Eat, Drink, Shrink - Recipes for a Healthy Memorial Day

It's almost summertime and it's time to get the BBQ grill ready. We actually had a school BBQ the other day. Food was so yummy and I love the smell of BBQ. You may find it to be more difficult to eat healthy during the summer with all of the constant snacking and late-night ice cream runs. When most people think of a cookout, they dream of hot dogs and hamburgers, creamy potato salad and greasy chips-all food that can wreck havoc on your waistline.

It seems nearly impossible to pass up the chips and ice creams for healthier choices such as veggies and fruit. Check out these healthy and delicious recipes you might want to try (courtesy of Medifast).

Kale Chips

3 Green | ¼ Condiment | ¾ Healthy Fat

Prep time: 5 minutes | Cooking time: 12 minutes | Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 large bunch kale (about 6 cups), tough stems removed, leaves torn, washed
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
¼ tsp salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Position racks in upper third and center of oven, and preheat to 400° F.
2. Pat kale dry with paper towel; transfer to a large bowl.
3. Drizzle kale with oil, and sprinkle with salt. Massage the oil and salt onto the kale leaves to evenly coat.
4. Fill two baking sheets with a layer of kale, making sure the leaves don't overlap.
5. Bake about 8-12 minutes, until most leaves are crisp, switching the pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through. (If baking a batch on just one sheet, start checking after eight minutes to prevent burning.)

Per serving: 80 calories | 3g fat | 9g carbohydrates | 3g protein

Peppercorn Steak

1 Lean | 2 Green | 3 Condiments

Prep time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 14 minutes | Yield: 1 serving

INGREDIENTS

7 oz flank steak
¼ tsp whole peppercorns
1/8 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp dry mustard
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp dried thyme
½ cup mushrooms, sliced thin
½ cup green bell peppers, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix the peppercorn, salt, mustard, garlic powder, and thyme.
2. Rub evenly over steak.
3. Let stand for 10 minutes.
4. Heat a non-stick grill pan over medium heat.
5. Grill steak five to seven minutes on each side, until steak is desired doneness.
6. Grill mushrooms and green peppers until tender; serve alongside steak.

Per serving: 360 calories | 17g fat | 5g carbohydrates | 44g protein

All-American Beef Chili

1 Lean | 2 Green | 3 Condiments | ¾ Healthy Fat

Prep time: 5 minutes | Cooking time: 15 minutes | Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
2 tsp minced chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
2 tsp chili powder
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
3 cloves garlic
1½ lbs 95% lean ground beef

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add green pepper, chipotle chilies, chili powder, and cumin. Cook until softened, about five minutes.
3. Add garlic, and cook until fragrant-about 30 seconds.
4. Increase heat to medium-high, and add ground beef.
5. Cook beef until browned.
6. Add tomatoes to the beef mixture, and stir.
7. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 15 minutes until thickened.

Per serving: 320 calories | 13g fat | 12g carbohydrates | 39g protein