Fire Up the Grill: Your Delicious Guide to Healthy Summer Barbecues

Wondering what to make this weekend? Plan a Body Ecology-friendly barbecue that your whole family will enjoy!

Body Ecology’s Healthy Barbecue Recipes

If you’re planning a backyard barbecue this weekend, we’ve got your recipes covered — from starter to dessert and even a versatile salad in between. There’s no reason to sacrifice your health when socializing and relaxing. You can certainly enjoy a delicious and healthy summer barbecue.

Drink – Cheery Cherry Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1 cucumber, chopped
• 2 zucchinis, chopped
• 3 large romaine lettuce leaves, torn into pieces
• ¼ cup mint, leaves only
• ½ cup coconut meat
• 6 ounces (½ bag) of dark frozen cherries
• 12 drops Stevia or to taste
• 1 cup InnergyBiotic or sparkling mineral water
• 1 cup filtered water

Directions: Purée ingredients in a blender, adding more water if needed.

As a bonus, Cheery Cherry Smoothies are low in oxalates!

Appetizer – Chicken in Lettuce Leaf Wraps

Ingredients:

• 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
• 1 or 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• ¾ cup fresh shiitake mushrooms, destemmed, chopped
• 1 small red pepper, diced
• ½ cup daikon, chopped
• ½ cup green onions, sliced very thin
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 2 tablespoons coconut or brown rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons wheat-free, low-sodium tamari
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (Wizard’s is wheat-free)
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1½ cups carrots, shredded
• ½ cup green onions, julienned
• 12 Bibb or Boston lettuce leaves
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook chicken in oven or sauté in coconut oil until only very slightly pink inside. Remove from heat and let stand until cool enough to handle. Cut into bite-size cubes.
2. Sauté mushrooms in 1 or 2 tablespoons of coconut oil for 3 minutes. Add cooked chicken, ginger, red pepper, and scallions and sauté 4 to 6 minutes longer. (Make sure chicken is no longer pink.)
3. Drain and set aside.
4. Whisk together vinegar, tamari, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and remaining oil in a small bowl. Stir in carrots, onions, and chicken mixture. Fold in almonds, if using.
5. Spoon onto lettuce leaves and serve.

Side Dish – Quinoa Summer Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 small onion, minced
• 3 small red-skin potatoes, finely diced
• 4 cups quinoa, cooked, cooled
• 3 scallions, sliced
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 small cucumber, peeled, cut into half moons
• 1 stalk celery, minced
• 2 tablespoons parsley
• 2 to 3 tablespoons pumpkinseed oil
• 1 to 2 tablespoons Celtic sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or hot paprika

Directions:

1. Heat coconut oil in a sauté pan. Sauté the onion and red-skin potatoes until tender. Cool to room temperature.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked quinoa, scallions, garlic, cucumber, and celery. Add the cooled potato and onion mixture and the parsley to the bowl. Stir until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
3. Pour pumpkinseed oil over salad and season with sea salt and cayenne pepper, to taste.
4. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours or overnight. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

This dish is great for using leftover quinoa. If you have a busy schedule, it is excellent to have in the fridge for quick, healthy meals on the run. This dish travels well, and it is perfect to bring to a picnic or barbecue.

Main Dish – Pepper-Grilled Salmon Steaks with Corn Salsa

Ingredients:

• 1 can of white corn, drained
• 1 jalapeño, seeded, chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded, chopped
• 2 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 4 six-ounce salmon steaks, 1 inch thick
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Sea salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Coat grill rack with cooking spray. Preheat grill to medium-high (350 to 400 degrees).
2. Combine corn, jalapeño, bell pepper, onion, cilantro, and lime juice in a bowl and set aside.
3. Sprinkle the salmon with red pepper flakes and sea salt.
4. Grill salmon for 3 or 4 minutes on each side, turning once.
5. Top with corn salsa and serve.

Dessert – Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:

• 2 14-ounce cans coconut milk
• 1 cup Lakanto
• ½ cup agar flakes
• ½ cup unsweetened organic dark cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, alcohol-free
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 cup walnuts, soaked, chopped

Directions:

1. Combine 2 cans coconut milk, Lakanto, agar flakes, dark cocoa powder, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and sea salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil.
2. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Pour the chocolate mixture into a 2-quart dish and stir in the coconut oil. Let cool at room temperature for 15 minutes. Refrigerate until set.

This delightful mousse is not only delicious, it’s dairy-free! As a delicious variation, try adding dried orange peel in step 1.

These delectably healing recipes are only a sample of what you will get in the complete Body Ecology Living Cookbook. With fresh, flavorful, and filling foods for all seasons, the new Body Ecology cookbook makes it easy to eat for your health — without feeling deprived. Tasty, nourishing Body Ecology dishes redefine what it means to use “food as medicine.”