April is in full force and spring is here! The beautiful spring weather means that a plethora of barbecues, outdoor parties and more are on the horizon. Unfortunately, the typical barbecue can have you eating hundreds of calories – from full fat cuts of beef, macaroni salad drowned in mayo, potato chips and more. Our friends at Fox40 asked Kerrie Kelly Design Lab what we do for entertaining during the spring and summer months and how to keep it light. If you missed the segment or want more information, we have rounded it all up right here to show you how you can grill up your favorite foods this summer while keeping it light and nutritious.
Flax Burgers: Packed in ready-to-eat, portable and convenient single serve packets with a pre-measured daily dosage, these Paks are a combination of Carrington Farms’ popular sliced Organic Milled Flax Seeds with Carrington’s Organic Chia Seeds. Combining the best health benefits in both Flax and Chia, it is an excellent source of energy and nutrients for lasting heart health and boosted metabolism. As an added bonus, flax and chia seeds are rich in Omega-3’s, Fiber, Antioxidants, Protein, and minerals such as Calcium, Magnesium and Zinc and Lignans. Here is how we put it all together in the recipe below.
Flax Burger
Prep time: 15 minutes
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 2 Tbs finely chopped onion
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 Tbs Carrington Farms Flax Chia Blend (one Flax Chia Pak)
- 2 Tbs water
- 3/4 cup soft bread crumbs (1 slice of bread)
- 1 beaten egg
- 1 Tbs mustard
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Directions
- Mix together meat, onion, garlic, flax and bread crumbs.
- Lightly beat water and egg together and add to mixture. Add mustard, salt and pepper.
- Cook on a grill or stove top until no pink remains (~12 mins)
- Optional cheeseburgers: top with slice of your choice of cheese at end of cooking and grill or broil for about 1 min.
- Makes 4 -3/4 inch thick patties or 6 -1/2 inch thick patties.
Full fat mayo can tack on unnecessary calories and fat, so consider using mustard, like this squeezable mustard from Colman’s Mustard of Norwich instead. Established in 1814, Colman’s has been recognized widely as the iconic English mustard in the U.K. With just 10 calories per serving, you can start off the grilling season creating healthy recipes that not only are good for you, but taste great as well. As an added bonus, the fiery kick will help to rev your metabolism!
The IMUSA Gourmet Citrus Juicer will be the main squeeze in the kitchen. Featuring a sleek, contemporary design, the Gourmet Citrus Juicer provides an easy-to-use one lever operation when making juice. The sturdy cast iron strength provides balance and stability when squeezing citrus fruits, while the stainless steel strainer separates seeds and pulp from the juice. This restaurant quality, manual juicer extracts juice from oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit and other citrus fruits easily and efficiently creating refreshing juices with no seeds and no mess. A favorite simple dressing we make is outlined below.
Citrus Dressing
- 2 cups olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped almonds
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 cayenne pepper, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1 orange
- 3 tablespoons sliced shallots
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped mint
Directions: Place 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil into a sauté pan over medium heat. Once it begins to shimmer, add the almonds, garlic, shallots, and chilies and sauté the mixture until golden brown. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, simmer for 3 minutes, and then add the remaining olive oil, lemon and orange juice; bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in the mint and then remove the pan from the heat and set aside for 3 minutes.
Gadgets to Meet All of Your Grilling Needs
Grilling aficionados will appreciate the All-Clad Stainless Steel 5-Piece BBQ Set ($120). All-Clad’s BBQ Tool Set, the ultimate tools for barbequing perfection. The set features a two-pronged fork, a marinade brush, locking tongs and a turner. Extra-long handles keep hands a safe distance from the hot grill. 18/10 stainless steel. Dishwasher safe. Includes a sturdy carrying case for easy transport of tools to the backyard or park. Lifetime warranty.
Gadget for an easier clean up
The COOKINA Barbecue Reusable Grilling Sheet is an innovative solution offering home cooks a non-stick, easy-clean and healthy grilling & cooking experience. Ideal for using as an alternative to aluminum foil, users can utilize this product by placing the reusable grilling sheet over the grill, up to 550°, to cook up dishes without having to use oil or needing to clean the grill afterwards. Additionally, users can still achieve the coveted grill marks on foods. COOKINA Barbecue Reusable Grilling Sheet is 100% non-stick and PFOA free, reusable, reversible, easy to clean and easily cuts to size, as well as allows for oil and fat-free cooking for a tender, juicy and tasty meal. We love how perfect they are for vegetables, grilled potatoes and shish-ka-bob… we never have to worry about any falling through the cracks!
It’s easy to round out a summer BBQ in a healthy way with these burgers. salads and veggies, and we can’t wait to get cooking. Happy spring and summer to you—what grilling ideas do you love?
