How to Make a Healthy BBQ at home

How to Make a Healthy BBQ at Home

Do you have a BBQ coming up but don’t want to feel guilty afterwards? Don’t worry we have you covered with these healthy BBQ recipes you can make at home from BBC. 

1. Barbecued Squid Salad 

For the Squid: 

• 800g fresh prepared squid
• Zest 3 limes (reserve the juice for the salad, and wedges, to serve)
• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves , smashed flat
• 1 ½ tsp. mixed peppercorn, crushed

For the salad

• 1 large red onion , finely sliced
• 1 large mango, cut into small chunks
• 1 large red chilli, finely shredded (deseeded if you don’t like it too hot)
• 400g can black bean, well rinsed then patted dry
• 3 ripe avocados
• Small pack coriander, leaves only, torn
• Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Method:

1. Heat the barbecue. Meanwhile, marinate the squid for at least 30 mins, or up to 4 hrs. First, slash the squid tubes all over at 5mm-1cm intervals on each side, cutting through most of the flesh but leaving the sides intact. If there are any particularly large tubes, cut them in half width-ways. Put into a non-metallic bowl with the other squid ingredients and leave to marinate.

2. For the salad, toss the onion, mango and chilli with the lime juice (from the limes used for the squid) and a pinch of salt and leave for at least 10 mins, or until the onion turns pink. Add the beans to one side of the bowl.

3. Halve, stone and scoop the avocado into the salad bowl, then add plenty of seasoning and season the squid with sea salt.

4.When the barbecue is ready, barbecue the squid tubes and tentacles for no more than 11⁄2 mins in total – the flesh should just change from greyish to opaque and shrink up into a spiral shape where you’ve made your cuts. Toss the salad ingredients together very roughly, pile onto a platter and top with the hot squid and coriander. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and serve with lime wedges on the side.

2. Chopped Herb and Pomegranate Salad

Ingredients:

• Juice and zest 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp. pomegranate molasses
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 Mediterranean cucumber (or 1 regular), deseeded and finely chopped
• 2 large tomatoes , deseeded and finely chopped
• 110g tub pomegranate seeds (or seeds from 1 pomegranate)
• Small bunch parsley, chopped
• Small bunch dill, chopped
• Small bunch mint, all chopped

Method: 

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon zest and juice, pomegranate molasses, olive oil, sugar and some seasoning.

2. Add cucumbers, tomatoes, deseeded and finely chopped, pomegranate seeds and parsley, dill and mint. Toss everything together and serve.

Chilli Ginger Lamb Chops 

Ingredients: 

• 4 garlic cloves , crushed
• 1 tbsp. grated ginger
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• ½ tsp. chilli powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 8 lamb chops

Method: 

1. Put the garlic in a bowl with the ginger, lemon juice, oil, spices and seasoning. Blitz with a hand blender until smooth, then use to coat the lamb chops on both sides. Leave to marinate in the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight.

2. Heat a barbecue until hot. Barbecue the chops over the coals for 3 mins on each side until cooked but still pink and juicy in the centre.

Grilled Corn with Chilli, Coriander and Feta 

Ingredients: 

• 4 corn cobs , husks and silks removed
• 50g mayonnaise
• 2 tsp. crushed chilli flakes
• 4 tbsp. finely crumbled feta
• 2 tbsp. finely chopped coriander
• 1 lime, cut into quarters for squeezing

Method: 

1. Cook the corncobs in a large pan of boiling water for 5 mins. Remove the pan from the heat and leave the corn in the water until ready to grill.

2. Heat a griddle barbecue using direct heat. Just before serving, remove the cobs from the water, pat dry and brush all over with mayonnaise and chilli flakes. Season to taste, then cook for 5 mins, turning regularly until grill marks appear. Sprinkle the cobs with feta and coriander, then serve immediately with lime wedges to squeeze over when eating.

Italian Bean and Olive Salad 

Ingredients: 

• 2 yellow peppers
• 2 red peppers
• 300g green bean
• 300g cherry tomato , halved
• 1 tbsp. small capers
• 2 handfuls black olives , stoned
• 4 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• Large bunch basil , leaves picked, large ones roughly shredded, small ones left whole

Method: 

1. On the barbecue, under the grill or over a flame, blacken the peppers all over, then pop into a bowl and cover with cling film. Once cool, peel, deseed and cut into strips, keeping any juices.

2. Cook the beans in boiling salted water until crunchy but not squeaky, then drain and drop straight into iced water. To serve, toss everything together, adding the shredded basil at the last minute, and scattering with the small basil leaves to finish.

Other Healthy BBQ Notes:
– When holding a healthy at home BBQ, keep in mind to reduce portion sized, don’t used high calorie salad dressing, opt for healthier side dishes and try use meat without high fat contents.