As a food lover, I try not to restrict my diet because I want to experience as many flavors as possible. Because of this, you could say that every day has been a cheat day for me.
And even though I keep telling myself that I’ll start eating healthy, I always find an excuse to delay the inevitable.
One reason why I keep pushing back is because I always equate healthy to bland. But, I know that’s not always the case — and this list is proof of that.
1. Cheeseburger Cabbage Wraps
It’s a pretty well-known fact that cheeseburgers in general are bad for us. They have high-calorie content, saturated fat, trans fat, high sodium, processed ingredients, and low fiber.
Despite knowing this, however, we seem to keep coming back for more — especially during grilling season.
So, instead of avoiding cheeseburgers completely, maybe we can find a loophole. Perhaps we can make cheeseburgers healthy, and that’s exactly what we’re doing with this recipe.
To begin, assemble your ingredients.
For your cabbage wraps, get four large green cabbage leaves, a pound of ground beef, four slices of cheddar cheese, half a red onion (sliced to rounds), one sliced medium tomato, and pickle chips.
For the sauce, grab two tablespoons of mayonnaise, two tablespoons of Dijon mustard, a teaspoon of red wine vinegar, half a teaspoon of garlic powder, and salt and pepper.
Then, follow these instructions.
Firstly, boil water in a large pot. Once your water is bubbling, use your tongs to dip your cabbage leaves for 30 seconds.
After 30 seconds, take the cabbage out of the water and place it on a paper towel to dry.
The second step is to make the sauce. So, grab a medium bowl and combine your mayo, mustard, vinegar, and garlic powder. Don’t forget to season with salt and pepper before mixing.
Set your sauce aside for now, as you move on to making your burgers.
For this step, shape your ground beef into four patties. Season both sides of the meat with salt and pepper before grilling them over medium to high heat.
Cook your burgers for around four to six minutes, or until they’re seared at the bottom. Flip your burgers and do the same to the other side.
During the last minute of cooking, place a slice of your cheese on top of your meat, and let it rest for a bit.
Lastly, it’s time to assemble. So, get your dry cabbage leaves and place your burger patty on top. Fill it with your onion, tomato, and pickles before folding your cabbage leaves.
Serve your burger with your homemade sauce, and you’ve got a healthy version of this iconic American dish!
2. BBQ Tempeh Sandwiches
Apart from burgers, sandwiches are also quite popular during backyard BBQ parties. But some of the fillings are processed meats and cheeses, and we don’t want that.
If you want to create a healthier alternative to this snack, try this BBQ tempeh sandwich recipe. The best thing about this is it only takes 25 minutes from start to finish.
To begin, grab your ingredients: one cup of BBQ sauce, one pack of crumbled tempeh, a tablespoon of vegetable oil, one red and green bell pepper, one medium onion, and four Kaiser rolls.
Now, grab a medium bowl, pour your BBQ sauce, and add your crumbled tempeh to marinate for around 10 minutes.
While you’re waiting for the flavors to come together, preheat your grill and warm up your peppers and onion. Once you see grill marks form, flip them over and do the same to the other side.
Once your veggies are charred, grab a skillet and pour your veggies and marinated tempeh inside. Cook this for another five minutes or so, before taking the skillet off the heat.
Scoop your tempeh mixture into your Kaiser rolls, and you’re done!
The BBQ sauce and mixed veggies really make this healthy side dish a perfect addition to any grilling event. Plus, it’s pretty easy to make.
3. Thai-Inspired Grilled Cauliflower Steaks
Another quick and simple healthy side dish you can easily whip up at your BBQ party is this Thai-inspired grilled cauliflower steak.
To start, grab one large cauliflower head, trim the stem, and remove the leaves. Then, grab the rest of your ingredients.
These include one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, a quarter cup of chopped cilantro, one small shallot, one small garlic clove, and one tablespoon of brown sugar.
You’ll also need one tablespoon of fish sauce (or soy sauce if you prefer), half a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, one lime juice and zest, and a quarter cup of chopped salted peanuts.
Before doing anything else, cut your cauliflower lengthwise into one-inch-thick slices. Then, season them with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Place your cauliflower steaks on your preheated grill and cook them for eight minutes per side.
While waiting for your veggies to become tender and charred, stir your cilantro, garlic, shallot, brown sugar, fish sauce (or soy sauce), red pepper flakes, lime juice, and lime zest together.
Now, place your grilled cauliflower on a plate and drizzle your homemade sauce on top. Finish it off with a sprinkle of your chopped peanuts for added flavor and texture.
Not only is this recipe healthy, but it’s a showstopper because it perfectly blends the sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors reminiscent of Thai cuisine.
4. Buffalo Cauliflower Kebabs
In all the time I’ve made kebabs, I never thought of threading cauliflower onto the skewers… until now. And it makes all the difference!
If you’ve ever had a chicken wing at a BBQ party before, these buffalo cauliflower kebabs are like a healthier version of that. Plus, they’re vegetarian too!
To make this recipe, you’ll need one stick of melted butter, half a cup of vinegar-based hot sauce, one head of cauliflower (florets only), and four stalks of celery, cut into small pieces.
Additionally, you’ll need one large yellow and orange bell pepper (cut into small pieces) along with salt, black pepper, and blue cheese dressing.
What I like about kebabs is that they’re pretty straightforward. This means you don’t need to have a lot of cooking experience under your belt to make this dish delicious.
So, if you’re ready to get started, grab a large bowl and whisk your butter and hot sauce to create your buffalo mixture.
Once they’re combined, add in your cauliflower, celery, and bell peppers. Sprinkle in a bit of salt and pepper before tossing your veggies in the buffalo mixture to coat completely.
Then, get your wooden skewers and soak them in water for 10 to 15 minutes to prevent burning them during the grilling process.
In the meantime, heat up your grill to medium-high heat. As you wait for it to warm up, thread your vegetables (in any order) onto your soaked wooden skewers.
By now, your grill should be nice and hot, so place your kebabs on top and cook them for three minutes, turning halfway.
After three minutes are up, brush your leftover buffalo mixture over your vegetables. Flip them over and do the same to the other side.
Let your kebabs cook for another three to four minutes before removing them from the heat.
Once they’re ready, serve your vegetarian cauliflower kebabs with a side of your favorite blue cheese dressing.
5. Grilled Chicken Caprese in Foil
A common misconception about eating healthy is that it’s all about eating fruits and veggies. Well, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
While there are a lot of fruits and vegetables involved, there are still a lot of healthy dishes that incorporate meats like poultry, fish, and beef.
We’ve already seen how we can make beef healthy with the cheeseburger cabbage wraps. Now, let’s take a look at how we can make grilled chicken more nutritious with this recipe.
Get four boneless chicken breasts, four cups of halved grape or cherry tomatoes, and four teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil.
For your sauce, grab half a cup of homemade or store-bought pesto, 8 oz. of mozzarella (grated or sliced), balsamic glaze, and a quarter cup of torn basil leaves.
The first step is to season your chicken with salt and black pepper before placing them in foil. Bring the sides of the aluminum up to form a shallow boat.
Then, toss your halved tomatoes inside the foil packet and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Scoop a spoonful of pesto sauce and spread it over each of your chicken breasts. Add your mozzarella on top before sealing your foil packets.
Be sure to leave a small room on top to let the steam escape during the cooking process.
Now, place your chicken breasts on the grill, close the lid, and let them cook for 18 to 20 minutes maximum.
Once they’re fully cooked through, open the foil packet to drizzle some balsamic glaze and basil on top.
Among all the parts of the chicken, the breast is the healthiest and leanest component. It’s jampacked with protein and has very minimal fat content.
But the problem with cooking chicken breasts is that they tend to come out bland and dry. Our solution: foil packets.
By grilling them in foil with the other ingredients, we can seal in the moisture and allow the chicken to absorb all the flavors of the Caprese.
6. Grilled Salmon and Peaches With Basil-Pistachio Gremolata
Fish is already healthy on its own. It’s filled with nutrients like omega, vitamin B12, protein, and other minerals like iron, potassium, and selenium (which is a type of antioxidant).
The problem is that fish is not up to everyone’s taste. Some people only tolerate it. Others avoid it completely.
That’s where this grilled salmon and peaches with basil-pistachio gremolata recipe comes into play.
It doesn’t mask the fishiness of the salmon. Rather, this recipe adds more complex flavors to make this dish more palatable.
So, to get started, assemble your ingredients.
These include one and a half pounds of salmon fillet, one small red onion, two large peaches, two tablespoons of olive oil, a quarter cup of roasted pistachios and basil, and grated lemon zest.
For your seasoning, grab a teaspoon of ground cumin, chili powder, brown sugar, kosher salt, garlic powder, and ground red pepper.
With your ingredients all laid out, get your salmon and rub it with a mixture of cumin, chili powder, brown sugar, salt, garlic powder, and red pepper.
Set it aside for now as you cut your onion into eight wedges, leaving the end root intact. Afterward, decore your peaches and cut them into wedges as well.
Place both your onion and peach wedges in a bowl and toss them with a drizzle of olive oil.
Now that all your ingredients are seasoned, get your grill ready and cook your salmon until the skin gets crispy and slightly brown.
On average, this takes only about four to five minutes. But I suggest keeping a close eye on your fish so you can keep them from overcooking or drying out.
Transfer your salmon to a cool section of your grill as you heat up your onion and peach wedges for a minute or two.
Remove your fish, onion wedges, and peaches from the grill and put them on a plate. Finish it off with your chopped pistachios, basil, and lemon zest before serving this dish to your guests.
There’s a reason why salmon is considered the king of fish. That is, salmon has a rich, buttery, and slightly sweet taste that sets it apart from other fish species.
And with this recipe, your grilled salmon dish will also become the king of your BBQ table!
Remember, Healthy Can Be Tasty, Too!
Although the definition of healthy is not the same for everybody, these recipes are the kind of healthy I can get behind.
Finally, I can say goodbye to bland, boring recipes and say hello to tasty, top-notch dishes. And so can you!
Whether you’re following a vegetarian, pescatarian, or low-carb diet, this list has got you covered. That said, don’t delay the healthy lifestyle anymore, and give these recipes a try!
