get grilling

BY LISA FABIANget grilling

with skewers and kebabs

Does your grilling game need a boost? Skewer some meat, fruit, and veggies, and fire up the grill for fun-to-eat and easy-to-make skewers and kebabs. Finish the meal off with a refreshing grilled watermelon salad.

Grilled Watermelon-Feta Salad

From Keto BBQ by Faith Gorsky and Lara Clevenger, MSH, RDN, CPT ($16.99, Adams Media, 2021)

3 c cubed watermelon

Avocado oil spray 2 oz feta cheese, crumbled 4 tsp chopped fresh mint 2 lime wedges

1. Submerge four wooden skewers in water for 20 minutes. Preheat grill to medium-high. 2. Skewer watermelon onto skewers. Lightly spray with avocado oil spray. 3. Grill skewers 2–3 minutes on first side and 1–2 minutes on second side until grill marks appear. 4. Place in a large bowl, sprinkle with feta and mint, and squeeze lime wedges over top. Serve. Kitchen Note: This salad is something you should make at least once every summer! The only trick is to use a watermelon that’s freshly cut. If you cut it and leave it for a few days in the refrigerator, the watermelon starts to get soft and will be harder to grill.

35 min

prep time serves 4

Per serving: 83 Calories, 3 g Protein, 13 g Carbohydrates, 8 g Total sugars (0 g Added sugars), 2 g Fiber, 3 g Total fat (2 g sat), 132 mg Sodium, ★★ Vitamin C, ★ Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), B6, B12, Phosphorus

Grilled Pineapple, Banana, and Mango Skewers with Coconut and Lime Dip

From 15 Minute Vegan On a Budget by Katy Beskow ($22.99, Quadrille, 2019)

1 small pineapple, peeled and chopped into 2-inch strips 1 mango, peeled, pitted, and chopped into even chunks 2 bananas, peeled and thickly sliced 5¼ fl oz (generous ½ c) canned coconut cream, chilled Zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lime 3½ fl oz (scant ½ c) orange juice, chilled 1 Tbsp demerara sugar*

1. If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for about 10 minutes; alternatively, use metal skewers.

2. Alternately thread pineapple, mango, and banana onto skewers. 3. Heat a grill pan** over the stove until hot, and then place fruit skewers onto pan. Cook for 4–5 minutes, turning occasionally. 4. In the meantime, whisk together coconut cream, lime zest and juice, and orange juice. Pour into a small bowl. 5. Carefully remove pan from heat and sprinkle fruit skewers with sugar. 6. Serve hot with cool dip. *Demerara sugar is a coarse-textured raw sugar. Light brown sugar, turbinado sugar, or coconut sugar can be substituted.

35 min

prep time serves 4

**You can also grill these skewers right on a barbecue grill. Kitchen Note: Taste the tropics with these fruity grilled skewers! Fresh fruits work best here, as they will be firmer than their canned or frozen counterparts.

Per serving: 298 Calories, 3 g Protein, 63 g Carbohydrates, 46 g Total sugars (2 g Added sugars), 7 g Fiber, 7 g Total fat (6 g sat), 9 mg Sodium, ★★★★★ Vitamin C, ★★★★ Vitamin B6, ★★ Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Folate, ★ Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium

60 min

prep time serves 4

Vegetable Kebabs with Smoked Paprika

From the Taste for Life test kitchen 3 medium zucchini, trimmed, each cut crosswise into 6 rounds 2 large red bell peppers, cut into ½-inch squares ½ red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 ears of fresh corn, husked, each cut into 6 rounds 3 Tbsp olive oil 1 tsp smoked paprika ½ tsp garlic powder Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Soak six 10-inch bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes.

2. Alternate 3 zucchini rounds, 3 bell pepper squares, 3 onion pieces, and 2 corn rounds on each skewer.

3. Whisk oil, paprika, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. 4. Prepare grill to medium heat. Brush kebabs with oil-spice mixture. 5. Grill until vegetables are tender and brown, turning frequently, about 20 minutes.

Per serving: 124 Calories, 3 g Protein, 13 g Carbohydrates, 7 g Total sugars (0 g Added sugars), 3 g Fiber, 8 g Total fat (1 g sat), 209 mg Sodium, ★★★★★ Vitamin C, ★★ Vitamin B6, ★ Vitamin B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), E, Folate, Phosphorus, Potassium

Grilled Chicken Kebabs with Garlic and Herb Marinade

From The Chicken Bible by America’s Test Kitchen ($40, America’s Test Kitchen, 2021)

½ c extra-virgin olive oil 6 small garlic cloves, minced ¼ c chopped fresh chives, minced fresh basil, parsley, tarragon, oregano, cilantro, or mint; or 2 Tbsp minced fresh thyme or rosemary 1 tsp table salt Pinch pepper 60 min 1½ lb boneless, skinless prep time chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces plus3 hrs marinate time 2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch serves 4 pieces 1 large red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces, 3 layers thick

1. Whisk oil, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. 2. Mix marinade and chicken in 1-gallon zipper-lock plastic bag; seal bag and refrigerate, turning once or twice, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours. 3. Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off. Thread each of four 12-inch skewers with 2 pieces bell pepper, 1 section onion, 2 pieces chicken, and 1 section onion. Repeat twice more, ending with 2 additional pieces bell pepper. 4. For a charcoal grill: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour all coals evenly over grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes. For a gas grill: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave all burners on high. 5. Clean and oil cooking grate. Place kebabs on grill. Cook (covered if using gas), turning as needed, until vegetables and chicken are charred around edges and chicken is cooked through, about 12 minutes. Transfer kebabs to platter and serve. Kitchen Note: Grilled chicken kebabs are a great way to take boneless, skinless chicken breasts up a notch, but the lean meat requires some help to keep it from becoming dried out over a hot grill. To counter this, this recipe uses a simple olive oil marinade. Because there is no acid in the marinade and thus no danger of breaking down the texture of the meat, the chicken can be soaked for up to 24 hours before cooking. If you have thin pieces of chicken, cut them larger than 1 inch and roll or fold them into approximately 1-inch cubes. You will need four 12-inch metal skewers for this recipe.

Per serving: 363 Calories, 40 g Protein, 8 g Carbohydrates, 4 g Total sugars (0 g Added sugars), 2 g Fiber, 18 g Total fat (3 g sat), 656 mg Sodium, ★★★★★ Vitamin B3 (niacin), B6, C, Phosphorus, ★★ Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), E, ★ Vitamin A, B1 (thiamine), B12, K, Folate, Magnesium, Potassium, Zinc