Healthy Summer Grilling Guide

Marinated Beef Kebabs with Veggies

This satisfying, meaty meal is packed with protein.

Serves: 6

Prep Time: 4-6 hours marinating

Cook Time: 5-8 minutes

Nutrition Score per serving:

(2 kebabs) 18 g carbs (21%), 10 g fat (23%), 4 g fiber, 52 g protein (56%), 4 g saturated

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Ingredients

3	pounds sirloin tri-tip beef fillets or skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1	medium-large onion
2	cups plain nonfat yogurt
2	tbsp cilantro, finely-chopped
1	tspn ground cumin
1/2	tspn freshly ground black pepper
2	medium zucchini, sliced into 1-inch-thick pieces
1	medium red bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch squares
1	medium yellow bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch squares
12	medium button mushrooms
3	plum tomatoes, quartered
1	medium onion, sliced into 1-inch squares
1/2	tspn salt

Directions

Trim any visible fat from beef. Cut beef into 48 1-1/2- to 2-inch cubes. Peel onion, cut in half, and grate on the large holes of box grater, until there is a heaping 1/4 cup of grated onion and onion juice.

Pour yogurt into a large bowl and add onion and its juice. Stir in cilantro, cumin, and black pepper. Add beef and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate. Marinate for 6 hours, turning once or twice. (If using chicken, marinate for 4 hours. Do not exceed the recommended marinating time because the acid in yogurt will "cook" the protein in the meat and make it tough.)

Heat outdoor grill or preheat broiler. Skewer meat onto 12-inch metal or bamboo skewers. (If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for at least 15 minutes so they are thoroughly saturated.) Alternate meat with vegetables until skewer is nearly full. Grill or broil for 3 minutes on each side. (If using chicken, cook for 2 minutes on each side.) Sprinkle lightly with salt. Serve with lemon wedges and chopped cilantro, if desired.

The Technique: Low-fat Marinating

The easiest way to reduce the fat in your favorite meat recipes is to use a leaner cut. But the tradeoff is that in some recipes, lean meat is tougher to marinate than a higher-fat cut, and you end up with a not-so-flavorful entree.

The solution? Replace the high-fat olive oil marinade traditionally used to soften meat with a moisturizing mixture of nonfat yogurt. Yogurt is slightly acidic, which helps break down protein tissues in beef, chicken, fish and other meats, allowing spices to penetrate. Since yogurt marinates faster than oil, the meat will be ready for the grill before you know it.