Grilling is a cooking technique that supports a low-calorie meal plan. Your food gets flavor from the caramelization that occurs during the high heat cooking process, rather than from added fats. Some traditional grilled foods, such as fatty burgers, rib-eye steaks and hot dogs, are not ideal for a low-calorie diet. However, you can grill just about any protein or vegetable to create a low-calorie meal bursting with flavor.
Vegetable Salad
If you grow tired of plain green salads while following a low-calorie plan, try adding grilled vegetables to make a more satisfying meal. Cut ¼-inch, long slices of zucchini, summer squash and eggplant. Place in a zip-top plastic bag with the juice of one lemon, fresh thyme leaves, two cloves crushed garlic, a pinch of salt and 1 tbsp. of olive oil. Add several halved plum tomatoes to the marinade. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 3 hours. Grill the vegetables over medium heat until lightly charred and tender. Use a grill pan if the tomatoes fall through your grates. Use mixed baby greens and toss in a vinaigrette consisting of 3 tbsp. red wine vinegar, blended with 1 chopped shallot, 1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp. lemon juice and ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil. Top the baby greens with approximately 1 cup of the grilled vegetables, 1 oz. of soft goat cheese. The salad, dressed with ¼ of the dressing recipe, contains approximately 300 calories.
Chicken with Tomato Vinaigrette
Dress up plain grilled chicken with a fresh-tasting cherry tomato vinaigrette. Marinate halved cherry or grape tomatoes at room temperature in a mixture of red wine vinegar, chopped chives, salt and pepper for 30 minutes to 8 hours. Brush thin, 4-oz. filets of chicken breast with a tsp. of olive oil, season with salt and pepper and grill over medium to high heat until cooked through, turning once. Top each filet with ¼ cup of the marinated tomatoes and serve with ½ cup steamed brown rice or quinoa for a meal containing approximately 300 calories.
Shrimp and Vegetable Kabobs
Thread whole peeled shrimp, red bell pepper chunks, red onion wedges and cherry tomatoes on soaked bamboo skewers. Place in a shallow dish containing ¼ orange juice, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tsp. chili powder, 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper and a pinch of salt. Marinate the skewers for 30 minutes to an hour in the refrigerator, turning occasionally to make sure all the pieces have access to the sauce. Wrap each skewer tightly in foil and grill the packets over high heat for 5 to 7 minutes. While the packets grill, place 4 corn cobs, spritzed with non-stick cooking spray, on the grill and cook until just lightly charred on all sides. Skim the kernels off the cob and place in a bowl with 1 cup cooked quinoa, 1 cup rinsed, drained black beans, chopped cilantro, the juice of one lime and 1 tbsp. of olive oil. One kabob containing 3 oz. of shrimp and ¼ of the quinoa salad contains about 350 calories.
Portobello Burgers
If you crave a meaty burger, but want to avoid the calories and fat, a Portobello mushroom burger is a low-calorie option. Marinate extra large Portobello caps in a mixture of balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp. olive oil and mixed chopped herbs for at least an hour. Wipe off excess marinade and place on a medium to high grill until softened. Serve on a toasted whole-wheat English muffin with a slice of tomato and ½ oz. blue cheese. For a side dish, cut white russet potatoes into thick wedges, spray with olive oil and toss in a spice rub containing salt, cumin, paprika and chili powder. Place the potatoes on a hot grill and cook about 5 minutes, covered, flip them over and cook another 5 minutes. Move the potatoes to a cooler section of the grill and continue to cook until they are easily pierced with a fork. One burger with 1 cup of fries contains approximately 350 calories.
Considerations
Over-grilling can cause cancer-causing chemicals to form on meats, particularly fatty cuts. Low-calorie grilling can reduce these risks because you use skinless poultry and lean cuts of meat. When consuming grilled meals, even lean meats and vegetables, skip the blackened bits, which contain the highest concentration of carcinogens. Low-calorie recipes that involve marinating proteins in vinegar or citrus can also help reduce the number of cancer-causing compounds that form during grilling.
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