BBQ-EN WITHOUT GUILT
Almost nothing is more enjoyable than barbecuing with friends. Did you know that barbecuing is quite an art? And by the way, it's really a man's job. Let me just make salads and dips. He can handle the meat. But it remains an art: not burning the sausages, cooking the chicken properly, and keeping the pork chop juicy. But all in all, everyone enjoys a barbecue.
The simplest version is also the most unhealthy and unimaginative: a tray of meat (you can find that special barbecue meat in every supermarket, already cut into small pieces and often pre-seasoned), a potato salad, some green lettuce with tomato, and a lot of cocktail, garlic, and chili sauce. And let's not forget the white baguette. Doing this once in a while is really not a problem, but it can definitely be healthier and more fun.
I will give you tips on how to light the coals every day in a healthy (and also much tastier) way without feeling guilty.
Fish, Meat, and Veggie
Just leave the juicy large sausages and pork belly for now. Yes, unless you plan to run a half marathon afterward. Then you won't notice it at all.
– Buy the chicken from a biological butcher. It's much better and really much tastier than from the supermarket. Make chicken skewers from it and marinate them in olive oil, lemon, tarragon, and garlic. Let them soak for an hour (in the fridge!!) and then onto the barbecue.
– Buy a whole dorade, but do ask the fishmonger to clean it for the barbecue (he'll leave the head on but remove the insides). Stuff the belly with lemon, plenty of olive oil, a sprig of thyme, and rosemary, and place it on the grill. Once the fish is done, fillet it and add some extra olive oil, salt, and pepper. So, so delicious.
– Cut vegetables you like into medium-sized pieces and thread them onto a skewer. Let them marinate in a bit of olive oil, some garlic, salt, and pepper. Then place them on the barbecue. They will be done in about fifteen minutes. Be sure to turn them often.
– Corn is healthy and incredibly easy. Brush the cob with some olive oil and salt and pepper and place it over the fire. Once they are done (about 10 minutes), spread a bit of butter and salt on the corn. Enjoy!
Sauces
Delicious, a dollop of peanut sauce on satay, but it's a real fattening agent.
– Preferably take the hummus from Rens Kroes. You can also make it with different herbs. For example, with paprika powder. Or coriander.
– Or make tzatziki, very simple:
Grate a peeled cucumber into a bowl. Then pour out most of the moisture from the cucumber. Add 3 generous scoops of Greek yogurt. Chop a clove of garlic and add some salt and pepper. Stir well and you're done.
– Homemade mayonnaise is really not that unhealthy, you know. Here, you have a delicious recipe. Add a dollop of truffle paste and I assure you, everyone will be cheering.
Bread
That white baguette from the supermarket can be quite tasty, but there's really nothing healthy about it. You can eat twenty pieces without feeling full. A real, REALLY French baguette, on the other hand. Yes, that's of course the tastiest.
But there are also alternatives:
– I am a big fan of quinoa bread. It does take some work, but you can keep it for a long time. Delicious with dips or a slice of cheese.
– If you want to buy bread from the baker, choose spelt or sourdough. It's more nutritious and you'll feel full faster.
– Instead of bread, buy spelt crackers, or make them yourself if you're really a kitchen princess. Just take your time for this recipe for homemade crackers.
Well, you should be able to get by with this, right? Oh yes, things like snack nuts (you know, those - actually terribly delicious, peanuts with a little jacket around them) and cheese sticks are also hard to resist. If you're hosting a barbecue at home, don't make it difficult for yourself. Just don't put all that on the table. Opt for unsalted nuts, crudités with hummus dip, and taco chips with guacamole. Here, I'll give you that recipe too.
Wishing you a lot of barbecue fun this summer and, I promise you, this is how you keep that killer body.
