Eye for a Recipe

This recipe from Taste of Home uses a yogurt and lemon juice-based marinade to tenderize cubes of pork tenderloin. Thread the marinated pork onto skewers with onions, cherry tomatoes and peppers and grill about 20 minutes. Cook’s note: I used chunks of white onion instead of small whole onions.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Astro Balkan-style plain yogurt is additive-free. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice and check the dried spices to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents.

Thread marinated pork and vegetables on skewers and grill

Marinated pork kababs

Ingredients:

2 cups (500 ml) plain yogurt

2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice

4 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground cumin

¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) ground coriander

2 pounds (907 g) pork tenderloin, cut into 1 ½ inch (3.8 cm) cubes

8 small white onions, halved

8 cherry tomatoes

1 medium sweet red pepper, cut into 1 ½ inch (3.8 cm) pieces

1 medium green pepper, cut into 1 ½ inch (3.8 cm) pieces

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

In a shallow dish, combine yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, cumin and coriander. Add pork and turn to coat; cover and refrigerate 6 hours or overnight.

Alternate pork, onions, tomatoes and peppers on 8 metal or soaked wooden skewers. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Grill, covered, over medium heat until meat juices run clear, 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally. Serves 8.

From Taste of Home

This recipe from Taste of Home is a quick and tasty summer meal. While the chicken is grilling, make the barbecue sauce. Baste the chicken with the sauce during the last 25 minutes of cooking. Cook’s note: This all-purpose barbecue sauce is also great with ribs. Add more hot sauce or hot pepper flakes to spice it up or maple syrup to add more sweetness.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Heinz ketchup and Tabasco original flavour hot sauce are additive-free. Check the dried spices to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice; concentrates usually contain sodium benzoate or other additives.

This is a great all-purposed barbecue sauce

Baste the chicken while grilling

Favourite barbecued chicken

Ingredients:

16 chicken pieces (breasts, thighs and/or drums)

Salt and pepper

Barbecue sauce

2 tablespoons (30 ml) canola oil

2 small onions, finely chopped

2 cups (500 ml) ketchup

¼ cup (60 ml) lemon juice

2 tablespoons (30 ml) brown sugar

2 tablespoons (30 ml) water

1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground mustard

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) garlic powder

¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) pepper

1/8 teaspoon (0.6 ml) salt

1/8 teaspoon (0.6 ml) hot pepper sauce, or more to taste

Preparation:

In a small saucepan, make barbecue sauce by heating oil over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until tender. Stir in remaining sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper.

Grill chicken, skin side down, uncovered, on a greased rack over medium heat for 20 minutes.

Turn chicken and brush with barbecue sauce. Grill 15-25 minutes longer, brushing frequently with sauce, until a thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) when inserted in the breast and 170°-175°F (77°-79°C) in the thigh. Serves 12.

From Taste of Home

This recipe from Good Housekeeping is a great way to use up zucchini and other bounty from the garden. Combine vinegar, honey, salt, pepper, shallot and thyme and set aside. Slice and grill zucchini, summer squash, eggplant and peppers. Add oil to the vinaigrette and serve over the hot grilled veggies. Cook’s note: I omitted the asparagus and doubled the zucchini instead of using summer squash.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used pure honey and Eden Organic red wine vinegar, which is additive-free.

Grill the vegetables over medium heat

Toss grilled vegetables with honey-thyme vinaigrette before service

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. (30 ml) red wine vinegar

½ tsp. (2.5 ml) honey

Kosher salt

Pepper

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 tsp. (5 ml) fresh thyme, plus more for serving

2 tbsp. (30 ml) olive oil, plus more for brushing vegetables

2 yellow summer squash, sliced

2 zucchini, sliced

1 small eggplant, sliced

2 red peppers, quartered lengthwise

1 lb. (454 g) asparagus

Preparation:

Heat grill to medium-high. In small bowl, whisk together vinegar, honey and ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) each salt and pepper to dissolve. Stir in shallot and thyme; let sit while grilling vegetables.

Brush vegetables with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill, turning once, until lightly charred and just tender, 2 to 4 minutes per side; transfer to platter.

Stir 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil into vinegar mixture; serve over vegetables and sprinkle with additional thyme if desired. Serves 6.

From Good Housekeeping

This recipe from Good Housekeeping is a great side salad or vegetarian main course. Cook Israeli couscous or farro, drain and cool. Grill asparagus, snap peas and halloumi and cut into bite-sized pieces. Toss with lemon juice and olive oil and fold in scallion, dill and parsley. Cook’s note: It was raining, so I seared the halloumi in a pan instead of grilling it. I used shelled fresh peas instead of snap peas and boiled them with the asparagus.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Make sure the halloumi does not contain additives or preservatives.

Sear the halloumi

Grilled halloumi salad

Ingredients:

1 cup (250 ml) Israeli (pearl) couscous or quick-cooking farro

8 oz (227 g) asparagus, trimmed

4 oz (113 g) snap peas, strings removed

3 tsp (15 ml) olive oil, divided

Kosher salt and pepper

4 oz (113 g) halloumi cheese, thinly sliced (about 1/8-in/0.32-cm thick)

1 tsp (5 ml) grated lemon zest plus 2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice

1 scallion, thinly sliced

¼ cup (60 ml) fresh dill, chopped

¼ cup (60 ml) flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Preparation:

Cook couscous per package directions; drain, let cool then transfer to large bowl. Heat grill on medium-high.

In second bowl, toss asparagus and snap peas with 1 teaspoon (5 ml) oil and 1/8 teaspoon (0.62 ml) each salt and pepper. Grill, turning or rolling once, until lightly charred and tender, 2 to 4 minutes; transfer to cutting board.

Grill halloumi until lightly charred, about 20 seconds per side; transfer to plate.

Cut asparagus into 1-inch (2.54-cm) pieces and snap peas into halves or thirds and toss with couscous, lemon zest, and juice, remaining 2 teaspoons (10 ml) oil and ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) each salt and pepper. Fold in scallion, dill, and parsley.

Tear halloumi into bite-size pieces and fold into couscous. Serves 4.

From Good Housekeeping