Health Happy Barbeque Recipes for Summer

Barbeque season has begun! Summer is the best time to enjoy the sunshine with family and friends and to also try some yummy summer dishes. Here are a few summer meals to get you excited for barbequing and cooking this summer. These recipes are Health Happy and the whole family will love them!

Fish Tacos

Feel like Mexican tonight? Why not try these delicious tacos with some local fish. These tacos are packed with veggies and protein. They are very customizable so add your favourite toppings, veggies and sauces to make them your own.

Makes 6 tacos

  • 2 pickerel fillets
  • Canned salsa
  • 1tbsp lime juice
  • 1/3cup red onion, chopped
  • Can of corn, drained
  • 1 cup bell pepper, chopped
  • Sour cream
  • 6 tortillas (whole wheat)

Directions:

Cook pickerel fillets on the barbeque wrapped in albumin foil until fish is flakey and opaque. Take tortilla and add a spoonful of salsa and sour cream then add red onion, peppers and pickerel. Top with lime juice and enjoy!

Bison Burgers

Burgers are a great barbeque staple! Try changing up your meat with bison, which is leaner, high in protein and delicious.

Makes 4 burgers

  • 1 pound ground bison
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 4 dashes hot sauce (such as Tabasco®)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • Cooking spray
  • 4 slices cheddar cheese
  • 4 hamburger buns, whole wheat
  • Condiments for burger: Lettuce, mustard, relish, tomatoes and anything you would like to add.

Health Happy tip: Add lots of vegetables such as tomatoes, onions and lettuce to add fibre and colour to your burger.

Bannock Hotdogs

Bannock is a great staple and can be used in many different ways. Ditch the bun and use bannock instead!

Makes 6

  • 3 c flour or whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup margarine
  • 1 1/4 cup water
  • 6 all beef or turkey dogs (Look for all natural meat with less preservatives if possible)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375F. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt together. Add the butter and crumble it together with your hands until it looks like crumbs. Make a well in the centre of the mixture and pour in the water and use a fork or a wooden spoon to blend it gently until it forms into a lump of dough.

Barbeque the hot dogs until done (7-8 minutes). Divide the dough into 6 lumps and roll out each lump flat. Place the hot dog in the sheet of bannock and roll the bannock up, pinch to close. Put the bannock hot dog back on the barbeque in an aluminum foil packet for 20 minutes or until the bannock starts to turn light brown.

Top the bannock hot dog with your favourite condiments.

SIDES:

Colourful Pasta Salad


Get creative with your side dishes! Fries and chips may be obvious side dishes at a BBQ but they have lots of fat and salt. Try a yummy summer pasta salad at your next gathering and your family will be coming back for seconds.

Serves 5

  • 2 cups bow tie pasta, cooked 
  • 2 medium tomatoes, chopped 
  • 1 medium zucchini, chopped
  • 1 medium broccoli crown (frozen or fresh), chopped
  • 1/2 medium red onion, chopped
  • ½ cup red bell peppers, chopped
  • 1/2 bunch parsley (optional)
  • 3tbsp of your favourite salad dressing such as Italian or ranch

Directions:

Cook pasta per the box in boiling water and let cool. Chop all ingredients and place in bowl with cooked pasta, add dressing and combine. Let chill for 1 hour and serve.

Three Bean Salad

This side is loaded with fibre, protein and healthy carbohydrates. Beans are very budget-friendly and are a great side for your next cookout.

For the salad:

  • 1 (15-ounce) can white beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 red onion, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

For the dressing:

  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

In a large bowl, mix the 3 different types of beans, celery, onion, parsley, and rosemary. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, olive oil, and pepper. Add the dressing to the beans. Toss to coat. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Easy Fruit Salad

Fruit is now in season! It is important to eat foods that are in season because they taste the best and are usually budget friendly. Using fresh, frozen or canned fruit is a great way to get fruit in your family’s diet. Fruit is full of vitamins, minerals, and fibre.

Serves 4

  • 1 cup strawberries, chopped
  • 1 cup peaches, chopped
  • 2 bananas, sliced
  • 1 cup blueberries

Directions:

Combine in a large bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. If using frozen fruit, let thaw in refrigerator before serving.

We wish you a Health Happy summer and delicious barbeque season!

Michelle Stevens, RD
Michelle Stevens is a Registered Dietitian with a Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition from the University of Manitoba. She has experience working with clients for diabetes management, kidney disease management, weight loss and has inpatient and outpatient experience. She is excited to bring her knowledge to northern communities to help provide healthy options and nutrition education to families.

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