Hey Chicks,
Summer season (and our outdoor bootcamps!) are now in full effect and I LOVE me some BBQ!
Smoked, charcoal or grill ANYTHING and I think I would eat it….no joke.
The BBQ Menu at our FIT CHICKS Retreat
The thing with BBQ is it can be a stressful, calorie and processed food bomb or can be the most amazing, healthy meal with tons of flavor and fun.
It is all in the approach so in this post I thought I would dedicate it to helping you chicks enjoy a healthier mindset so you won’t steer clear of the grill and learn to love having a “food stress” free meal with my Top 5 “How to have a Chick Approved BBQ” (plus links included below to recipes to help you out!)
1. SKIP THE SAUCE
BBQ sauce is a hidden sugar bomb. In 2 TBSP of Kraft BBQ sauce there is a whopping 9 grams of sugar (that is equal to 3 tsp of sugar!). Not to mention the sodium and additives. What’s the solution? Make your own BBQ sauce using fresh tomatoes, onions, vinegar and spices (which is way easier than it sounds) or opt for other home made marinades like oils, fresh herbs and spices or homemade salsas like our Sassy Salsa or Marvelous Mango Salsa – yum!
2. BYE BYE BREAD
My approach to BBQ is balance. While bread is not the devil as most peeps like to think, it does pack a higher caloric and carb punch which I prefer to have in another form (like dessert!). With BBQ, the grilled meat and veggies really are the star with so much flavor so skip the bread and wrap your burgers in lettuce wraps, Portobello mushrooms or lightly steamed cabbage leaves. If you are gonna have the bun, just make sure to skip the dessert.
3. GIRLIE GRILL YOUR FRUITS!
Honestly one of my favorite ways to eat dessert is from the BBQ. Grilled fruit is incredible and you can do SO many sweet and savoury après dinner treats including:
- Grilled Pineapple topped with 2 ingredient “ice cream”
- Grilled peaches topped with goat cheese and cinnamon
- Grilled strawberry & healthy banana bread or protein waffle skewers with melted dark chocolate
Pic source kimhealthyeats.com
Pretty much any fruit can be grilled and will make you look very fancy when served. Just make sure to soak your skewers for 30 min if wood so they don’t burn!
4. LOW CAL COCKTAILS
Like I said, BBQ to me is all about balance and it may involve having a tipple or 2 🙂 If you are going to indulge, skip the beer or margaritas and go for a wine wine spritzer, low sugar sangria or flavored vodka and soda with fresh fruit & herbs. Liquid calories are sneaky ones and ADD up fast (not to mention the sugar) so if going to have a cocktail just go low.
5. WEIGH YOUR PROTEIN!
A lot of times when it comes to BBQ, we are slapping on huge portions, not cooking properly (ie overcooking) and eating double what we should. By weighing out your homemade burgers (approx 4 oz is a good size) or chicken breasts, not only can you exercise portion control but your meat will cook properly and evenly thus leaving you more satisfied. It also avoids the charring that has been linked to carcinogens.
So chick – next time you have a BBQ don’t be stressed and enjoy! And I love tips too…what is your fave healthy BBQ tip?
Have a fab weekend!
Laura – FIT CHICKS xo
PS – Do you love nutrition and healthy eats and want to spread that to those around you? Get certified with our 200hr Fitness & Nutrition Expert Program starting Sept 2015. Plus, you can join from anywhere in the world as the whole program is taught live online! If you wanna learn more, check out our 30 page 2015 program brochure for full details 🙂
