It's time to think outside of your burger box and fire up these mouthwatering meals that are heart smart and low cal.
Grilled Pork Tacos with Avocado Radish Salad(pictured above)
Lean pork tenderloin replaces shoulder in this healthier version of Mexican "carnitas." Grilling the meat (instead of simmering it in its own fat) allows any grease to drip away.To ensure you get the full 20 g of fiber—80% of your daily goal!—look for low-carb whole grain tortillas with about 50 calories and 8 g of fiber.
SERVINGS: 4(2 tacos each)
TOTAL TIME: 50 minutes
PORK
1½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp dry mustard
¼–½ tsp ground red pepper
1 trimmed pork tenderloin (about 1¼ lb)
1 Tbsp olive oil
8 whole grain tortillas (6"-7" diameter)
SALAD
¼ tsp dried oregano
1 ripe med avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and cut into ¼" chunks
½ c sliced radishes (about 4 lg)
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed limejuice (about ½ lime)
1. PREHEAT grill to medium.
2. PREPARE PORK: In small bowl, mix paprika, salt, garlic powder, mustard, and red pepper. Rub all over pork. Drizzle pork with oil.
3. GRILLpork, turning 2 or 3 times, 20 to 25 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest part registers 150°F. Transfer to cutting board and let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Meanwhile, wrap tortillas in foil and place on cooler corner of grill to warm about 10 minutes.
4. MAKESALAD: In small skillet over medium heat, toast oregano, stirring often, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside. In medium bowl, mix avocado, radishes, scallions, limejuice, and toasted oregano.
5. CUT pork on an angle into thin slices. Place tortilla on work surface. Arrange a few pork slices on bottom half, top with some of the salad, and roll up, folding in sides. Repeat with remaining tortillas, pork, and salad.
NUTRITION(per serving)382 cal, 41 g pro, 28 g carb, 20 g fiber, 19 g fat, 3 g sat fat, 92 mg chol, 562 mg sodium
Adapted from Prevention Fiber Up Slim Down Cookbook,copyright by Rodale, Inc.
MORE: 6 Essential Tips For Grilling Greatness
Open Faced Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches
Check off three produce servings and satisfy 70% of your vitamin C needs with this salad on a bun. Grilling tempers the eggplant's bitterness and adds a sweet, smoky flavor to all the veggies. Bonus: More than half of the fat is the waistline-friendly monounsaturated (MUFA) kind.
SERVINGS: 4
TIME: 25 minutes
1 sm eggplant (8 oz), cut into 8 slices
1 zucchini (8 oz), quarteredlengthwise
1 red onion, cut into 4 slices
1 red bell pepper, quartered
5 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 c canned white beans (such as cannellini), rinsed and drained
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (½ lemon)
2 multigrainsubmarine rolls (about 3 oz each), halved lengthwise
8 fresh basil leaves
1. PREHEAT grill to medium-high.
2. BRUSH eggplant, zucchini, onion, and bell pepper with 4 teaspoons of the oil. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper and grill until tender: eggplant and zucchini, 4 to 5 minutes per side, and onion and bell pepper, 6 to 7 minutes per side. Separate onion into rings and slice peppers.
3. PLACE beans, lemon juice, and remaining 1 teaspoon oil in small bowl while vegetables cook. Lightly mash with fork until combined.
4. GRILL rolls until lightly toasted, 45 seconds per side. Spread halves with bean mixture and top each with 2 eggplant slices, 1 zucchini slice, one-fourth of the onion rings and pepper strips, and 2 basil leaves.
NUTRITION(per serving) 249 cal, 9 g pro, 41 g carb, 10 g fiber, 8 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 578 mg sodium
MORE:7 Awesome Pizza Recipes For The Grill
Fresh Corn and Tomato Bruschetta Salad
Freshly picked sweet corn doesn't have to be cooked. Just slice off the kernels and then run the dull side of the knife down the cob to release any juices. This salad is a good source of antioxidants, including lycopene for your heart and lutein and zeaxanthin for your eyes, thanks to the tomatoes and fresh basil.
SERVINGS: 4
TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes
1 c fresh (uncooked) corn kernels, cut from 2 ears corn
1 c grape tomatoes, halved
1 c yellow pear or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 c seeded and chopped tomato (about 1 lg)
½c chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion (about ¼ lg)
¼ c chopped fresh mint
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamicvinegar
1Tbsp drainednonpareil capers
½tsp salt
⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 slices (1 oz each) multigrain bread
1 clove garlic
1. COMBINEcorn, grape tomatoes, yellow tomatoes, chopped tomato, onion, mint, basil, oil, vinegar, capers, salt, and pepper in large bowl. Toss well.
2. GRILL or toast bread. Rub 1 side of each slice briefly with garlic clove. To serve as a salad, place 1 slice of bread, rubbed side up, on each of 4 plates.Top each with 1 cup of the corn mixture. To serve as an appetizer, cut breadslices into small pieces and top evenly with corn mixture.
NUTRITION (per serving)187 cal, 6 g pro, 27 g carb, 7 g fiber, 7 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 488 mg sodium
MORE: 12 Crazy-Good Fresh Corn Recipes
Turkey Burgers with Chili-Beans
Ground turkey makes a mean lean burger—if you're choosy about the meat. Make sure the label reads "ground turkey breast" (or specifies "99% fat free"); using plain old "ground turkey" (about 13% fat) tacks on an additional 80-plus calories and 11g of fat per serving.
SERVINGS: 4
TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes
CHILI-BEANS
1 lg onion, chopped
1 tsp olive oil
2–2½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp wholecumin seeds
⅛–¼ tsp groundred pepper
1 can (15–16 oz)navy beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15–16 oz) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (8 oz) no-salt-added tomato sauce, plus
½ can water
½ c jarred roasted red peppers, chopped and drained
BURGERS
1¼ lb ground turkey breast
¼ c jarred roasted red peppers, choppedand drained(blotted dry)
2 scallions, chopped
2 Tbsp plain dried bread crumbs
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1. PREPARE BEANS: In large nonstick skillet, combine onion and oil. Cook over medium heat, stirring, 5 to 6 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin seeds, and ground red pepper. Cook, stirring, 30 seconds.
2. STIR in navy and kidney beans, tomato sauce and water, and roasted peppers and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and keep warm.
3. MAKE BURGERS: Preheat grill to medium and oil grate with cooking spray. In large bowl, combine turkey, roasted peppers, scallions, bread crumbs, parsley, mustard, and black pepper. Mix gently but thoroughly until blended. Shape into four 1"-thick patties.
4. GRILL 10 to 12 minutes, turning once, or until thermometer inserted in thickest part registers 165°F and meat is no longer pink. Serve each burger with 1 cup of the beans.
NUTRITION (per serving)(without bun) 369 cal, 47 g pro, 39 g carb, 12 g fiber, 4 g fat, 0.5 g sat fat, 56 mg chol, 667 mg sodium
MORE: 6 Insanely Delicious Meatless Burgers
Berry and Peach Sundaes
A ½-cup serving of ice cream limits calories but looks awfully small. That's not the case once you pile on luscious summer fruits to create this exquisite dessert. The dark-hued berries are rich in anthocyanins, phytochemicals that may prevent heart disease and inflammation linked to cancer.
SERVINGS: 4
TOTAL TIME: 10 minutes + chilling time
½ c fresh raspberries
½ c fresh blueberries
½ c fresh peach slices (about 1 med)
1 Tbsp sugar
2 c low-fat vanilla ice cream
¼ c seedless strawberry jam, warmed
2 Tbsp walnuts, coarsely chopped
4 maraschinocherrie
MORE: 13 Summer Fruit Desserts
1. COMBINE raspberries, blueberries, peach, and sugar in medium bowl. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. SCOOP ½ cup of the ice cream into each of 4 small sundae cups. Top each with one-quarter of the fruit mixture, 1 tablespoon of the jam, ½ tablespoon of the walnuts, and 1 cherry.
NUTRITION (per serving) 220 cal, 4 g pro, 43 g carb, 3 g fiber, 3.5 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 5 mg chol, 45 mg sodium
