Healthy Memorial Day BBQ Recipes: Grill Up a Healthy Feast This Holiday!

Memorial Day is a time to come together with friends and family, enjoy the outdoors, and celebrate our nation's veterans. It's also the unofficial start to summer and a time for delicious food! You've come to the right place if you're looking for healthy BBQ recipes that will please everyone at your party. I'm sharing some of my favorite healthy recipes for the grill in this blog post. So fire up the grill and get ready to cook up a healthy feast this Memorial Day!

First up, packed with healthy omega-3 fatty acids, salmon is a great alternative to traditional beef burgers. Plus, it's quick and easy to prepare.

Southwestern Salmon Burger Recipe

Ingredients:

1 pound salmon, skinless and boneless

1/2 cup bread crumbs (substitute GF option as needed)

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1 green onion, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Sea salt and freshly ground black, pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

2. Chop the salmon into chunks and add to a food processor. Add bread crumbs, red onion, green onion, garlic, Dijon mustard, spices, honey, and lemon juice. Pulse to combine into a paste-burger-like texture.

3. Season mixture with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Form the mixture into 4 burger patties.

5. Grill salmon burgers for 4-6 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Serve immediately with whole wheat buns, lettuce wraps, or other whole-grain tortilla or bun options.

***To make a plant-based option instead, swap out the salmon for canned, shredded jackfruit (typically available in international aisles or Asian Grocery stores).

Black Bean and Corn Salsa is a healthy, flavorful side dish that is perfect for any BBQ. This dish is easy to make and can be tailored to your liking by adding or removing ingredients. So fire up the grill and enjoy some healthy BBQ recipes this Memorial Day!

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Ingredients:

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup corn

1/2 red onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, diced

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

juice of 1 lime

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients until combined.

2. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Lastly, a dessert option!

Vegan Protein Chocolate Brownie

Dry:

¾ cup (65g) oat flour

½ cup (65g) almond flour

½ cup (60g) vegan chocolate protein powder

⅓ cup (50g) cocoa powder

2 tsp. baking powder

⅙ tsp. salt

4 tbsp. dark chocolate chips

Wet:

¾ cup (185g) soy yogurt

½ cup (120ml) almond milk, unsweetened

⅓ cup (80g) maple syrup

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a loaf pan with baking paper.

2. Combine all the dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, mix together all the wet ingredients. Then fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix well until combined and add a little more milk if necessary. Note: The batter may need more liquid depending on the milk and protein powder used.

4. Fold in the chocolate chips and transfer the batter to the pan.

5. Place the pan into the hot oven and bake for 35-40 minutes.

6. Once baked, remove the tin from the oven and set it aside on a wire rack to cool completely, before removing it from the pan and slicing.

Memorial Day is a time to come together with family and friends, and what better way to do that than with some healthy BBQ recipes?

I’ve provided a few of my healthy favorites, but feel free to get creative and add your own touch. Whether you’re grilling up salmon or baking healthy brownies, I know you’ll love these healthy holiday recipes!