Top 3 Healthy Grilling Recipes

By the time the meat would have been recovered, it would have been nicely cooked – the meat would have had enhanced flavour and become much more appetising. Very soon, the clan would have started skewering all their meat on sticks and grilled them on purpose, and the rest is prehistory.

Today, grilling sometimes gets a bad rap. This is due in large part to certain studies that have shown a link between meat that is very well done and cancer. On the other hand, grilling is a form of dry cooking, where the food does not have to be cooked in oil which causes its own health problems.

They key to healthy grilled meals is a control of the heat to which the food is exposed. Here are some of the best grilling recipes compiled for people of all palates.

For the Meat Lover - Pork Tenderloin Marinated with Maple and Garlic

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. pork tenderloin;
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard; 
• 1 tsp sesame oil; 
• 1 cup maple syrup; 
• 3 cloves garlic;
• ground black pepper to taste. 

Make the marinade by combining the mustard, sesame oil, garlic, maple syrup, garlic and pepper. Coat the pork thoroughly with the marinade, then cover or place in a Ziploc bag. Place in the refrigerator for at least eight hours and preferably overnight to let the flavour soak into the meat.

When you are ready to cook, oil the grill and preheat your grill to between low and medium heat. Place the pork on the grill but do not dispose of the marinade – heat it on medium heat for about 5 minutes so that it regains a watery consistency for basting. Grill for between 15 and 25 minutes until the pork is cooked through. Keep basting the meat to keep it moist.

For the Vegetarian - Black Bean Veggie Burgers

Ingredients:

• 16 oz black beans, drained and rinsed; 
• 1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 2-inch pieces; 
• 1/2 onion, wedged; 
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled; 
• 1 egg; 
• 1 tbsp. chili powder;
• 1 tbsp. cumin;
• 1 tsp. hot sauce; 
• 1 cup bread crumbs.

Preheat your grill to high heat and place a lightly-oiled piece of aluminium foil on it. Rinse and dry the black beans and ash them until they are thick and pasty. Strain the bell pepper, onion and garlic well and chop them finely. Mix well with the mashed beans.

Break the egg into a small bowl and combine stir in the chili powder, cumin and chili sauce. Mix the egg mixture and the mashed beans. Add the bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together. This recipe makes four patties. Grill the patties on the foil for about 8 minutes on each side.

For the Seafood Fan – Lemon Infused Grilled Shrimp with Oregano

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. large shrimp, shelled and deveined;
• 1/2 cup salted capers—rinsed, soaked and drained;
• 1/2 cup oregano leaves;
• 1 clove garlic, minced;
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil;
• 1 tsp. lemon zest, finely grated;
• 3 tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed;
• Ground pepper;
• Salt to taste.

You can create the sauce the night before and refrigerate – just let it warm to room temperature before serving.

For the sauce, chop the capers, oregano leaves and garlic. Put the mixture in a bowl and mix well. Add 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the lemon zest and lemon juice. Season it with pepper.

Heat your grill to high heat. Toss the shrimp with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper to taste. Use skewers to place the shrimp on the grill over high heat. Cook until the shrimp are lightly charred and cooked through, turning once. This will take about 3 minutes per side. 

Place the shrimp on a plate and serve with the sauce.