9 Summer Barbecue Grill Recipes

Summers are barbecue season. After all, who wants to cook and eat indoors when the weather is perfect for grilling outside?

For some people, barbecuing means hot dogs and hamburgers with chips and the only thing green is the pickle relish. It really doesn’t have to be that way. You can eat healthy foods right from your grill.

These lighter BBQ dishes are packed with healthy ingredients that are low in fat but high in taste. There is something for everyone in the family. So turn on the propane or light the charcoal and get grilling.

Quick Mushrooms and More

This veggie BBQ dish of portabella mushrooms, eggplant, and peppers is loaded with vitamin C and folic acid. In this BBC Good Food recipes that’s simple and easy to follow, first marinate the vegetables in a homemade brown sauce and barbecue.

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Hot Shot Grilled Salmon

These salmon fillets get their heat from spicy sriracha glaze in this recipe from Delish. All you need is four skin-on salmon fillets, sriracha, honey and the juice from two lemons. Serve with grilled corn and zucchini for an easy stay out of the kitchen meal.

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Grilled Ratatouille Pasta Salad

This delicious recipe from epicurous turns ordinary grilled vegetables into a meal to eat outdoors, take on a picnic, or to bring to a potluck. All you need to do is cook eggplant and zucchini on the grill and then slice and toss with hot pasta, fresh tomatoes, herbs and mozzarella for a ratatouille inspired dinner.

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Grilled Romaine Salad with Crab

Have you ever heard of grilled lettuce? A quick char on the grill adds a smoky flavor to romaine hearts in this unusual recipe from Cooking Light. Throw grilled corn on top, spoon fresh lump crab meat – or canned if fresh is not available – and top with a guacamole dressing for a light and refreshing lunch.

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Barbecued Chicken Fajita Skewers

In this kid friendly BBC recipe, you can create a Mexican meal on the grill. You will need four chicken breasts, a mix of colored peppers, and one red onion for the skewers. First make the marinade and put cubes of chicken in to soak. Next, make the guacamole and prepare the vegetables. Then carefully thread the chicken and vegetables on skewers. Grill and serve on warm tortillas.

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Cauliflower Steaks with Chimichurri

This healthy  grilled cauliflower recipe from EatingWell is simple to make and a great vegan BBQ option. Just grill cauliflower steaks until carnalized and serve with chimichurri, a garlic-herb sauce. Each head of cauliflower makes two to three steaks. Serve with grilled corn and cold salads for a very healthy meal.

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Grilled Strawberries

This simple recipe from Delish can dress up any BBQ party. All you need are strawberries, butter, honey, lemon zest, kosher salt, lemon wedges, and skewers of course. Serve as a side-dish with any lean grilled fish, seafood, meat or meat substitute, and no-cook salads.

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Barbecued Veggie Dogs

For those people who believe that a BBQ must include hot dogs, try grilling some super healthy veggie dogs instead. You can dress them up by using whole grain buns or wrap them in lettuce leaves and use sweet and sour sauce instead of ketchup for a taste of Asia. Serve with grilled veggies for a complete meal.

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Grilled Fish Tacos

This recipe from Bon Appétit is a snap for hostesses because your guests will assemble their own tacos. You can use tilapia, striped bass, or sturgeon fillets and marinate for one hour before grilling. Serve with grilled tortillas, lime mayonnaise, avocado, salsa Verde, cilantro and lime wedges.

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