Tag Archives: grill basket

Grilled Chicken and Zucchini

So simple yet so good – this is a great meal to serve when zucchini are in season. Remember to use a grill basket for regular kabob recipes – it takes out so much of the work and you’ll find the food cooks more evenly.

Grilled Chicken and Zucchini
Grilled Chicken and Zucchini

6 servings
187 calories per serving

1 c parsley, chopped
2 T chopped almonds, toasted
2 T chopped chives
½ t grated lemon zest
3 T lemon juice
1 T oil
½ t oregano flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 garlic clove, minced
1 ½ lb. bones skinless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
4 zucchini cut into thick slices
1 t red pepper flakes
Pam

Heat grill. Mix parsley, almonds, chives, lemon zest, lemon, oil, garlic and some salt and pepper. This will be a salsa to serve with the dish. Spray a grill basket with high heat Pam and grill chicken and zucchini 8 minutes or until done. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and red pepper flakes half way through the cooking process. Serve with the prepared salsa.

Grill Basket Asian Pork

This is a nice light dinner that doesn’t skimp on the taste. The vegetables really keep their flavor when you cook them lightly like this. If you don’t have a grill, you can always broil this for 8-10 minutes and get great results. The splash of vinegar at the end helps to enhance all the flavors in the dish.

Grill Basket Asian Pork
Grill Basket Asian Pork

4 servings
243 calories per serving

12 oz. pork loin cut into bite sized pieces
4 c mix of broccoli florets, pea pods, halved mushrooms, red bell pepper strips
2 T oil
1 t Thai seasoning
¼ c green onions, sliced
1 t toasted sesame seeds
Splash of rice vinegar
Pam

Heat grill. Toss meat and 1 T oil. Mix veggies and 1 T oil and seasoning.

Spray grill basket with Pam and heat. Add meat and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add veggies and cook 6 minutes or until meat is done. Stir in a splash of vinegar. Serve topped with seeds and green onions.

Stir-Fry on the Grill

By using a grill basket, you can get the great grilled flavor with just about anything, even small pieces of meat and veggies. Some would do these as kabobs, but I find them too tedious to put together and then some of them always fall off the skewers and into the grill. Get a grill basket and you can do all sorts of things without any lost pieces 🙂

Stir-Fry on the Grill
Stir-Fry on the Grill

6 servings
283 calories, per serving

2 4 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into small pieces
1 lb. beef cubes (lean)
2 baby eggplant, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
½ head of broccoli cut into florets
½ head of cauliflower cut into florets
½ c steak house marinade
Salt and pepper to taste
1 t onion powder
½ t garlic powder.
Pam

Place the meat and chicken in a Ziploc and add the marinade. Mush it all around to coat all the meat and then place in the frig and let marinate 2 hours. Place the veggies in a bowl and sprinkle with the spices. Heat the grill and a grill basket. Spray the basket with high heat Pam and add the veggies. Cook, stirring frequently, 10 minutes. Move the veggies to one side of the basket and add the meat to the other side. Cook 6 minutes or until chicken is done. Mix all together and server immediately.

Grill Basket Cajun Shrimp

Make this as spicy as you like by adding more Cajun seasoning. We like it hot, hot, hot ! This one takes over every tastebud in your mouth !

Grill Basket Cajun Shrimp
Grill Basket Cajun Shrimp

4 servings
243 calories per serving

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and cleaned
4 c mix of sliced onion, yellow bell peppers, green bell peppers
2 T oil
1 T Cajun seasoning
1 t garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Lime wedges
Pam

Heat grill. Toss shrimp and 1 T oil. Mix veggies and 1 T oil and seasoning.

Spray grill basket with Pam and heat. Add shrimp and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add veggies and cook 6 minutes or until shrimp is done. Stir in juice of one lime. Serve topped with parsley.

Sirloin Kabobs

You know the drill – if you’re using the grill, throw out the skewers and use a grill basket instead – it saves time, aggravation and the food turns out even better ! The meat in this dish is sooooo tender from marinating for hours in the tomato and vinegar based sauce.

Sirloin Kabobs
Sirloin Kabobs

4 servings
268 calories per serving

2/3 c chili sauce
½ c beef broth
½ c balsamic vinegar
2 T canola oil
5 t Worcestershire sauce
4 t dried minced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
½ t ground mustard
¼ t salt
1 lb. boneless sirloin cut into cubes
16 baby bella mushroom caps, halved
2 medium red onions cut into wedges
2 medium red bell peppers cut into chunks
1 medium yellow bell pepper cut into chunks

Mix the first 9 ingredients and pour half of the mix into a zip loc bag. Add the beef cubes and mix around. Pour the rest of the mix into another bag and add the veggies and mix around. Refrigerate both bags 1-4 hours. Heat a grill pan or basket on the grill and spray with High Heat Pam. Drain the veggies and meat reserving the extra marinate for later basting. Grill 7-10 minutes or to desired doneness stirring and re-basting occasionally.

If you don’t want to grill this, you can preheat the broiler and place all on a baking sheet sprayed with Pam. Broil 5-6 minutes, turning half way through.

Lemon Pepper Chicken

Lemon Pepper is a great spice for poultry – and when I do a grill basket version of this chicken recipe, I really pour it on !

Lemon Pepper Chicken
Lemon Pepper Chicken

4 servings
243 calories per serving

12 oz. chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
4 c mix of sliced onion, yellow bell peppers, and halved mushrooms
2 T oil
1 T lemon pepper seasoning
1 t finely shredded lemon zest
Lemon wedges
Pam

Heat grill. Toss shrimp and 1 T oil. Mix veggies and 1 T oil and seasoning.

Spray grill basket with Pam and heat. Add chicken and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add veggies and cook 6 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in juice of one lemon. Serve topped with lemon zest.

Grill Baskets

Grill baskets are the best invention since sliced bread ! Really 🙂

Mexican Kabobs
Mexican Kabobs

I find threading kabobs too time consuming for the actual results. And I find cooking kabobs over the grill nightmarish as you watch great, tender pieces of onion and tomato slip off the skewer into the coals.

As part of FoodBuzz Daily Specials, I’ll be making a some special posts over the next couple of weeks that relate to a specific topic. Today’s special is about GRILL BASKETS.

And I am passionate about using grill baskets ! Just give them a little spray with Pam, throw in any of the ingredients that you would normally be skewering, toss a few times (like you would a big stir fry) and you come out with food that tastes even better because you don’t get those ‘undone’ patches from where the food was pressed up against other bits. And even better – you don’t lose pieces and prep time is a snap ! So grab yourself a nice big grill basket this season and enjoy !

Here are a few recipes I have posted in the past that recommend use of grill baskets.

Mexican Kabobs

Halibut Kebobs

Mexican Kabobs

Retread #2 – Oh so yummy ! I served them with roasted tomatoes and zucchini fritters for a super tasty, healthy and balanced meal 🙂

I usually skip right by kabob recipes – threading the skewers is a pain and a lot of time, the food falls off into the grill. Now I use a grill basket instead and gather up as many kabob recipes as I can 🙂 Just be sure not to stir or shake the basket too often. You want the food to get the nice little charred ends just as you would if you were cooking on skewers. Add some extra veggies and a bit more spice to bulk up the meal without adding too many more calories – grape tomatoes, button mushrooms, different color peppers….they all work well.

Mexican Kabobs
Mexican Kabobs

4 servings
145 calories per serving

1 lb boneless pork cut into 1 inch cubes
1 T taco seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 large onion in thin slices
1/2 medium green bell pepper in thin slices
Pam

Combine all ingredients and toss to coat well. Grill 10-15 minutes in a grill basket sprayed with Pam or on skewers that you have thread with the pieces. Here’s a link to the grill basket that I use:

You can also put all the ingredients in a bowl to mix, and then place on a baking sheet sprayed with Pam under a heated broiler for 10-12 minutes.

One Stop Shopping

Here is a comprehensive ONE STOP SHOPPING list that has all the items I have recommended throughout all my posts. Many of these are available in your local stores, but some are specialty items.

FOOD AND DRINK:

Sugar Free Syrups – There’s no better way to make a low fat latte ! These come in all sorts of flavors from simple to sophisticated.

Pop Chips – an awesome snack coming in at only 100 calories for a nice portion bag.

FiberGourmet Pasta – anything that can give me more pasta per square calorie is OK in my book ! This stuff is amazing ! Use it anywhere you would use regular pasta, like pasta salads or macaroni and cheese. It even beats the whole wheat versions coming in at just 130 calories per 4 ounce serving !

KITCHEN GADGETS:

Citrus Zester – hands down the best citrus zester I have used – this makes nice small gratings suitable for cooking, salads, baking, etc.


Steamer Basket
– Steamed veggies can be great when the right spices are added. Don’t shy away thinking ‘steamed’ means bland. For instance, try these lemony steamed green beans.

Garlic Chopper – a great invention – this takes all the effort out of mincing garlic and it is so much fresher tasting than the bottled pre-minced stuff.

Chocolate Mill – great for shaving chocolate atop desserts and lattes !

Espresso Maker – If you’re in the market for one, I highly suggest this. It makes THE BEST espresso.

Dutch Oven – every kitchen needs a Dutch oven – some recipes just do not come out the same without one. It is a very heavy duty pot that allows you to cook things slowly for hours without burning the contents. From soups to stews to sauces, this is a kitchen must have.

Grill Basket – forget kabobs – put all the ingredients in the basket and cook away. Make a great “Mexican Kabobs” recipe in a snap !

Avocado Slicer – hands down, the best way to slice an avocado in to perfect slices

Kitchen Scale – I like to take the guess work out of weighing things – this is a great tool when you are watching your weight

EXERCISE DVDS:

Here are some great ‘walking’ DVDs so you can get some exercise

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