Healthy MyPlate-Inspired Grilling Recipes

August 27, 2019

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These delicious grilling recipes make it easy to eat healthfully and in line with the USDA's MyPlate Guidelines. These healthy recipes meet the MyPlate guidelines for calories, portion size, sodium, saturated fat and added sugars. To make these recipes part of a complete meal, please refer to our serving suggestions included with the recipe.

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Grilled Salmon with Tomatoes & Basil

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This recipe is so beautiful and yet so simple to prepare--it's perfect for entertaining. You just spread a side of salmon with minced garlic, sprinkle with fresh basil, then layer sliced tomatoes on top. Put it on the grill for 10 minutes and you're done!

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Grilled Thai Chicken Sandwich

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Juicy grilled chicken, onions and peppers combine with a Thai-inspired sauce in this chicken sandwich recipe. We love how the flatbreads made from whole-wheat dough sop up the extra sauce. If you have one large (12-ounce) chicken breast instead of two smaller (6-ounce) ones, cut it in half horizontally before grilling so the chicken cooks in the time specified in this recipe.

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Grilled Redfish with Andouille & Shrimp Couche Couche

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New Orleans chef Chuck Subra turns couche couche, a Cajun breakfast food where a cornmeal batter is cooked in oil until browned, into a savory stuffing for grilled redfish. If you prefer not to make cornbread from scratch, use 4 cups diced prepared cornbread.

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Grilled Sea Scallops with Cilantro & Black Bean Sauce

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Here, Chinese fermented black beans are stir-fried with garlic and ginger, flavor-enhanced with Chinese or Japanese rice wine, and blended into a delicate puree that makes a delicious dip to complement all sorts of grilled seafood, including plump sea scallops. Sweet mirin counterbalances the saltiness of the beans.

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Pork Chops with Quick Rhubarb Sauce

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This grilled pork chop recipe features a savory rhubarb sauce that can cook in the microwave while you grill the pork chops.

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Grilled Tempeh Salad with Sesame-Ginger Dressing

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This bold sesame-ginger dressing recipe is perfect with this salad of grilled tempeh, pineapple and crisp snow peas. If you can't find mixed Asian greens, try another spicy green, such as arugula.

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Grilled Tuna Sandwich with Lemon-Chili Mayo

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Sturdy “country-style” bread works best for this healthy tuna sandwich recipe with watercress and chili-mayo. Eat the tuna sandwich warm, straight off the grill, or wrap it up and pack it in a cooler for a picnic dinner. Serve with grilled bell peppers drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and vinegar and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc.

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Grilled Halibut Salad with Beet-Carrot Slaw

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The halibut doesn't stick or fall apart in this salad recipe because you grill it on foil. A beet and carrot slaw with tarragon-lemon vinaigrette makes this meal a standout.

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Feta, Corn & Chicken Salad with Smoky Tomato Dressing

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This hearty chicken salad recipe is full of grilled sweet corn, scallions, salty feta, escarole, pine nuts and spicy chicken. Smoked paprika gives the tomato dressing a bacon-like flavor.

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Plank-Grilled Salmon with Creamy Tarragon Sauce

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Grilling salmon on a cedar plank imparts a deliciously smoky flavor to the fish. The tarragon cream sauce uses low-in-saturated-fat Greek-style yogurt. Look for cedar planks with other grilling supplies in supermarkets or hardware stores.

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Korean-Spiced Pork Chops & Slaw

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Chili powder and garlic, both of which star in Korean cuisine, season grilled pork chops and a cool, tangy slaw. If you can find Korean chili powder use it, otherwise conventional chili powder is fine.

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Chimichurri Grilled Steak Salad

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Chimichurri sauce is a zingy Argentinean sauce made with garlic, parsley, vinegar and oil. Here chimichurri sauce doubles as marinade for flank steak and as salad dressing for this grilled steak salad recipe.

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Grilled Calamari & Potato Salad

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This summery salad recipe matches grilled squid and potatoes with a pungent dressing inspired by salsa verde, an Italian sauce made with capers, anchovies, parsley, lemon and olive oil.

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Chicken Shawarma

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Shawarma is a Middle Eastern sandwich made with sliced seasoned meat. This version features chicken, along with a cucumber-yogurt sauce, fresh tomato and crunchy romaine lettuce.

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Steak & Potatoes with Anchovy-Caper Vinaigrette

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You'll never think of “steak and potatoes” the same way once you taste them drizzled with this smoky, full-flavored anchovy-caper vinaigrette. Serve with steamed green beans.

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Chopped Tandoori Chicken Salad

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Tandoori chicken is a traditional Northern Indian dish of spiced yogurt-marinated chicken cooked in a clay oven. In this tandoori chicken salad recipe we grill chicken and toss it in a salad with grilled tomatoes and cucumber.

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Grilled Eggplant & Tomato Stacks

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You can grill the eggplant rounds up to a day in advance, then assemble the eggplant, tomato and mozzarella “stacks” at the last minute. To make the eggplant and tomato stacks look symmetrical, use eggplant and tomatoes with approximately the same diameter.

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Korean Steak & Mushroom Tacos with Kimchi

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The spicy, pickled flavor and crunchy texture of kimchi, the Korean cousin to sauerkraut, is just right on these Korean steak-and-mushroom tacos. Serve with steamed brown rice and sautéed bok choy with chile-garlic sauce.

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Herbed Salsa with Grilled Chicken

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This fresh tomato salsa, which doubles as a marinade for grilled chicken, is packed with flavor from lots of fresh oregano, chives and cilantro. The salsa would also pair wonderfully with just about any meat, fish or tofu. Serve the chicken and salsa with beans and brown rice or over greens for a colorful salad. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.

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South Indian Shrimp Kebabs with Cilantro Sauce

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Cilantro, lemon zest, chiles, paprika, ginger, garlic, cumin and fenugreek make up the South Asian-inspired marinade for grilled shrimp-and-cantaloupe kebabs. A yogurt sauce spiked with plenty of herbs and spices is delightful for dipping.

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Indonesian Beef Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce

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Popular throughout Southeast Asia and Indonesia, satay is strips of skewered, grilled meat eaten with a fragrant dipping sauce. Here we serve seasoned marinated steak with a spicy peanut sauce for dipping. A simple cucumber salad is a cooling counterpoint to the beef satay.

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Grilled Mussels with Salsa Verde

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This is a fun little appetizer of mussels roasted with salsa verde, a bold-flavored Italian sauce made with lots of fresh herbs, garlic and anchovies. We blanch the garlic in this version to give it a more subtle flavor that doesn't overpower the mussels. The bonus in this recipe is that you get leftover mussel broth, which is a delicious base for seafood soups and sauces.

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Harissa-Rubbed Steak & Carrot Salad

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Here we pair harissa-rubbed grilled steak with tangy North African-spiced carrots. Serve with whole-wheat couscous.

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Caribbean Chicken & Pineapple Kebabs with Banana Salad

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A Caribbean-inspired marinade for these chicken-and-pineapple kebabs is flavored with pineapple juice, soy sauce, plenty of spices and spiked with rum. It's moderately spicy from the use of jalapeño, but not nearly as spicy as the well-known jerk marinade, which uses the extremely hot Scotch bonnet chile. If spicy-hot is not your thing, leave the jalapeño out or use half. The creamy banana salad is a soothing counterpoint, but skip it if you like.

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Grilled Steak with Whiskey Dijon BBQ Sauce

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Cooking whiskey removes the boozy taste, but leaves the sweet oaky flavor behind, which lends itself beautifully to tender grilled skirt steak, as we do here, or to grilled pork or chicken. Serve with baked beans and corn on the cob.

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Korean Grilled Mackerel

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Oily fish, such as mackerel, are strong-flavored and pair well with boldly seasoned glazes made from gochujang chile paste. The red, rich paste is so common in Korea that it is sold in virtually every supermarket in plastic containers ranging in size from about 2 cups to about 2 quarts. Normally the main ingredients are fermented soybeans ground with red chiles and powdered rice, plus a little salt and sweetener.

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Teriyaki Marinated Chicken

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Soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, garlic and ginger combine in this teriyaki-inspired marinade for grilled chicken. Try it with pork chops if you prefer. Grill fresh pineapple slices and asparagus alongside for simple side dishes.

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Grilled Shrimp Skewers over White Bean Salad

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Fresh herbs make all the difference in this light, summery bean salad that in turn makes an aromatic bed for the easy grilled shrimp. The shrimp and salad are wonderful together but you could also make them separately. Consider skewering and grilling scallops as another delicious option.

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Sweet & Savory Grilled Chicken

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This sweet and savory rub for grilled chicken relies on ingredients you most likely have on hand already--brown sugar, dry mustard and onion powder--making it a quick recipe for a night when you're not sure what you're making for dinner.

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Spinach Salad with Steak & Blueberries

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Combine steak, walnuts, blueberries and feta cheese in this simple salad and you have yourself a healthy and satisfying supper. Serve with grilled baguette and a glass of rosé.

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Tandoori Tofu

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A tandoori-inspired spice rub and smokiness from the grill flavor these tofu “steaks.” While you're there, grill some vegetables, too, to serve alongside. Serve with: Grilled eggplant and cherry tomato skewers and brown basmati rice.

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