300-Calorie Grilled Dinners

January 23, 2017
Photo: Johnny Autry
Every diet begins with watching what you eat. Counting calories is key whether you're maintaining a healthy weight or working to shed a few pounds. Fortunately, there's an easier way to go about the math than tracking down nutritional info and logging every bite: build a strong portfolio of delicious low-calorie meals and let it do the work for you. We'll get you started with this collection of grilled recipes that are short on calories but big on flavor. The only arithmetic you'll be responsible for is subtracting pounds.
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Olive Oil-Basted Grass-Fed Strip Steak

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Olive Oil-Basted Grass-Fed Strip Steak

Brushing healthy fat like olive oil onto sizzling grass-fed steak keeps the lean meat juicy and adds rich flavor. We developed this technique specifically for lean grass-fed steaks. Turn them frequently to cook evenly and prevent the exterior from toughening. Baste after every turn so the sizzling surface stays moist.

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Shishito and Shrimp Skewers With Chimichurri

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Shishito and Shrimp Skewers With Chimichurri

Ridged shishito peppers are usually pleasantly bitter with mild to medium heat, but watch out: Every so often, you'll get one that packs a fiery punch.

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Grass-Fed Flat Iron Steak With Grilled Ratatouille

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Grass-Fed Flat Iron Steak With Grilled Ratatouille

Pounding the flat iron steak breaks down the muscle fibers and tenderizes the meat. Grain-fed flat iron steaks are a relatively tender cut. But with grass-fed steak's lower fat content, we find pounding the meat before cooking ensures tenderness. It also helps the steaks cook quickly—they only need about 3 minutes on a searing hot grill to hit medium-rare.

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Herb-Rubbed Chicken Under a Brick

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Herb-Rubbed Chicken Under a Brick

Brick-pressed chicken cooks quickly and evenly, a great boon to a barbecue host. The key is to spatchcock—or butterfly—the bird, and then press it down flat on the grill with a foil-wrapped brick or cast-iron skillet.

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Grass-Fed Beef Sirloin Kebabs

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Grass-Fed Beef Sirloin Kebabs

Cubes of grass-fed sirloin can be a little tough and chewy—but thin slices stay tender and cook quickly. Feel free to prep the sauce and skewer the beef ahead of time.

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Grilled Vegetable Frittata

Photo: Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Grilled Vegetable Frittata

Frittatas are great canvases for leftover ingredients, especially grilled summer vegetables. We add the vegetables to the egg mixture just before it sets so the veggies don't release too much moisture into the frittata.

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Red Wine-Marinated Steak With Balsamic Onions and Slaw

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Red Wine-Marinated Steak With Balsamic Onions and Slaw

Cook this with either hanger or flank steak, whichever you prefer. The onions add a hit of umami, but feel free to omit them.

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Tangy Beer-Can Chicken

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Tangy Beer-Can Chicken

The can method keeps the bird moist while it grills because liquid in the can forms steam inside the cavity. Any canned beverage will work, since it won't really impart any noticeable flavor to the chicken. We like the bright, tangy flavor of good old-fashioned yellow mustard here.

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Grilled Chile-Lime Flank Steak

Photo: Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Grilled Chile-Lime Flank Steak

Garnish the steak with fresh red onion, cilantro, garlic, and lime for a great look and a bit of extra flavor in every bite.

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Grilled Romaine Salad With Crab

Photo: Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Grilled Romaine Salad With Crab

Welcome to grilled salad season. A quick char adds smoky depth and a glossy finish to crisp romaine hearts, making them the perfect base for fresh fixings. You'll get smokier results on an outdoor grill, but a stovetop grill pan will give a subtler effect. Our guacamole dressing is a simple riff on green goddess, mastering the less-is-more summer motif. If you can't find crab, use frozen, thawed shrimp instead.

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Vampire Steak

View Recipe: Vampire Steak

The marinade features a robust dose of garlic. Score the meat lightly, about 1/8 inch deep.

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Grilled Shrimp Caesar Salad

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Grilled Shrimp Caesar Salad

The single anchovy fillet lends umami depth to the dressing without giving it any sort of strong fishy flavor.

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Grilled Chicken Thighs with Ancho-Tequila Glaze

Photo: Johnny Autry; Styling: Mary Clayton Carl
View Recipe: Grilled Chicken Thighs with Ancho-Tequila Glaze

If you're using a charcoal grill, skip the foil pan and add the chips to the coals. Look for granulated garlic in the spice aisle, or substitute 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Amber agave syrup has a deeper flavor than the more neutral, light-colored varieties.

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Tandoori Grilled Chicken with Mint Raita

Photo: Romulo Yanes
View Recipe: Tandoori Grilled Chicken with Mint Raita

The tandoor, India’s wood-fired clay oven, turns out fantastic barbecued chicken. An ordinary outdoor grill with a tight-fitting lid and prepared for indirect heat mimics the gentle heat of the authentic clay ovens. Tandoori chicken originated in the Punjab region of northern India and Pakistan and get its traditional red color from ground chiles.  

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Grilled Watermelon and Halloumi Salad With Minty Green Beans

Photo: Hector Sanchez
View Recipe: Grilled Watermelon and Halloumi Salad With Minty Green Beans

If your farmers' market doesn't have slender haricots verts, grab a handful of regular green beans and cook them a couple of minutes longer. Halloumi is a wonderfully salty-nutty cheese that's firm enough to stand up to grilling; if you can't find it, use ricotta salata or queso fresco.

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Grilled Ham and Pineapple Pizza

Photo: Johnny Autry
View Recipe: Grilled Ham and Pineapple Pizza

Both children and adults will love the flavor of this homemade pizza. Grilling the ham gives it a nice smoky flavor, and the pineapple adds sweetness.

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Cedar Plank-Grilled Salmon With Mango Kiwi Salsa

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Cedar Plank-Grilled Salmon With Mango Kiwi Salsa

The smoky grilled salmon stands up nicely to the spicy sweetness of the tropical salsa. Prepare the mango salsa before the salmon so the flavors have time to meld.

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Stone Fruit Chicken-Rice Salad

Photo: Francesco Tonelli
View Recipe: Stone Fruit Chicken-Rice Salad

Chicken is pure lean protein (use a good brand for chickeny flavor). Cherries and nectarines lend a sweet-tart counterpoint. Brown rice adds whole-grain goodness.

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Korean-Style Beef Tacos

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Korean-Style Beef Tacos

Take a twist on traditional Mexican tacos by filling them with succulent flank steak, marinated in a soy sauce and chile paste marinade. Serve with cooked rice tossed with a tablespoon of toasted sesame oil.

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Barbecue Salmon and Snap Pea Slaw

Photo: Francesco Tonelli
View Recipe: Barbecue Salmon and Snap Pea Slaw

Crisp sugar snap peas, radishes, and shallots combine for a beautiful side salad and an interesting twist on slaw.

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Spicy Moroccan Chicken Skewers

Photo: Howard L. Puckett
View Recipe: Spicy Moroccan Chicken Skewers

Serve skewers with hot cooked couscous. Give the couscous nutty flavor by toasting it in a hot pan before you rehydrate it.

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Grilled Eggplant and Tofu Steaks with Sticky Hoisin Glaze

Photo: Johnny Autry
View Recipe: Grilled Eggplant and Tofu Steaks with Sticky Hoisin Glaze

We turned up the the flavor with this Chinese-style barbecue dish of Grilled Eggplant and Tofu Steaks with Sticky Hoisin Glaze. This vegetarian dish captures the essence of great barbecue without relying on meat.

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