Fast and healthy meals from the grill: have a juicy, zesty grilled dinner on the table in minutes with these easy recipes - Healthy Food in a Flash

LEAN FISH AND CHICKEN AND fresh vegetables on the grill make quick and healthy summer meals. But because low-fat foods like these tend to dry out or stick to the grill grate, they need some TLC before, during, and after grilling. Chicken and fish benefit from glazes and marinades based on citrus juices, soy sauce, or yogurt, and a quickly made relish provides a bright and juicy counterpoint. A little olive oil does the trick for vegetables, and their smoky flavor is complemented by juicy tomatoes, creamy beans, and savory cheeses.

Maple-Soy Glazed Salmon
with Grilled Asparagus

SERVES 4

Use the fine teeth on a box grater to grate
the ginger. Round out this meal with
boiled new potatoes seasoned with extra-virgin
olive oil and sea salt.

1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon grated fresh
  gingerroot
4 salmon fillets (about
  5 ounces each)
Salt and ground black
  pepper
1 pound asparagus, tough
  ends snapped off
1 tablespoon extra-virgin
  olive oil

1. Light grill. While grill heats, combine
maple syrup, soy sauce, and ginger in
small bowl. Sprinkle salmon with salt and
pepper to taste. Toss asparagus with oil
and salt and pepper to taste on platter.

2. Oil grill (see "No-Stick Grill Trick," page
80). Place salmon skin side down over a
hot fire and then arrange asparagus
around it. Grill until salmon skin shrinks
and crisps, about 3 minutes. Brush tops
and sides of salmon fillets with glaze.
Carefully slide metal spatula under
salmon and turn over. Turn asparagus.
Continue to cook until asparagus spears
are streaked with grill marks and salmon
is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes for rare
and 5 minutes for medium.

3. To serve, divide asparagus among individual
plates. Discard salmon skin and
place one fillet on each plate.

PER SERVING: 370 CALORIES, 31 G PROTEIN,
19 G FAT, 4 G SATURATED FAT, 84 MG CHOLESTEROL,
18 G CARBOHYDRATES, 2 G FIBER, 569 MG SODIUM,
3% CALCIUM

Greek "Pizza" with Grilled
Vegetables and Feta

SERVES 4

Use chewy, round Greek flatbreads or any
thick Middle Eastern flatbread for these
little pizzas. Serve with a tomato salad.

3 medium zucchini (about
  1 1/2 pounds), cut lengthwise
  into 1/2-inch-thick pieces
2 medium red onions (about
  1 pound), cut crosswise into
  1/2-inch-thick rounds
2 tablespoons extra-virgin
  olive oil
Salt and ground black
  pepper
4 chewy Greekor Middle
  Eastern flatbreads (about
  8 inches in diameter)
2 cups packed small arugula
  leaves (tear any large leaves)
3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
  (about 2/3 cup)
Fresh oregano leaves, torn

1. Light grill. Place zucchini and onions on
large baking sheet and brush them with
1 tablespoon oil and then sprinkle with salt
and pepper to taste. Grill vegetables over a
medium-hot fire, turning once, until streaked
with dark grill marks, about 10 minutes for
zucchini and 12 minutes for onions. Transfer
grilled vegetables to platter.

2. Brush remaining 1 tablespoon oil over
both sides of flatbreads. Grill flatbreads,
turning once, until streaked with grill marks,
about two minutes.

3. Place one flatbread on each plate. Divide
arugula among flatbreads. Place grilled vegetables
on flatbreads, cutting zucchini as
necessary and separating onion slices into
rings. Sprinkle feta and oregano over vegetables.
Serve immediately.

PER SERVING: 446 CALORIES, 16 G PROTEIN, 13 G FAT,
5 G SATURATED FAT, 20 MG CHOLESTEROL, 65 G CARBOHYDRATES,
5 G FIBER, 735 MG SODIUM, 37% CALCIUM

Indian-Style Chicken Breasts
with Cucumber-Melon Salsa

SERVES 4

Serve this moist chicken dish and tangy
salsa with pita breads warmed on the grill.

3/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 teaspoons curry powder
  teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
Salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken
  breasts (about 1 1/4 pounds),
  trimmed of excess fat
1 medium cucumber, peeled,
  halved, seeded, and cut into
  3/4-inch dice (about 1 cup)
1/2 medium cantaloupe, peeled,
  seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch
  dice (about 2 cups)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh
  cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon lime juice

1. Light grill. Combine yogurt, curry powder,
cayenne, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt
in medium bowl. Add chicken and stir gently
to combine. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, for salsa, combine cucumber,
cantaloupe, cilantro, lime juice, and salt
to taste in medium bowl and set aside.

3. Oil grill (see "No-Stick Grill Trick," below).
Grill chicken over a hot fire, turning once,
until streaked with grill marks and cooked
through, about 10 minutes.

4. To serve, place one chicken breast on
each individual plate and spoon some
salsa over chicken.

PER SERVING: 245 CALORIES, 36 G PROTEIN, 5 G FAT,
2 G SATURATED FAT, 91 MG CHOLESTEROL, 14 G CARBOHYDRATES,
2 G FIBER, 386 MG SODIUM, 13% CALCIUM

Cheddar-Stuffed Poblano Chiles
with Corn and Tomato Salad

SERVES 4

This recipe might seem complicated but it
actually comes together in about half an hour.
You can make the quick salad while the chiles
cool. Serve with warmed flour tortillas.

8 medium-to-large poblano
  chiles (1 1/2 to 2 pounds)
4 medium ears fresh corn,
  husked and silked
2 medium-large tomatoes
  (about 1 pound), cored and cut
  into 1/2-inch dice
2 tablespoons minced fresh
  cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin
  olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
Salt
4 ounces reduced-fat cheddar
  cheese, cut into 8 thin slices

1. Light grill. Grill chiles and corn over a
medium-hot fire, turning them occasionally,
until skins on chiles are blistered and
lightly charred and corn kernels are lightly
colored, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer chiles to
bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside
to steam (and cool) for about 10 minutes.
Transfer corn to cutting board and set aside
to cool for about 10 minutes. (If using gas
grill, do not turn it off.)

2. When corn is cool, cut ears in half crosswise,
stand them on end on cutting board,
and remove kernels with sharp knife. Toss
corn kernels, tomatoes, cilantro, 1 tablespoon
oil, lime juice, and salt to taste in
medium bowl. Set corn-tomato salad aside.

3. With your fingers, peel and discard skins
from chiles. With paring knife, carefully cut
around stem and remove and discard stem
and seeds inside. If necessary, reach into
chile to remove any remaining seeds, but
try not to puncture chile. Place one slice of
cheese in each peeled and seeded whole
chile, breaking the cheese slices as necessary
to make them fit. Brush chiles with
remaining 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with
salt to taste.

4. Return chiles to grill and cook, turning
once, until chiles are lightly streaked with
grill marks and cheese has melted, about
2 minutes.

5. Divide corn-tomato salad among plates.
Place 2 chiles on each plate over salad and
serve immediately.

PER SERVING: 288 CALORIES, 14 G PROTEIN, 13 G FAT,
4 G SATURATED FAT, 20 MG CHOLESTEROL, 35 G CARBOHYDRATES,
6 G FIBER, 246 MG SODIUM, 27% CALCIUM

Grilled Portobello and
White Bean Bruschetta

SERVES 4

The combination of portobello mushrooms
and white beans gives you savory flavor and
protein without meat. Serve these open-faced
sandwiches with a tomato salad.

4 extra-large, thick slices
  hearty bread
4 large portobello mushrooms
  (about 1 pound), stems
  discarded
3 tablespoons extra-virgin
  olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper
1 15-ounce can white beans,
  drained and rinsed
1 small garlic clove, peeled
1 tablespoon whole
rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon
  sherry vinegar
4 cups baby arugula or spinach,
  washed and spun dry

1. Light grill. Lightly brush both sides of
bread slices and mushrooms with 2 tablespoons
olive oil and sprinkle mushrooms
with salt and pepper to taste. Grill bread and
mushrooms over a medium-hot fire, turning
them once, until streaked with grill
marks, about 3 minutes for the bread and
10 minutes for the mushrooms. Transfer
mushrooms to a cutting board and set aside.
Place each slice of toasted bread on an
individual plate.

2. Meanwhile, puree beans, garlic, rosemary,
and 1 tablespoon vinegar in food processor
until smooth. (If necessary, add a
tablespoon or two of water to make the
puree smooth.) Scrape bean mixture into a
small bowl and season with salt and pepper
to taste.

3. Cut mushrooms into 1/2-inch-wide pieces
and place in bowl with any juices. Toss
mushrooms with arugula, remaining 1 tablespoon
oil, remaining 1 teaspoon vinegar,
and salt and pepper to taste.

4. To serve, spread bean puree over warm
pieces of toast. Divide arugula and mushroom
mixture among pieces of toast. Serve
immediately.

PER SERVING: 358 CALORIES, 15 G PROTEIN, 12 G FAT,
2 G SATURATED FAT, 0 MG CHOLESTEROL, 50 G CARBOHYDRATES,
9 G FIBER, 186 MG SODIUM, 14% CALCIUM

Grilled Halibut Skewers with
Tomato-Cilantro Salsa

SERVES 4

A super-easy fresh tomato salsa adds moisture
to this lean fish dish. For this recipe, buy
two 1-inch-thick steaks. Depending on the
size of your skewers, you'll need four to six
for this recipe. Serve with rice.

1 1/4 pounds halibut, cut into
  1-inch cubes
3 medium red onions (about
  1 pound), peeled and cut into
  8 wedges
2 tablespoons extra-virgin
  olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper
2 medium tomatoes (about
  1 pound), cored and cut into
  1/2-inch dice
1/4 cup chopped fresh
  cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1. Light grill. Gently toss halibut, onions, oil,
and salt and pepper to taste together in
medium bowl. Thread halibut and onions
on skewers, alternating them, beginning
and ending with onion. Oil grill (see "No-Stick
Grill Trick," page 80). Place skewers
over a hot fire and grill, turning several
times, until fish is cooked through and
onions are tender and streaked with dark
grill marks, about 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, cilantro,
rice vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste in
small bowl.

3. To serve, spoon some tomato relish on
each plate. Slide fish and onions from skewers
onto plates.

PER SERVING: 250 CALORIES, 31 G PROTEIN, 10 G FAT,
1 G SATURATED FAT, 45 MG CHOLESTEROL, 8 G CARBOHYDRATES,
2 G FIBER, 88 MG SODIUM, 8% CALCIUM

Grilled Bread and Tomato Salad
with White Beans and Herbs

SERVES 4

The flavor and crunch added by the grill takes
a traditional Italian bread salad to new
heights. Choose a crusty, chewy loaf of bread
and perfectly ripe tomatoes for this recipe.

4 large slices hearty bread,
  about 1 inch thick (3/4 pound
  total)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin
  olive oil
Salt
1 large garlic clove, peeled
1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored
  and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans,
  drained and rinsed
1 medium cucumber, peeled,
  halved lengthwise, seeded,
  and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh
  basil leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh
  mint leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh
  parsley leaves
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Ground black pepper
8 cups tender lettuce torn into
  bite-size pieces

1. Light grill. Brush both sides of bread
slices with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle
with salt to taste. Grill bread over medium
fire, turning once, until crisp and darkly colored
(but not burned), about two minutes.
Rub garlic clove firmly on both sides of
bread, leaving bits of garlic behind. Discard
any remaining garlic (most of it should end
up on bread). Set bread aside to cool.

2. Combine tomatoes, beans, cucumber,
herbs, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, vinegar,
and salt and pepper to taste in large bowl.

3. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes and add to
bowl with tomato mixture. Toss to coat. Set
aside, tossing once or twice, until bread softens
a bit and soaks up some of the flavors
of the salad, about 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings,
adding salt and pepper to taste.

4. Line four plates with lettuce. Spoon bread
salad over lettuce and serve immediately.

PER SERVING: 367 CALORIES, 16 G PROTEIN, 9 G FAT,
1 G SATURATED FAT, 0 MG CHOLESTEROL, 59 G CARBOHYDRATES,
13 G FIBER, 205 MG SODIUM, 20% CALCIUM

Grilled Chicken and Fennel
with Spicy Orange Glaze

SERVES 4

Simmering orange juice with a cinnamon
stick and hot red pepper flakes creates a sticky
glaze that adds moisture and flavor to
chicken cutlets. The sweet taste of grilled
fennel complements the chicken nicely. Cut
the fennel through the base so that the pieces
will hold together on the grill. Serve this dish
with couscous.

2 cups orange juice
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon hot red
  pepper flakes
3 medium fennel bulbs
  (about 2 1/4 pounds)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin
  olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken
  breasts (about 1 1/4 pounds),
  trimmed of excess fat
Salt

1. Light grill. Combine orange juice, cinnamon
stick, and pepper flakes in medium
saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and
simmer briskly until mixture is syrupy and
reduced to about 1/2 cup, 12 to 15 minutes.
While glaze simmers, remove and discard
stalks and tough outer layers from fennel
bulbs. Trim thin slice from ends of fennel
bulbs to remove any brown portions. With
bulbs upright on cutting board, cut down
through core into 1/2-inch-thick slabs that
resemble fans.

2. Remove and discard cinnamon stick from
saucepan. Whisk oil into orange glaze.
Brush both sides of chicken and fennel
pieces with glaze and sprinkle with salt to
taste.

3. Oil grill (see "No-Stick Grill Trick," page
80). Grill chicken breasts and fennel slices
over a hot fire, turning once, until streaked
with grill marks and cooked through, about
10 minutes.

4. To serve, place one chicken breast and
several pieces of fennel on each plate.

PER SERVING: 309 CALORIES, 35 G PROTEIN, 8 G FAT,
2 G SATURATED FAT, 88 MG CHOLESTEROL, 25 G CARBOHYDRATES,
3 G FIBER, 166 MG SODIUM, 11% CALCIUM

Quick Tip

No-Stick Grill Trick

Although rubbing oil into delicate fish fillets and skinless chicken cutlets keeps them from sticking to the grill grate and falling apart, you can accomplish the same thing without adding calories by oiling the grate instead. Just dip a wad of paper towels in vegetable oil and then hold the wad with grill tongs as you rub the oil onto a hot grill. Immediately set the fish or chicken onto the portion of the grate you've just oiled. Use a long-handled metal spatula to flip delicate foods and turn them only once.

The Bottom Line

Buy organic ingredients whenever possible to limit your exposure to potentially harmful pesticides, antibiotics, and hormones.

Jack Bishop is the food editor of Natural Health and the author of several cookbooks, including Vegetables Every Day (HarperCollins, 2001).

COPYRIGHT 2003 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group