The first way that I like to grill corn on the cob uses foil.  All you do is take a ear of corn that has been husked and has the silk removed, rinse it well,  wrap the rinsed corn in a piece of aluminum foil and put on the grill. Turn it about a 1/3 of the way every 10 minutes and cook for a total of 30 minutes.  You should get a slight charring which really enhances the flavor of the corn.  One of the tricks is to make sure you leave some of the moisture on the corn after you rinse it, before you wrap it in the foil.  That will help keep the corn from burning and provide a little bit of steam to help it grill nicely.

If you like, you can also spread some butter or margarine on the corn with a pastry brush before you close up the foil.   Sprinkle some salt and pepper on it, and you’ll be ready to eat as soon as the corn comes off the grill.  You might try other spices as well for an entirely different flavor.  A light sprinkling of chili powder, onion powder, or oregano will all give a different but wonderful flavor to your corn.

The second way I like to grill corn on cob cooks the corn right in the husk.  Pull back the corn husks, but don’t remove them.  Remove the silk and then replace the husks, securing them together at the top of the cob with a piece of twine or a piece of the husk (I tear thin strips  from some of the outer husks and use them to secure the husks).

Soak the ears of corn in water for at least an hour.  You want those husks to soak up as much moisture as possible.  After soaking the ears, place them on the grill for about 30 minutes, turning each ear as the husk turns white, yellow, and then brown.   The moist husks steam the corn and keep it from burning while the smoky flavor gives the corn a delicious taste.

Remove the ears when done and take off the husks.  If there are burnt pieces of husks on the corn, just rinse them off and serve.  Add your favorite flavoring and you’ll have a great side dish for any grilled meal.

These are only two methods.  You can also husk the corn and grill it right on the grill without wrapping in foil, letting the heat burn off any silk that remains.   When I cook the corn like this, I like to butter and season the corn on the grill as it cooks.

For an extra treat, grill the corn, cut off the kernels and use the kernels in a salad or salsa, or just as a side itself.  That will really pump up your side dishes!

This post is part of a series that I’m doing for Angie this month on healthy grilling.  In case you missed them, here are the other articles that I’m sharing:

Healthy Grilling Tips
Healthy Grilling: Grilled Salmon on Planks
Healthy Grilling: Grilled Asparagus
Healthy Grilling: Grilled Pineapple

I’m really looking forward to next week’s article.  While vegetables are great, fruit can be even better and grilled pineapple is superb.  Don’t miss next week’s post!

Scott loves to cook outdoors–his motto is “It always tastes better when it’s cooked outdoors!”  Find out more ways to grill corn on the cob  and check out his Outdoor Cooking Magic Tricks for tips and recipes for cooking delicious meals right in your own backyard.

Another awesome guest post!  Thanks Scott.

 

To begin with, you need to prepare your asparagus by snapping the woody part off near the bottom of each spear.  If you hold the asparagus at the end with one hand and an inch or two up from the bottom with the other and just bend, the stalk will naturally break in the right place.

Next, make a glaze to brush onto the asparagus before grilling.  There are numerous possibilities for a glaze, so don’t be afraid to try different flavors until you get one that you like.  One glaze that I like is made by mixing 2 tablespoons of sesame seed oil with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce.  Add a clove of garlic that has been minced and you are ready to go. You could also use olive oil with balsamic vinegar.  If you don’t want to make your own, try your local supermarket for a variety of possibilities, such as teriyaki sauce or even hot sauce.

After you prepare the glaze, you need to do something to keep the asparagus spears from falling between the grill grates.  You can use a vegetable basket or you can do what I do, which is to make what I call an asparagus raft!  To make an asparagus raft, connect the asparagus spears together with toothpicks.  Line up 2-4 spears parallel to each other.  How many spears you use will depend on how thick they are.  Push a toothpick through one spear about 1″ from the bottom.  Add the next spear onto the same toothpick, leaving a slight gap between.

Add spears as you have room on the toothpick.  Repeat with a second toothpick 2″-3″ higher on the stalk.  It ends up looking like a raft made from asparagus!  Connecting them in this way will keep the spears from falling down between your grates and disappearing into the depths of your grill.

After you have connected the spears, brush the glaze onto both sides of the asparagus.  Sprinkle some coarse salt and freshly ground pepper onto the asparagus and put them on a hot grill.  Grill both sides of the asparagus until they just start to char.  It’s hard to tell you exactly how long that will be, because it depends on the intensity of the heat in your grill.  Unlike meats, vegetables can take a little charring without danger to you.  In fact, it always seems to me like that slight charring occurs just about when the veggies get to their best flavoring.  Not only that, but they look great!

After grilling both sides, check to see if the asparagus is done.  I do that by bending one to see how flexible it is.  You should be able to bend it about 45 degrees without snapping.  If you can do that, they are probably done.  How long this takes is also hard to say, because it depends on your grill and how thick the asparagus spears are.  Thinner spears will likely be done by now.  Thicker spears may take a little longer.

If your asparagus is not quite done, move them to a location on the grill that is not right above the heat, or what is called the indirect zone.  Keep the heat going in the other section and close the grill lid.  This will keep enough heat inside your grill to complete the cooking, without burning the asparagus.

Once the asparagus is done, remove from grill and remove the spears from the toothpicks.  I like to finish by sprinkling some sesame seeds over the asparagus to give one last touch of flavoring and texture–it has a nice look too!

Veggies are delicious on the grill and are healthy for you.  Grilled asparagus is delicious, but why stop there?  Tomatoes, onions, corn, peppers, squash, zucchini, even carrots are all wonderful when grilled.  I’ve even grilled lettuce before!  Next week I’m going to share my all-time favorite, which is grilled corn on the cob.  Don’t miss that post if you want to delight your family and friends at your Memorial Day BBQ!

This post is part of a series that I’m doing for Angie this month on healthy grilling.  In case you missed them, here are the other articles that I’m sharing:

Healthy Grilling Tips
Healthy Grilling: Grilled Salmon on Planks
Healthy Grilling: Grilled Corn on the Cob
Healthy Grilling: Grilled Pineapple

Scott loves to cook outdoors–his motto is “It always tastes better when it’s cooked outdoors!”  Find out more ideas for grilling vegetables and check out his Outdoor Cooking Magic Tricks for tips and recipes for cooking delicious meals right in your own backyard.

What is your favorite grilled veggie?

 

There are a lot of ways to use almonds.  You can just pop them in your mouth for a quick and healthy treat and you can get sliced almonds to use on oatmeal or other hot cereal, in yogurt and much more.

What about using your food processor to make your own almond butter?  I have seen a lot of people do that and I want to try it sometime.  Almonds have so many great nutritious benefits too.  But as with anything else, eat them in moderation.

Benefits of Almonds

• Packed with fiber
• Helps reduce risk of heart disease
• Helps lower bad cholesterol and raise the good
• They help keep you full

My favorite almonds are from the company Blue Diamond (I also love their almond milk, so thick and creamy!).  I like plain almonds but they also have a variety that includes sea salt, honey dijon and more.  I’ll be trying those too next time I get to the grocery store.

Blue Diamond almond flavors became American Heart Association certified.  That is something to be proud of.  You can read about it below…

Blue Diamond Almonds

Blue Diamond Almond Flavors Become American Heart Association Certified

Variety of Flavors Meet Criteria for Heart-Healthy Food

Blue Diamond Growers is proud to announce that a variety of Blue Diamond Almonds have been certified by the American Heart Association (AHA) as a heart-healthy food. Not only are Blue Diamond Almonds a delicious snack, but they are good for your heart and good for your health! The following flavors now feature the AHA Heart-Check mark:

• Whole Natural
• Roasted Salted
• Low Sodium
• Sea Salt
• No Salt
• Honey Dijon

The American Heart Association works to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Heart disease is American’s number one killer and is completely preventable by following a number of health measures, one of which is eating healthy. When a consumer spots the AHA Heart-Check mark on food packaging, they can rest assured that the food meets the strict guidelines for a heart-healthy food.

Blue Diamond Almonds are More Than Great Taste – they can help you lead a heart-healthy lifestyle! For more on the American Heart Association and the Heart-Check mark, visit heartcheckmark.org.

About Blue Diamond Growers
Blue Diamond Growers has been around for over 100 years and are always innovating new flavors and products for consumers to enjoy. Blue Diamond Growers has over 3,000 California almond growers delivering delicious almonds all over the world. For more on Blue Diamond Almonds, visit BlueDiamond.com and “like” Blue Diamond Almonds on Facebook.

I’m really excited for them, great company!

If you would like to get to know the company and products better, join us on Monday, May 21st, 2012 at 8 PM Central/9 PM Eastern for a Twitter chat.  You can follow the Twitter chat with the hashtag #BlueDiamond.  I’m on Twitter so be sure to follow me too.

What is your favorite way to eat almonds?

**FitFluential LLC compensated me for this campaign.  All opinions are my own.

 

Besides grilled salmon on planks is especially delicious and is simple to do. You’ll be cooking gourmet food right in your backyard!

Health Benefits of Salmon

Salmon is a high protein, low calorie dish that is also rich in Omega-3 fatty acids.  Omega-3s are polyunsaturated fats that are important for adults and children; studies suggest that they can help prevent heart disease and also help with healthy joints.  The USDA recommends that adults eat two servings of fish that are high in Omega-3s every week.   Salmon has some of the highest Omega-3 content.  Beef, chicken, and pork have almost none.

Salmon is also low in calories, with one serving containing only about 200 calories.  That’s better than beef or chicken!  It’s also rich in a number of vitamins.

Grilled Salmon on Planks

So how do you grill salmon?  While you can just throw a fillet of salmon on the grill and grill it, a much more fun, flavorful, and gourmet method is to grill the salmon on a plank of wood.  This was originally done by the Indians of the Pacific Northwest who fastened salmon onto planks of cedar and cooked it by placing the planked salmon near the fire.  You can use the same method, except with a plank of cedar wood laid down on your grill.

Here’s how to grill salmon on a cedar plank.  You’ll need a cedar plank, a fillet of salmon, and some seasonings.  You may be able to find cedar planks in your local area that are made for grilling, but you can also get them here.

I like to use a rub on the salmon, but you can just sprinkle it with coarse salt, freshly ground pepper, and freshly squeezed lemon juice.  To try the rub that I used, mix the following in a bowl and rub onto the salmon fillet before you grill:

• 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tbsp coarse salt
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Soak the cedar plank in water for at least one hour.  This helps keep the plank from going up in flames as you grill.  To have a bit more flavor, you can add other liquids or seasonings to the water (apple juice and some lemon slices, for example).  You can get even more exotic by soaking the plank in wine instead of water.

The planks can run 13-15 inches long, so you’ll need something long enough to hold the plank.  I used a cooler, but anything long enough will do.  You’ll also need to put something heavy on the plank to hold it down as it soaks.

When you are ready to start cooking, get your grill heated up to 350 degrees.  Remove the plank from the water and put it on the grill.  If you are using a plank that you purchased, there is generally a smooth side and a rough side.  Put the smooth side down.  Close the lid to your grill and let the plank heat up.  This should take no more than 3 minutes.  When it starts to smoke and crack, it’s done. Don’t heat it up too long, or it will start to burn.

Remove the plank with some tongs and flip it over.  Brush a light coating of olive oil onto the plank to keep the salmon from sticking.   Place the salmon fillet on the plank and return it to the grill.  If the salmon is too wide, trim the edges so that it is the width of the plank; you can lay the trimmed pieces on the plank and cook them as well.

Turn down the flame of the burners below the plank to their lowest settings and close the grill cover.  Let the salmon cook for 8 minutes.  Don’t open the grill cover during that time.  The wonderful smoky cedar flavor will start to fill the grill and you want to keep it there!

After 8 minutes, check your salmon and make sure the plank is not burning.  If it is, just put the flames out with a spray bottle of water.  Continue to grill the salmon until it is flaky, which is usually about 12 -15 minutes.  When it’s done, you can cut portions of the salmon right on the plank and serve.

Using cedar planks is a great way to add some additional flavor to your grilling. In addition to salmon, you can use them on your grill to cook other seafood, pork, chicken, steaks, even vegetables.  I hope you’ll give it a try!

I’m guest blogging for Angie this month on healthy grilling.  In case you missed them, here are the other articles that I’m sharing:

Healthy Grilling Tips
Healthy Grilling: Grilled Asparagus
Healthy Grilling: Grilled Corn on the Cob
Healthy Grilling: Grilled Pineapple

I’m already looking forward to the next article, which is grilled asparagus!

Scott loves to cook outdoors–his motto is “It always tastes better when it’s cooked outdoors!”  Check out his Outdoor Cooking Magic Tricks for tips and recipes for cooking delicious meals right in your own backyard.

 

I’m going to try to cut down on dessert after dinner altogether but if I do have anything it will be something more healthy like fruity frozen ‘ice cream’, homemade granola bars, fruit, etc.

I will have homemade type goodies like banana bread, chocolate/peanut butter oat balls/bites, etc. BUT those will not be eaten in the evening and will be very limited.

I asked my online friends if they had any healthy dessert ideas and they totally came through for me.  Check this list I compiled from all of them. I’m sure I will have to do another post soon with the links that keep coming in. Wait until you see these goodies.

Alan shared his special Banana Cookie Butter Ice Cream and OH MY, I’m definitely going to make it.  Now I have to make a trip back to Trader Joe’s because I keep passing up that cookie butter and knew I should have bought it ha ha

Elle recommended Greek yogurt mixed with peanut butter to use as a dip for apples. She also likes to freeze chunks of peeled banana and then whiz them in the blender with some almond milk to make banana ‘soft serve’ (you can use other fruits too!).  Similar to what Alan shared above.

Elle also shared these easy to make healthier snack choices.  I love the banana, cinnamon and pb idea.

Caitlin says she often has Greek yogurt with lightly sweetened cereals like Fiber One, Uncle Sam’s or Love Grown Foods granola.  If she craves a bit of extra sweet, she’ll throw just a dash of sugar free chocolate syrup in there.

Kaila recommended her blog for healthy treats. Will have to check it out!

Gina’s healthy snacks, balls and bites. Yum!

Laura shared a few yummy recipes too, see below.

Homemade Kashi granola bars

PB Oat Balls

Banana Raisin Cookies

Tamara has some bread pudding, scones, cheesecake, etc.

Oh my check out Charissa’s healthy peanut butter fudge recipe. Could get into trouble with this one ha ha

Danielle shared this recipe for Fudge Babies  from Chocolate Covered Katie. Amber also recommended Katie’s blog!

Anne shared her oatmeal banana coconut cookies and her sweet potato whole wheat bread pudding.

Brianna has a ton of healthy eats on her blog, Don’t Eat Crap.  LOVE that name!

Lindsay has some goodies too:  Almond Graham Banana Bites, Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars and No Bake Chocolate PB Oatmeal Balls.

And check out this single serve pear crisp.  Yum!

So as you can see there are a lot of more healthy options than what I have been eating. All it’s going to take me is a bit of will power and some extra time to whip up something healthy instead of grabbing for the bag of ‘naughty’ processed junk.

Who is with me?

 

Summertime is almost here again and it’s time to grill!  Grilling is a healthy way to cook…if you do it right.  There are concerns about grilling and cancer, but if you follow these healthy grilling tips, you’ll dramatically reduce your risk and turn grilling into a safe, delicious, fun way to cook.  Here are 5 tips to get you started with healthy grilling.

Healthy Grilling Tip #1

Buy lean cuts of meat and trim off the excess fat.  The two substances that cause you problem in grilling are called heterocyclic amines (HCA) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH).  These substances are formed when proteins in meat are exposed to high heat.  When fat from the meat drips onto the grill, forming smoke, or causing flareups, HCA and PAH can form and that’s bad!  Buying lean cuts and trimming the fat will reduce that chance of those bad substances forming.  Less fat means less flame and smoke and that means healthier grilling for you.

Healthy Grilling Tip #2

Clean your grill.  Make sure your grill is clean before each use. This will reduce the build up of substances that can contain cancer causing compounds.  The easiest way to do that is to clean the grill each time just after use.   After you’ve finished cooking on your grill, let it cool down a little, but while still warm, use a grill brush (any stiff brush will actually do) and scrape off the pieces that are stuck to the grill grates.  Not only will you be making your grilling healthier, but your food will taste better as well.

Healthy Grilling Tip #3

Marinate your meat. One proven way to reduce the amount of carcinogens in grilled meat is by marinating the meat prior to grilling.  Not only does this provide a flavorful, moist dish, but studies have shown that a marinade of oil (olive oil works well) and an acid (like a citrus juice, or vinegar) makes a significant reduction (even as much as 90%t)  in the formation of carcinogens in grilled meats.   Here’s one marinade to try.

Mix the following in a bowl and then use to marinate steaks:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Worchestershire sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp Dijon style mustard
• 1/2 onion (sliced)
• 1 garlic clove (minced)

I find it easiest to marinate in a large zip lock bag.  Set the bag in a bowl, add the meat, pour the marinate mixture over the top, seal the bag (removing the air), and then turn the bag back and forth so all the meat is coated.  Let it set for at least a couple of hours in the fridge before putting on the grill to cook.

Healthy Grilling Tip #4

Cook your meats to the proper temperature, but no more!  This prevents them from being overcooked and possibly developing HCA or PAH.  Here are the minimum temperatures from the USDA:

If you like your steaks well done, cook them to 160 degrees, but no more.

The easiest and surest way to get meat to just the right temperature is with a BBQ thermometer.  There are some amazing thermometers that will let you know right when your meat is ready to come off the grill.

Healthy Grilling Tip #5

Grill some vegetables!  You could replace your grilled meats with grilled vegetables or at least add grilled vegetables to your meal.  Grilled vegetables don’t have the same worry or concern as grilled meat in developing harmful substances.  A slight char will actually bring out an incredible flavor with most vegetables.

Some of my favorites include grilled corn on the cob, grilled asparagus, grilled tomatoes, and grilled peppers.  Most veggies are delicious when grilled with just a light coating of olive oil and a sprinkling of some spices.  Salt and pepper, basil, even a bit of chili powder adds a wonderful taste.  Be creative and use you favorites.

Angie has been generous enough to allow me to share several of my ideas for healthy grilling.  Each Tuesday in the month of May, I’ll be giving you some more tips for healthy grilling.  Coming up:

Healthy Grilling: Grilled Salmon on Planks

Healthy Grilling: Grilled Asparagus

Healthy Grilling: Grilled Corn on the Cob

Healthy Grilling: Grilled Pineapple

I look forward to sharing these with you–my mouth is watering already!

Scott loves to cook outdoors–his motto is “It always tastes better when it’s cooked outdoors!” Check out his Outdoor Cooking Magic Tricks for tips and recipes for cooking delicious meals right in your own backyard.

 

My friend Jedha has this awesome Paleo meal planning program and although I’m not living the Paleo lifestyle, there are some awesome healthy options that I will use.  Like the Lemon Pepper Fish recipe!

Jedha has kindly said I could share this recipe on the blog. Thank you Jedha!

So please take a moment to check out what she has to offer.  I’ll be doing a full review on her Paleo meal plan soon so be on the lookout for that.

Lemon Pepper Fish
Copyright © 2012
Jedha, Paleo Weight Loss Coach

Ingredients:

Serves 2

• 2 pieces white fish
• 1 teaspoon cracked pepper
• 1/2 lemon – squeezed
• 6-8 thin lemon slices
• 1 x 5 cm piece lemon grass
• Butter or Olive oil
• Foil

Cooking Method

1. Break off 2 large pieces of foil big enough to fully wrap fish
2. Slice lemon grass lengthwise and place on top of foil, then top with fish pieces
3. Sprinkle the cracked pepper on fish, pour over the lemon juice, and top with the lemon slices, distributing the ingredients evenly between to 2 pieces of fish
4. Put on some big dollops of butter or drizzle with olive oil
5. Wrap the fish up in parcels
6. Place in a steamer and cook for 20 minutes
7. Serve with salad or vegetables

Note: To make a super fast meal, chop up some vegetables and after 10 minutes throw them into the top of the steamer with the fish. Then you can sit down to some lemon fish with steamed vegetables. A super fast and easy meal.

Tip: You can leave the fish wrapped in the foil and eat it cold or heat it up for lunch.

We actually used Lemongrass gel from a tube that we can get at our local grocery store and instead of steaming we baked the fish.  This is hands down THE BEST fish I have ever had. I couldn’t stop talking about it and we’ll be having it again this week if we have the right kind of fish.  And yes, I had it as a leftover the next day and it was delicious cold.

Side Dish

The 2nd part of this meal were the Polenta Stuffed Mini Peppers from the Cooking with Trader Joe’s Skinny Dish cookbook (page 78).  Jennifer, the author was kind enough to send over the link to the recipe online.  You have to check out the book, it has some awesome recipes in it.

We changed around the recipe to use curry instead but we will be making the polenta mixture again using her recipe.  Might try adding the mixture to mushrooms next time!

And there are more awesome recipes on her Cooking with Trader Joe’s website.

So this entire meal was a total win!  I’m impressed that I was able to cook it.  I really enjoyed the Polenta, have you ever cooked with it?

 

Nutty BBQ Tempeh Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 package Trader Joe’s Tempeh, cubed
• 1 package Trader Joe’s Broccoli Slaw
• 1 large handful spinach
• 10 pecan halves, cut up into small pieces
• 1/3 cup BBQ sauce plus water to equal 1/2 cup

Directions:

Start by browning tempeh in lightly oiled pre-heated skillet. Cover.  As tempeh begins to brown add pecan pieces and heat thoroughly.

While browning tempeh, preheat a larger skillet for the broccoli slaw, lightly oil if needed.

Add approximately 1/4 cup thinned BBQ sauce to tempeh, shake skillet to make sure tempeh and pecan pieces are coated well.

Cover and cook another few minutes then turn off heat, leaving tempeh in skillet.

Broccoli Slaw & Spinach

Add broccoli slaw to skillet, cover and cook down halfway (this will take a while) then add spinach. Continue cooking until both are done, then add remaining thinned BBQ sauce (approx. 1/4 cup).

Mix well!

Plate broccoli slaw and top with tempeh.

Such a great meal!  Yum!

I had good intentions to workout this weekend but pulled a muscle in my groin area OUCH. So needless to say I napped and got a lot of work done today while relaxing on the Fombag.  Love that thing!  Just finished writing a guest blog post that should be up this weekend and wanted to share this recipe from dinner.

Hope you’re enjoying your weekend!

Do you have any tempeh recipes to share?

 

I love quick meals and this one was pretty healthy so I thought I would share it.

Angie’s Healthy Taco Salad

• Baked tortillas for chips
• Lettuce & spinach
• Thai Jasmin rice
• Cooked mushrooms
• Black beans
• Tomatoes
• Trader Joe’s corn salsa
• Taco sauce

Crush up some baked tortillas and place on bottom of bowl.

Add lettuce and spinach. Scoop some Jasmin rice over top of that.

Add mushrooms, cooked black beans and tomatoes.

Top with corn salsa and taco sauce if desired.

Delish!

 

Kale is full of vitamins, has no fat, is an anti-inflammatory, helps lower cholesterol and much more.

I like kale chips plain but I have seen people put ketchup on them.  I am trying to limit the use of condiments now but I might have to try a little ketchup with my kale today.

And you can vary the spices too, from mild to spicy.

Go try this!

How to Make Kale Chips

Ingredients:

• Bag of kale (remove stems if desired)
• Olive Oil
• Spices (We have a spice that is a mix of garlic, pepper & sea salt)

1. Preheat oven to 350-400
2. Drizzle kale lightly with olive oil and spices then massage to evenly coat kale.
3. Place on foil covered cookie sheet and put in oven to crisp.

Depending on the heat you’ll leave the kale in for 6-20 minutes.  We were cooking something else in the oven at 350 so the kale was in the oven for about 16 minutes.  Just be sure to keep an eye on the kale so it doesn’t burn.

Enjoy!

Do you like kale?