Fresh Recipes for Summer Cookouts
No matter what's going on in the world, or in your own life, it's important to stay nourished. Because the only thing worse than feeling overwhelmed, out of control, stressed, anxious, lonely, sad, or any other hard feelings is feeling those things AND being hungry!
Summer is grill season aka my favorite season. Throw protein, veggies, and potatoes on the grill and I'm set!
Sometimes though, it's fun (to me) to get a little fancier and actually...follow a recipe, make a marinade, and be intentional about creating different flavors besides "grilled."
Here are a few of my new and old fave recipes to add some variety to your summer meals. If you try any of them, let me know what you think!
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Grilled London Broil from Spicy Southern Kitchen -- so flavorful and tender. New fave!
Grilled Chicken Thighs from Kristine's Kitchen Blog -- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs might be my favorite cut of chicken, and this recipe was delicious! If thighs aren't your thing, you could probably use the same seasoning for your preferred cut.
Beef Mushroom Stir Fry adapted from Jo Cooks --
Not a grill recipe, but I love stir fry meals because they're quick, easy, and usually contained in one pan. Beef cooks up more quickly than chicken, so it's my go-to when I'm on the verge of hangry. I bought stir fry strips because I was in a hurry; you can also get cubes already cut, or save some money by purchasing a piece of beef and cutting it up yourself.
For my stir fry, I omitted the oyster sauce and green onions (didn't have either), and used just one kind of soy sauce. I browned the beef first, then cooked some sliced mushrooms in the beef drippings and some butter. I added the garlic, then put the beef back in and added the sauce. I served it with leftover grilled veggies, and even missing a couple ingredients, I really loved the flavors! Don't be afraid to alter recipes based on what you have and what you like!
Beef & Mushroom Stir-Fry, paired with leftover grilled veggies
Tuscan Kale Salad adapted from New York Times Cooking --
It calls for toasting bread for croutons and then pulsing them in a food processor. I just put a slice of bread on the grill and then cut it into small pieces. The recipe also uses garlic cloves; I used garlic scapes instead because I had them handy. I also subbed parmesan cheese for pecorino, and I left out the red pepper flakes. It makes A LOT, so if you're not making it for a group, I'd half this recipe!
Suddenly Salad boxed pasta salad -- Yes, eating pasta is FINE and no, everything does not have to be organic, hand-grown, etc.! I don't know what it is, but this particular pasta salad always hits my taste buds just right! I added some finely sliced fresh spinach leaves because I had them. You could also add whatever veggies, cheese, or meat you like!
From top left: Tuscan kale salad, grilled zucchini + squash, leftover London broil, Suddenly Salad pasta salad.
Cowboy Caviar -- This is my go-to for a light, easy dip for tailgates or cookouts. There are a ton of different versions if you Google "cowboy caviar," but this is the closest to my hodge-podge version!
No Bake Eclair Cake from Crayons & Cravings -- Cookouts and parties are my favorite times to bust out recipes that I couldn't possibly finish eating on my own! I know a lot of fitness people can get real judgey about things like dessert, but if you've been around for awhile, you know I'm not one of them. No foods are "good" or "bad," and they can almost all have a place in a balanced nutrition plan. In fact, when we tell ourselves we're "not allowed" to eat something, that can signal our brains to want it more, which can lead to overeating later on. Eat a reasonable portion, enjoy it, and move on.
Someone brought a really delicious pudding cake thing to a party I attended recently, and this recipe is pretty close. It's a no-bake cake so you can leave the oven off on a hot day, and you can sub in lower fat/sugar pudding mixes, cool whip, and graham crackers if you like (the recipe page has some other tips and modifications).
When I actually have extra time to put together a meal, I'm always looking for new recipes. If you have a favorite summer dish I should try, share it with me @jchcoaching on Instagram or via email: coachjustineh@gmail.com
