Grilling Tips and Recipes from Stop and Shop

Summer is all about the grill. It's an easy, fast way to cook up dinner or the basis of a fun afternoon with friends and family. Although summer is more than half way through (NOOOOO!!!!), there's still plenty of time for you to get your grill on.  Stop & Shop's nutritionist, Julie Hersey, MS, RD, LD, offers some great tips (with links to recipes) for some added inspiration.

Grilling Tips –

 

1.       Use foil pouches for easy clean up - Grill in or on foil for less smoke and charring. You can find non-sticking aluminum foil coated specifically for grilling. Fold up the sides to create a packet where the inside cooks by steaming.  Try making a classic combination, steak and peppers.

2.       What’s the best way to grill produce? Invest in a grill basket - perfect for hard-to-handle items like asparagus, cherry tomatoes and grapes. Look for grilling options around your local store. Save some prep time at your next BBQ by buying pre-cut, grill-ready options in the produce department.

3.       Plank for seafood. Plank grilling takes the difficulty out of grilling whole fish or filets. The most common wood is cedar, but others like oak, maple, cherry or apple also work well. Stop & Shop offers planks in their seafood department, and all of Stop & Shop’s seafood offerings are 100% sustainably and responsibly sourced. For a dish that sounds gourmet but is easy to cook, try cooking a plank grilled salmon with lemon and herbs.

4.       To kabob or not to kabob? Pick up a set of metal or wooden skewers to thread a variety of colors using your favorite proteins, veggies and fruits. For even cooking, cut into equal sizes, leave a bit of room between pieces and thread one skewer with the same ingredient. To limit splinters and charring, soak wooden skewers in cold water for 30 minutes before using. Try giving your kabobs a citrus kick, using this lemon zest recipe.

5.       Take risks when layering the flavor. Use your favorite salad dressings, marinades, hummus and fresh citrus juice to lighten up the smoky flavor of the grill. Mix a quick creamy dressing with olive oil, citrus, hummus or guacamole and herbs to drizzle over meat and veggies just before serving. For an out-of-the-box way to dress up your dish, try this avocado-lime recipe.

*I received a complimentary cooler full of BBQ essentials from Stop and Shop. As always, all opinions are my own.