Healthy Ideas for a Delicious Meal on the Grill

I cook and eat a variety of delicious fresh foods as often as possible. I  have always believed that ,with some imagination, we can prepare a fantastic, well rounded meal free of fats and breads.And that means healthy to me. I don’t usually cook with a lot of butter, salts  or sugars anyway,as I rely on  the taste of spices,citrus,and other  fresh ingredients instead .

Last night I put together a Springtime feast of boneless  grilled chicken thighs which I marinated in fresh ginger, a lovely ginger-maple syrup,  orange zest,  a dash of soy and ground black pepper. I threw them in the fridge to sit while I prepared some colorful side dishes. I had seen Mark Bittman’s idea for a Sweet Potato Salad which was basically grilled yams tossed with a red bell pepper pesto. I added walnuts, nutmeg, and lemon zest to his idea. Also, I had some over- ripe pears lying around so I  incorporated them into a spicy habanero pepper  mango-avocado chutney. Finally, the  red cabbage slaw,  which I tossed in sesame oil , lemon juice, chili flakes, and topped with grilled string beans.Maybe I went overboard with the colors, but the result was a refreshing, delicious, economical and healthy night by the grill.

Grilled Asian Chicken, Spicy Mango-Pear-Avocado Chutney, Sweet Potato Salad with Red Pepper-Walnut-Mint Pesto, Citrus Cabbage Slaw with Grilled Green Beans

The presentation.

Grilled Sweet Potato Salad with Walnuts and Raisins..the hot spiciness of the red bell pepper pesto mixed so well with the sweetness of the potato and mint.

Such a simple dish. I tossed red cabbage together with sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, lemon juice (any citrus will do)..let it sit for a while, then serve with greens. I used string beans, but only because I didnt have brussel sprouts at hand.

Sometimes I prefer grilling boneless chicken thighs.Yes breasts are healthier,but thighs cook in no time and absorb any kind of marinade you like. I used ginger, soy, black pepper, a dash of olive oil, and a bit of a ginger-maple syrup.

Yum! The chutney was a spicy medley of pears, avocado, mango which I tossed together with sherry vinegar,cayenne,cumin, red pepper flakes, and mustard seeds.