Grilling

To add lots of flavor and no fat to meats, rub them with a spice rub. Make the rub mild to extra-spicy, depending on the level of heat you like best. Use leftovers from this recipe for Flank Steak Burritos (page 186) or Cook’s-Choice Fried Rice (page 210).

Here’s the recipe to turn to when you want to spend your time with your family or friends, not in the kitchen. Just refrigerate lean flank steak in a lively orange marinade for up to 48 hours, then quickly grill indoors or out.

This steak is ideal for entertaining outdoors, and you get a bonus— enough meat to make another meal, such as Beef and Caramelized Onion on Hot French Bread (page 202).

So few ingredients, so much flavor! This super-easy, super-quick entrée definitely belongs in your repertoire.

Barbecued chicken reaches a new level with the addition of rosemary and flavored mustard.

Break out of a plain-chicken rut with this southwestern-style dish. The only way it could be easier would be for the dish to prepare itself!

Whether your family craves Italian, Tex-Mex, or Asian food tonight, this simple standby with its triple combination of meat and seafood and its choice of marinades will come to your rescue.

With the texture of steak and the benefits of fish, tuna is a true winner. So is this easy, easy dish. Grill some fresh vegetables at the same time, slice some tomatoes, and call the family to dinner.

Here’s a warm version of the popular French salade niçoise. Très bien!

Fresh ginger and garlic are perfect seasonings for grilled trout.

This dish is elegant enough for company, quick enough for a “desperation dinner,” and convenient enough for any cook. You can put it together at the last minute or assemble it in the morning so it’s ready to cook when you are.

This recipe is a great one to make on a Sunday night. Not only will you have a great dinner, you’ll have leftovers (unless, of course, you have a large family, in which case I suggest you make two at the same time) to slice thinly for use as deli meat or to cube for use in salads. It’ll have a lot less sodium and less processing than most deli meats you’d buy at your grocery store, and it’s much less expensive. Though I always love the flavor an outdoor grill provides, as a second option, this dish can be prepared under a broiler for 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, or longer until desired doneness is reached.

I almost always have Basic Grilled Chicken on hand in my refrigerator. Not only is it great for adding to salads, it makes it a cinch to make nachos, pizzas, and so much more. Plus, it’s great cubed when I just get the munchies and want something healthy to snack on.

This chicken is excellent to have on hand if you’re as huge a fan of Mexican cuisine as I am. Add it to salad, soups, Southwest wraps, and more. If you use just a touch of salt along with a salt-free Mexican or Southwest seasoning, it will have a ridiculously small fraction of the sodium of any taco, burrito, or fajita seasoning I’ve seen in grocery stores, not to mention far fewer preservatives.

I love using goat cheese in my healthy cooking. Although it has 6 grams of fat per ounce, I find I don’t need to use nearly as much as I do of other cheeses since it has such a great strong punch of flavor. I’ve served this asparagus side at many a dinner party, and guests have always raved.

Wooden grill planks are becoming easier and easier to find these days. Stores like Target, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Wal-Mart, and K-Mart all carry them. If you can’t find them in a store, they are available for purchase online at amazon.com. Just be sure to pay attention to the type of wood the plank is made from—different varieties of wood give the food a different flavor. And make sure you read the instructions enclosed with the planks for proper cleaning and care.

I recently ate dinner at the home of a couple who are producers-turned-friends, Barry and Jen. They work in food TV, so they’re all about great-tasting food. When I showed up, they were making a huge pan of caramelized onions that looked unbelievably good. They were serving them with almost everything that night, which I was happy about because I love onions. I have to admit I was surprised when I saw them piling the onions on grilled salmon. It was not a combination I’d ever considered. But because when in Rome you’re supposed to do as the Romans do, I dug in. It was delicious! I came home and figured out how to make caramelized onions that didn’t need a lot of fat or hands-on time. This dish is now a favorite among many I’ve served. Although salmon is high in fat, it’s good-for-you fat when eaten in moderation. Wild salmon has 12 fewer calories and 1.5 grams less fat per ounce than farm-raised, so I always try to buy that. But it is more expensive and tougher to find. So if you choose farm-raised, it will add 47 calories and 5 grams of fat per serving to this dish.

If you’re a big fan of balsamic vinegar, you’ll love this chicken. And if you’re able to treat yourself, you might consider hunting down a really great aged balsamic. It will turn this no-brainer recipe into something pretty extraordinary. But whether you do that or just grab the one on sale at the grocery store, the result is sure to be delicious.

I love making turkey cutlets, especially when I’m in a hurry, because they generally require very little trimming and cook exceptionally quickly. Whether you pan “fry” them or grill them, as I have done here, they take only a couple of minutes per side. After basic preparation, I always like to add a simple sauce. I could have thrown together another salsa suggestion here, but wanted to be a bit more creative with this one. And I’ve gone to upscale sandwich shops and cafés and ordered turkey sandwiches spread with cranberries and sweet mustard or mayonnaise, so I thought that might be a great place to start. I was very pleased very quickly, and I think you will be too.

This London broil really couldn’t be easier, especially if you buy the meat already trimmed. If your grocery store sells it with a big layer of fat, save time by asking the butcher to trim it for you while you shop. They don’t charge for this service at most major grocery stores (though they don’t decrease the price to reflect the new weight, either). Though I always love the flavor an outdoor grill provides, as a second option, this dish can be prepared under a broiler for 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, or until the desired doneness is reached.