Cook Book Recipe

Leaner meats, pork make grilling a healthy choice
(ARA) - There's good news for healthy eaters: Grilling lean cuts of meat and pork, veggies, fruit and even low-fat desserts has never been easier, tastier and healthier for you and your family.

Grilling is a great way to load up on flavor without the added calories: Natural fats and oils drip off meats cooked on the grill, which means barbecuing can be a much healthier alternative to fat-laden pan frying or even oven baking.

"It's easy to prepare all your meals on the grill," says Rob Schwing, of Char-Broil, a leading manufacturer of gas, charcoal and electric grills for every lifestyle. "We want to eat lighter and healthier when it's still warm outside -- and it helps us to stay cool when we avoid heating up the house by cooking on the range or in the oven."

Schwing points to a number of new Char-Broil grilling accessories that can also help keep meals healthy, including rotisseries, grill baskets and a new, five-pronged Multi-Skewer that grills several different types of meats and veggies at the same time.

But just because a meal is grilled doesn't automatically mean it's low in fat and calories. Consider the following tips when preparing a healthy meal on the grill:

* Choose lean cuts of meat, such as sirloin, filet or flank, or skinless chicken breasts. Today's pork is also much leaner, especially pork tenderloin and low-fat pork products such as Lean Generation by Smithfield, certified by the American Heart Association for low saturated fat and cholesterol;

* Cut all visible fat off meat and pork, and remove poultry skin before grilling. In addition, chose smaller portions of meat to control your fat and calorie intake;

* Get creative with healthy sauces and marinades such as fat-free salad dressing, lemon juice or low-sodium soy sauce to add flavor and keep meats tender and moist. Grilling rubs and spices also add loads of delicious flavor with no extra calories;

* Grill veggies or fruits! Bell peppers, sweet onions, small tomatoes, eggplant, corn, summer squash, mangoes, cantaloupes, pineapples and peaches are naturally low in fat and calories and taste great right off the grill. As a general rule, fruits and most veggies take about 3 to 5 minutes to cook on the grill;

* Use your grill's side-burners for low-fat sauces or the deep dish accessory for a low-calorie stir-fried side dish.

Try something new on the grill -- a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner can each be prepared easily outdoors. Here's a healthy pork recipe from Smithfield:

Southwestern Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Servings: 6; preparation time: 10 minutes; cooking time: 20 minutes

Cumin is a popular spice in the southern part of India and here it's teamed with classic southwestern spices to create a full-bodied, aromatic rub for this tasty tenderloin. Kabob it for quick grilling with your favorite vegetables, or cook and serve it sliced.

Ingredients:

2 Smithfield Lean Generation whole pork tenderloins, about 1 1/2 pounds total

5 teaspoon chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoon oregano

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

In small bowl, mix well all seasonings and vegetable oil together. Rub mixture over all surfaces of tenderloin. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 24 hours. Grill over medium-hot coals, turning occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes. Pork is done when there is still a hint of pink in the center. Slice to serve.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve with grilled vegetables and seasoned potato wedges.

Nutritional information per 3 ounce serving: calories: 154, sodium: 141 mg,
protein: 26 g, cholesterol: 66 mg, fat: 6 g

Courtesy of ARA Content