The Heart of Summer Calls for Heart-Healthy Grilling Tips

With vegetable gardens in full bloom, and the heat keeping us out of the kitchen, August is grill season at its peak. We tapped the culinary expertise of our Aramark certified chefs to create a list of proven summer tips to make healthier and more plant-forward meals that will have your guests asking for more. Check out these ideas, and read the press release.

Creating Flavor on the Grill:

• Rub on the spices. Spice rubs add flavor to meats, fish and chicken, and have fewer calories and usually less sodium and sugar than BBQ sauces or marinades.
• Add bursts of lemon. Replace each ½ teaspoon of salt with 5 teaspoons of lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of lemon zest.
• Baste on the flavor. Use a basting brush and pack on additional flavor over the flame.
• Bring on the smoke. Achieve a smoky taste, even on a gas grill, by adding flavored smoke wood chips like mesquite, apple, cherry, maple or hickory.
• Blend them together. For burgers with a healthy twist, chop mushrooms finely and mix with lean ground beef or turkey to create a unique blend for grilling.

Click on these reciples for some great summer sizzling sides:

• Grilled Pineapple – lightly grilled pineapple gives a subtly sweet flavor on this version of salsa 
• Grilled Eggplant – smoky eggplant slices are the perfect substitution for your next burger
• Stone Fruit – peaches, plums and nectarines burst with flavor when lightly grilled
• Peppers – toss them with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil for a tasty side dish or sandwich topping
• Carrots – simply toss with cumin and green onions to balance the natural sweetness of carrots