Top tips for a healthy BBQ

by Nicola on August 23, 2010

healthy bbq

BBQ fish is a healthy alternative to fatty meats

National newspapers and magazines are giving BBQs a bad name by exaggerating the calorific content of the typical family BBQ feast. We want to help you enjoy the great British BBQ and stay healthy.

If you eat more than usual, focus on the meat and dodge the green salad, then you will pile on the pounds. However help is at hand as there are healthy ways of having a barbecue.

Before the summer is over, fire up the BBQ one more time and follow these simple tips for creative calorie controlled cuisine:

1. Reduce the fat. Instead of bangers and burgers, try a bit of trimmed steak or skinless chicken. Fish is another great alternative to fatty meats, chunky fish like tuna is ideal or wrap a piece of salmon or trout in some tin foil with lemon and herbs.

2. Use more vegetables. Swap your pork kebabs for vegetable kebabs. A few peppers, mushrooms, onions, squash and tomatoes all go well on a skewer and taste even better when marinated.

3. Fruit kebabs are delicious. Try threading some pineapple, orange, apple and banana onto a skewer and flame for a minute each side. The smell and flavours make them tasty desert.

4. Marinades for healthy flavour. Not only does a good marinade vastly improve the taste, but olive oil and citrus juices have many health benefits.

5. Greener salads. Potato salads and coleslaw are tasty and popular bbq side dishes but they are not very healthy. Try mixing up a crispy green salad with rocket and sweet tomatoes, or create a tasty morrocan style cous-cous for a fat free feast.

6. Reduce salt. Embrace your creative culinary taste buds and sprinkle on some herbs or shake out some spices. Salt and pepper are not the only way to add flavour.

7. Cook with care. Let the flames die down before adding your meat. This way it’s more likely to cook thoroughly instead of going black on the outside and pink in the middle. Patience will pay off with tasty well cooked food and no upset stomachs.

8. Think hygiene. Make sure your grill is clean before cooking. Keep cooked and uncooked meats separate. Wash hands regularly.

9. Eat less. The simplest way to control the calories. Many people feel obliged to eat more at barbecues but fight the urge. Eat as much as you would normally.

10. Cook less. Most people cook enough to feed a small army no matter how many people are eating. Choose quality instead of quantity. A few hand-made burgers or carefully crafted kebabs will satisfy appetites and taste-buds better.

Hopefully with these top ten tips in mind you can enjoy a more tasty, healthy and satisfying BBQ this summer.

Browse our blog for more BBQ safety tips and BBQ recipes.

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Fashion wellies

by Nicola on August 23, 2010

Fashion wellies

Wellies are making a splash in modern fashion

Wellington boots are not just for muddy trenches, garden work, and trudging through the snow anymore. Now they are making a splash in modern fashion with the support of celebrities such as Keira Knightley, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jamie Dornan and Demi Moore.

Traditional wellies have come a long way in terms of style. In addition to being available in every pattern and colour imaginable, there are new options like wedge heels, high heels, lace-ups and ankle lengths too. These sleeker designs give wellingtons a more urban feel.

Perfect in both form and function, fashion wellies keep your feet warm and dry while still looking fashion forward. Ankle wellies worn with shorts is a particularly hip combination (though not ideal for those fun puddle jumping excursions). Tall slim-fitting wellington boots look terrific paired with skirts and even shorts for the spring and summer seasons.

Slimmer fits are also crucial for creating elongated leg lines. Chunkier styles break up the silhouette and make you appear shorter. The same concept applies for contradicting colours. For the best effect tuck trousers or tights into wellingtons of the same colour to make yourself appear taller and thinner.

With more modern and playful styles available now, wellies can be worn in slightly dressier ways. Add a funky pair of bright wellingtons to a simple solid coloured dress for a pop of personality. Just as easily you can dress up a simple pair of khakis or cargo pants with a pair of high-heeled wellies.

Men can wear wellingtons with jeans in a dark wash with a polo shirt or a collared button-down for a modern casual style. No matter how you choose to wear them, your wellington boots are guaranteed to keep your feet and your fashion sense happy.

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