Healthy BBQ Recipes and Menu

A healthy summer BBQ menu with lots of veggies.

BBQ doesn't exactly bring to mind 'healthy'. And when Caitlin from Glitter Guide Guide and I were planning this photoshoot a few weeks ago we both felt like BBQ also conjured a bit of tacky picnic vibes. So we totally redid it. Caitlin's tablescape and floral choices were so beautiful, relaxed and airy for a hot summer night. And the menu? I made the kind of things I would hope for as a dietitian and a guest. A sprouted grain caprese pasta, an heirloom wedge salad with the best kind of dressing (really, use the dressing-I originally made it for a steak salad in spring and loved it so much I rebooted it for this shoot). Let's not forget the chicken. No BBQ is complete without some sort of grilled or broiled item. The sauce I made actually has veggies in it and skewers help with portion control. Dessert is another classic favorite from a previous summer: simple figs with ricotta, honey and pistachios. Scroll down for the recipes. 

Healthy BBQ Recipes on Glitter Guide: photos by Lisa Ziesing of Abby Jiu Photography : Table Styling by Caitlin Moran of Glitter Guide

Menu

STRAWBERRY ROSE MINT ICED TEA

Sprouted Caprese Pasta Salad

Summer Wedge Salad with Sumac Yogurt Dressing

Butternut BBQ Chicken Skewers

Ricotta Honey Figs

Sprouted Caprese Pasta Salad

BBQ Picnic Side: serves 6

Ingredients

• 12 oz dry, sprouted grain whole wheat pasta

• 1 handful fresh basil leaves, chiffonaded
• 1 small zucchini, sliced
• 1 small summer squash, sliced
• 1 cup mozzarella balls, drained
• 1 large tomato, sliced

dressing

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2/3 cup cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 pinch salt
• freshly ground black pepper 

Directions: Cook pasta 5-7 minutes until tender, but firm. Drain and toss in whisked together dressing dressing. Add zucchini and squash, mozzarella, tomato and basil. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Summer Wedge Salad

BBQ Salad side: serves 6

Ingredients

• 3 whole Bibb or Boston Lettuce heads, cut in half
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced radishes

Dressing:

• 1/2 teaspoon sumac
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup plain, 0% Icelandic yogurt 
• 2 Tablespoons whole grain mustard
• 2 cloves garlic grated
• 1/2 inch fresh ginger, grated 
• freshly ground black pepper 5 grinds
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions: Whisk dressing ingredients together. Drizzle over lettuce halves and top with fresh, thinly sliced radishes. 

Butternut BBQ Chicken Skewers

BBQ Entrée: serves 6

Ingredients

• 6 skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into cubes
• 1 handful fresh flat leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme

sauce:

• 1 cup butternut squash puree
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1 T molasses 
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce of choice
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 T fruit jam (strawberry or raspberry or fig recommended) 

Directions: To make sauce, blend sauce ingredients together until smooth. Toss chicken in half of the sauce. Skewer chicken (soak wooden skewers if using wood instead of metal). Grill until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 F. Top with extra BBQ sauce and chopped herbs. 

Ricotta Honey Figs

dessert

Ingredients per dish

• 2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped pistachios (roasted and salted)
• 1-2 figs, sliced in half
• 1 teaspoon honey

Directions: Place a dollop of ricotta on each plate. Add figs and top with chopped pistachios. Drizzle with honey. Serve immediately.