FREE RECIPE PULLOUT
Whether it’s simple steaks, or sizzling sausages and burgers for the kids, we all have our go-to favourites to chargrill.
‘But there’s so much more to barbecues than red meat’ says Julia Westgarth, head of programme at WW, formerly known as Weight Watchers.
‘Why not widen your repertoire to include other foods that are not high in saturated fats — such as fish, which is often overlooked but is tasty grilled, particularly when enhanced with herbs?’
It’s so easy to barbecue tuna steaks with a dash of lime — do this in a griddle pan on the barbecue to stop the fish sticking to the hot grill. If you’re vegetarian, pan-fry halloumi.
Or you could chargrill skewers of prawns, cubed monkfish or scallops along with sliced red peppers, courgettes and small, quartered onions.
‘One of my own favourites is to wrap a salmon portion in foil with a squeeze of lemon juice, chopped fresh herbs and fennel slices,’ says Julia. ‘this beautifully complements the fish without overwhelming it. then pop it on the grill to cook for about ten minutes.
‘It tastes delicious — and certainly won’t harm your
waistline.’ With Covid-19 restrictions easing, you’re probably itching to invite friends over for a barbecue — but that doesn’t have to scupper plans to lose unwanted ‘lockdown love-handles’.
That’s why, in the final part of our exclusive WW series to help you shed up to a stone by the end of summer, we’re sharing inspiring outdoor grilling suggestions for all tastes that will also help you keep your health goals on track.
WW’s new customised programme offers three plans — green, blue and purple — which are tailored to different lifestyles. You are allocated a total number of SmartPoints for a day, plus a long list of unlimited ZeroPoint foods.
All fish and seafood are ZeroPoints on myWW’s Blue and Purple plans and very low SmartPoints on Green — making them the perfect choice for barbecues.
If you do fancy meat, try making your own burgers or koftas with minced lowfat turkey or chicken breast. Give them extra flavour by using one of the healthy marinades overleaf before grilling. If you prefer classic grilled meats such as pork, lamb and beef, serve with our spicy Harissa Dip (0 SmartPoints on Blue and Purple; 1 SmartPoint on Green) or our Cucumber & Mint Dip (also 0 SmartPoints on Blue and Purple; 1 SmartPoint on Green).
Veg is also great to grill — try a combination of mushroom, pepper, sweetcorn and courgette. If you fancy something different, you can even cook pizza on the barbecue! (See cover recipe).
‘And don’t forget the side dishes — it doesn’t have to be a soggy salad!’ says Julia Westgarth. ‘A healthier alternative to bread is a baby potato salad tossed in a mixture of low-fat mayonnaise, fat-free yoghurt and chopped chives.’
Or there’s a fuss-free Fresh Mint, Green Bean & Tomato Salad recipe which only takes ten minutes to prepare, five minutes to cook and is 1 SmartPoint on all plans.
And if you fancy something sweet to round off the meal — why not put some fruit on the barbie? One delicious suggestion is to take a banana, slit the skin lengthways and add a sprinkling of grated dark chocolate between the skin and the fruit. Then wrap in foil and cook for ten minutes on the barbecue.
Gooey and utterly indulgent, it’s hard to believe this is 0 SmartPoints on all plans for the banana, while one square of dark chocolate is just 2 SmartPoints.
Unwrap — and enjoy!