In this heat, many of us are enjoying sizzling sunshine barbecues. If you’re living the low-carb lifestyle, it can be difficult to navigate through the typical summertime fare of grilled meats covered in carb-heavy sauces, potato salad, and chips.<\/p>\n
Hold on as we’ve rounded a few tips to help you enjoy delicious foods at barbecues while staying committed to the low-carb way of life.<\/p>\n
Ditch sugary BBQ sauces<\/strong><\/p>\n Avoiding store-bought sauces and condiments can be one of the easiest ways to reduce your carb intake. It\u2019s also one of the easiest ways to make your food completely bland.<\/p>\n But, whether you’re smearing BBQ sauce on a wrap or burger or using it as a dipping sauce for grilled veggies, it’ll be more satisfying when it’s fresh<\/em> and homemade.<\/em><\/p>\n BBQ sauce is simple to make on your own with ingredients such as mustard, hot sauce or apple cider vinegar. Ty making our homemade BBQ sauce recipe<\/a> straight from the recipe system<\/a>.<\/p>\n Season your meat\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Once you find out what\u00a0spices pair best with what meat, you\u2019ll never be resigned to a bland meal again.\u00a0From the more classic options like chicken or beef to the more exotic selections like lamb, there are a number of ways to spice up your diet, literally.<\/p>\n Here is a comprehensive list of complementary spices that can serve as a handy resource to have on hand to use in a pinch:<\/p>\n Basil, Bay Leaf, Black Pepper, Cayenne, Cumin, Curry Powder, Dry Mustard Powder, Garlic, Green Pepper, Onion, Oregano, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme<\/p>\n Bay Leaf, Cayenne, Curry Powder, Celery Seed, Chives, Dill, Fennel, Lemon Zest, Marjoram, Mint, Dry Mustard Powder, Onion, Paprika, Parsley, Red Pepper, Saffron, Sage, Sesame Seed, Tarragon, Thyme, Turmeric<\/p>\n Basil, Cinnamon, Cumin, Curry Powder, Garlic, Marjoram, Mint, Onion, Oregano, Rosemary, Sage, Savory, Sesame Seed, Thyme<\/p>\n Basil, Bay Leaf, Cilantro, Cinnamon, Curry Powder, Garlic, Mace, Marjoram, Mint, Onion, Paprika, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Saffron, Savory, Tarragon, Thyme<\/p>\n Allspice, Caraway, Celery Seed, Cloves, Coriander, Fennel, Ginger, Juniper Berries, Dry Mustard Powder, Paprika, Sage, Savory<\/p>\n Bay Leaf, Black Pepper, Curry Powder, Dill, Ginger, Lemon, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Paprika, Parsley, Saffron, Sage, Tarragon<\/p>\n Pair and grill the right vegetables\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Adding random vegetables to dishes will likely end up tasting as good as adding random spices: not great. Instead, you should learn what vegetable goes with what meat.<\/p>\n For example, there are some vegetables which appear almost indispensable with corned beef, such as parsnips, turnips, spinach, beet greens, brussels-sprouts, dandelions and lettuce.<\/p>\n Pair you roast pork with onions, turnips, carrots, okra, parsnips, tomatoes, spinach, cauliflower or kohlrabi.<\/p>\n Among vegetables that are also often served with veal are fresh peas, beans, asparagus, okra, tomatoes, dandelion, lettuce, parsnips, creamed cabbage and young beets. And turkey or chicken can be eaten with\u00a0stewed celery, onions or parsnips.<\/p>\n To cook tasty veggies, place them on a grill for 5 minutes; then turn them over, add a bit of balsamic vinegar and cook for another 3-5 minutes. After you take them off the grill,\u00a0place them in a sealed container for a couple minutes so the steam can cook them further.<\/p>\n Try nose-to-tail barbecue<\/strong><\/p>\n Where possible, try to favour fattier cuts of meat over boneless and skinless ones.<\/p>\n There is also pretty reasonable evidence when looking at ancestral carnivore societies that organ meats have always been the preferred animal protein source for hunters across a wide range of cultures.<\/p>\n The secret is nutrient density. Organ meats are some of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. They’re quality protein sources that are also rich in essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals.<\/p>\n Take liver and skinless chicken, for example. While the liver and chicken have pretty similar levels of protein and essential amino acids, the liver blows chicken breast out of the water when you look at the vitamin and mineral content.<\/p>\n Come prepared and keep it simple<\/strong><\/p>\n If you are not the one doing the cooking, avoid bad surprises and hidden carbs by asking if the meat is already breaded or marinated in sugars.<\/p>\n You could bring make some staple low carb appetizers, such as salted nuts (macadamia, brazil, pecans, cashews), guacamole, sardines in extra virgin oil, cheese and olives or hummus dips with vegetable sticks (celery, cucumber, carrot).<\/p>\n Other pick-me up low carb snacks include boiled eggs, pork rinds and beef jerky.<\/p>\n Give your barbecue bash the sweet finish<\/strong><\/p>\n If you want to satisfy a sweet tooth without added sugar, opt for some fresh blueberries and strawberries.<\/p>\n Coconut chia seed puddings can be prepared in advance and topped up with frozen wild berries and pomegranate seeds.<\/p>\n You can also make your own low carb ice cream with fresh whipped cream, sugar substitute, no sugar added vanilla extract, and ricotta cheese. Try our Strawberry Ice Cream recipe<\/a>.<\/p>\n For the perfect BBQ try our top 5 favourites:<\/p>\n Halloumi Skewers<\/a><\/p>\n Lamb & Mint Burger<\/a><\/p>\n\n
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