Memorial Day is the unofficial commencement of BBQ season—but it doesn’t also have to be the end of your healthy eating strategy. That’s why we consulted Chris and Kara Mohr, nutritionists and fitness consultants who own Mohr Results. Use their tips to navigate a flavorful Memorial Day weekend, without any of the guilt.
Healthy Slaw
Coleslaw is a BBQ staple, but it’s usually loaded with fat and calories. Instead, try a “naked” slaw: Rather than adding mayo, swap it out and go for a fresher recipe. Here’s what you do:
Shred about 4 cups of red and green cabbage (total), shred 1 cup carrots, added about 1-2 tsp fresh ginger, 2 TBS soy sauce, 2 TBS sesame oil, 2-3 TBS rice vinegar, a pinch of salt and cracked black pepper. Then add a dash of red pepper and voila! Sweet and spicy slaw without the heavy fat and calories.
The Low-Cal Burger
Swap out your burger bun for a portabello mushroom. Simply remove the “gills” from the mushroom, brush it lightly with canola oil, toss them on the grill to cook them down a bit and in about 3 minutes, remove them and use the mushrooms as your bun! Loaded with nutrition, yet light on calories.
The Other Meat
Try grilling some chicken breasts instead of the traditional burgers and dogs. It’s a lot lower in fat and calories, yet high in protein and tasty! And spice it up -- rather than traditional BBQ, try marinating it in a balsamic vinaigrette!
Go Green
Slice a variety of veggies, like squash, bell peppers, onions and any others you like -- toss them with some vinaigrette and throw them on the grill. Just a few minutes each side and you’ll have a side that will surely be a crowd pleaser!
A Better Meat
Use leaner cuts of beef when making a hamburger. A 4 ounce patty of 80/20 “chuck” will pack in around 280 calories and 18 grams of fat, whereas a 95/5 ground meat slashes almost 100 calories and cuts that fat down to about 8. Just be careful when cooking. Leaner cut cook more quickly. For added flavor, toss on some spices, like a pinch of chili powder, crack blacked pepper and a pinch of salt to add more flavor since a lot of the fat is gone.
- Adam Bornstein
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