calories. You’ll be saying yum and your waistline will thank you!