With months of glorious sunshine to look forward to, there’s nothing better than whacking out the BBQ and inviting friends and family over.
The chances are you’ll not want to miss out on the indulgence that comes along with the BBQ season, so why not try these recipes for assurance that they won’t affect your waistline.
Target your taste buds, not your tush!
These BBQ recipes offer all the culinary delight needed to ensure you enjoy your BBQ experience, without the worry of gaining weight so long as you're fitting them into your macros. Enjoy!
#1 TASTY TURKEY BURGERS
You have to grill a burger on the barbie, right? Lean turkey mince will provide you with a decent amount of protein, without the additional increased fats that are found in many ready-made supermarket burgers. You can always add a little cheese or cook with oil if you want to add in some fat to your meal.
INGREDIENTS
- 450g extra lean ground turkey
- 75g tomato ketchup
- 75g onion, finely chopped
- 1 slice of bread, crumbled
- Small handful coriander
- 2 tsp. chilli powder
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. coriander
INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine all ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
- Dive mixture into 4, and combine together to make 4 burger patties.
- Grill turkey burgers on BBQ, for approx. 5-6 minutes per side.
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 12 minutes
SERVES: 4 people
MACROS: (for 1 burger)
- PROTEIN 30g
- CARBOHYDRATE 15g
- FAT 3g
- CALORIES: 207kcal
Note: burgers could be served with a wholemeal bap for roughly 30g carbs, or a side salad for approx. 5-10g carbs. Add 1 tsp. salsa to burgers for 5g carbs.
#2 JUICY PORK LOINS
It’s always nice to have a break from your typical meat “go-to” sources. Chicken every day can be a little dull, so why not opt for a tasty alternative in pork loins for the BBQ days. Pork loins are leaner than chicken thighs, so you can enjoy the taste, without the guilt. This recipe would need a little time for marinating, but other than that, it’s a quick blast on the grill, and into your belly!
INGREDIENTS
- 4 lean pork loins, all fat trimmed off
- 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 75g tomato ketchup
- 1-2 tbsp. chilli powder (to taste)
- 1 tbsp. vinegar
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
- Mix all ingredients, other than pork loins, into a bowl.
- Place the loins in a resealable bag, and add in marinade. Ensure whole of meat surface is marinated.
- Leave in refrigerator for up to 8 hours, minimum of 4 hours.
- When ready to eat, grill loins on BBQ for approx. 5 minutes per side.
PREP TIME: up to 8 hours
COOK TIME: 10 minutes
SERVES: 4 people
MACROS:
- PROTEIN 32g
- CARBOHYDRATE 12g
- FAT 8g
- CALORIES: 248kcal
Note: serve with side salad, or green veggies, for an additional 5-10g carbs
#3 SPICY FISH TACOS
Fish is a very welcomed choice when having a BBQ. A light, succulent protein source, complimented with spices and tortillas, this dish is a must try for this season. You won’t be disappointed.
INGREDIENTS
For the main components
- 500g firm white fish, cut into 3cm cubes
- Zest of 2 limes and juice of 1, plus lime wedges to serve (save the other one for the salsa)
- 1 tbsp. honey
- 1 tbsp. coconut oil
- 1 tsp. garlic salt
- 1 tsp. chilli powder
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. sugar
- Warmed soft corn tortillas, to serve
- Shredded cabbage, to serve
- Sliced radishes, to serve
- Hot sauce of choice, to serve
For the salsa
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 small mangoes, diced
- 1 green jalapeño chilli, finely chopped
- ¼ tsp. ground cumin
- Small handful coriander, chopped
For the chilli cream
- 100g soured cream
- 1 tbsp. hot sauce of choice
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a shallow dish, mix the fish with the lime zest and juice, honey and coconut oil. Cover and leave to marinate for 30 mins in the fridge.
- In a bowl, mix together the spices and sugar with a little salt. Remove the fish, and skewer it. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 10 mins first. Dust with the spices and seasoning. Chill in fridge until ready to cook.
- Next, make the salsa. Put the red onion in a bowl, cover with the lime juice and let sit for 5 mins. Add the remaining salsa ingredients and season. In another bowl, mix together the ingredients for the chilli cream and season.
- Heat the BBQ. Cook the fish for 2-3 mins each side on direct heat until grill marks appear and it feels firm.
- Serve the fish with warm corn tortillas, cabbage, radishes, the chilli cream, mango salsa, hot sauce, and lime wedges for squeezing over.
PREP TIME: 20 minutes (plus 30 minutes marinating time, and additional fridge chill time needs to be considered)
COOK TIME: 6 minutes
SERVES: 4 people
MACROS:
- PROTEIN 25g
- CARBOHYDRATE 20g
- FAT 14g
- CALORIES: 306kcal
Enjoy this season’s barbeques, without gaining last season’s gut!
There’s always a way to enjoy nutrition AND reach your fitness goals. You may just need to plan and prepare a little in advance.
You know by now that he who prepares, wins! If you enjoyed these recipes, don't forget to check out the hundreds of recipes inside the MyPhysique recipe section. Every single one of them contains serving sizes, cooking instructions & macros to make your life easier.