Grilling Indoors - Lowfat Meals with Cuisinart's Griddler Deluxe

Easy, delicious meals grilled indoors!

It may be April but it's still too chilly for grilling outdoors in the great northeast! All the same, you'd be missing out on some very tasty menu ideas which are: lower in fat, yet full of flavor and nutrients.
I featured my favorite Panini Grilled Meals here on XTreme XTraining before but I've since upgraded to a restaurant quality Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe which has removable plates and better temperature control. The removable plates were a deal breaker for me as my previous Panini Press did not have this. Also the plates on the Griddler Deluxe can be flipped, giving you a smooth griddle surface for: pancakes, turkey bacon, eggs and so much more. So here are a few low-fat, high protein training table meals you can try with an indoor grill like this:

Keep some portioned sized meals in the freezer, ready to grill.

Ready to Grill Meals 

I like to keep ready to grill 3-4 oz portions of burgers, steaks, salmon and chicken breasts or the new boneless chicken thighs in the freezer ready to cook. This means I rely much less on fast food options because I'm stumped on what to fix for lunch and dinner. When making a burger, (Skinny Burgers have replaced the name Cluck & Moo), you can lightly defrost them as cooking them partially frozen on the grill is no problem. The Griddler Deluxe has TWO separate temperature settings: One for the Lid and One for the Base. I preheat both plates at 450 degrees and when the green lights appear, I'm ready to cook! Use the following recipe to prep your meats, fish and poultry for the grill:

Basic Grill Seasoning & Marinade

1 tsp EVO (extra virgin olive oil)
1 tsp Grill Masters Chipolte & Garlic Seasoning or other variety
1/8 tsp Ground Cumin
Dash of Black Pepper

Drizzle oil on cutlet, covering both sides of the meat. Add seasonings to both sides as well. Cover and place in refrigerator for 2-3 hours. Bring meat to room temperature before grilling. Preheat grill and cook. Tip: You can also get a lovely sear with a grill coating like this.

Grilling a turkey burger.

Low Fat Grilling
Grilling is ideal because all the excess oil drains off but the flavors are concentrated. Most panini press grills like this have a reservoir cup to catch the pan drippings. Even so, the burgers come out moist and flavorful. There is even a "sear" feature which can be activated at any time or temperature on the Cuisinart grill. 
If I want to melt some cheese on top, I can adjust the height of the lid to just hover over my burger. It will continue to cook from the bottom and melt the cheese topside.

Voila!

Salmon Steaks
Salmon requires a more gentle cooking technique. I've made my Blackened Salmon with a Chipolte Garlic Seasoned Salmon fillet all on the same grill. You can create meals "made to order" all at once. Once I preheat the grill, I back off of the temperature lowering it to about 400 degrees.

Seasoned Salmon Steaks on the Grill

As fish cooks a bit more quickly than chicken, turkey or beef, I watch them closely being careful not to over-cook the fillets. Keep in mind too that you can cook on one surface as shown above or close the lid and cook with the two independently heated surfaces. In that case your cooking time will be reduced. The Griddler Deluxe cooking plates are non-stick but I find cooking with a few drops of oil (as described in my marinade recipe) on the fillets to be helpful.

Grilled Blackened Salmon

Panini Press Sandwiches
Having TWO separate temperature settings and multiple height adjustments for the lid means you can make a variety of delicious panini sandwiches. 
I like to grill my vegetables along with my meat. Then you can stuff everything between two tortillas and make the most insane Quesadillas imaginable. You can do the same and make grilled cheese and panini sandwiches. We've even done a Grilled Pizza!  The Griddler Deluxe comes with an easy to use instruction and recipe book with cooking techniques for a variety of foods. This grill even opens up so you can use BOTH sides as a flat grill or griddle for maximum space. I would say this is more closer to a restaurant/professional quality grill as it is very sturdy and well made. Check it out at Cuisinart.com 
Find The Griddler Deluxe at: Macy's, Crate and Barrel, Williams Sonoma and other fine retail stores.

Green Lights mean it's ready to GRILL!

Heart Healthy Meal Ideas

Try switching out turkey or beef for Omega 3 rich salmon burgers.

While February is Heart Health Month, I believe in going out with a bang! Here are a few menu ideas to help change things up a bit while adding extra variety, nutrition and flavor. Starting out with breakfast, let's look at a few new options to boring old oatmeal.

Quinoa & Oatmeal with Cranberries & Walnuts
If you are new to quinoa (pronounces kin-no-wah), you might wish to try it with something you're already familiar with. Quinoa is a natural grain related to spinach and tumbleweeds (sounds delicious, right?) but is not a true cereal. It is a complete protein, loaded with vitamins and minerals. The peoples of the Andes have used it as a primary food source for centuries. A little goes a long way as 1/4 cup of dry grain = a serving. Still you need to rinse the little coriander sized grains first to avoid a bitter taste once cooked.

Organic Quinoa with vanilla sugar, walnuts and dried cranberries.

Quinoa & Oatmeal Breakfast
1/4 cup Organic Quinoa (rinse first)
1/4 cup Stone Ground Irish Oatmeal
2 cups of water
Garnishes: raisins, walnuts, cranberries, almonds, etc.

Bring 2 cups of water to boil in a saucepan. Whisk in the Quinoa & Ground Irish Oatmeal and bring to a boil. Cook for 15-20 minutes until thick. Add garnishes (dried fruits can also be added during the cooking time). Serves 2.


Vegetable Platter with Vegenaise
This could be a game changer for those of us who feel eating plain raw vegetables to be a bit boring. Vegenaise Original (shown below) is absolutely delicious and lives up to it's claim to be "Better than Mayo". Found in the refrigerated section, Vegenaise has a fresh, light texture with all the richness of regular mayonnaise. The only difference is unlike mayo, it is cholesterol free and made with heart healthy oils, rich in essential fatty acids such as the Omega 3's. Use it on raw vegetables, sandwiches or even cook with it. Amazing. Visit FollowYourHeart.com for more varieties and details.

Creamy, delicious Vegenaise Original and Reduced Fat

Salmon Burgers over Spring Greens
Here's another way to change things up so that you're getting more heart healthy Omega 3's in your diet. Try switching out that turkey burger for a delicious grilled salmon patty. I add a bit of Applewood Smoked Seasoning and a bit of olive oil before grilling on my Panini Press. This give you a lovely sear. You can also grill some extra vegetables while you're at it! This is a Paleo Diet dream but I've added 1/4 of a Cheddar Scone for interest.  Dress the salad with a Strawberry-Balsamic Vinegarette for some extra zing. So good!

Salmon Burger grilled with minced garlic and Applewood Smoked Spice. Serve with Cal Naturale Chardonnay made with organic grapes.

 

Panini Grilled Low Fat Meals

Fuel Your Recovery! Panini Grilled Salmon, Spring Salad Greens and Sweet Potato Fries

With spring just around the corner, I think we'll admit most of us have lost a bit of our fitness edge over the winter months. The spirit may be willing but the flesh is sort of out of shape so right now is the time to amp up your diet with nutrient rich, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory foods.  By doing so, you can take a preemptive strike against sore muscles and joints even before the roadwork begins.

If you are trying to limit your fat intake, great but please remember not to exclude the good Omega 3 lipids that are so important to health and keeping inflammation at bay.  Rather than exclude higher fat foods like salmon, tuna and mackerel, why not reconsider how to cook them?

Panini Grilled Salmon is quick, easy & delicious!

 
Panini Grillin'
Cutting the fat doesn't mean cutting the flavor. I use a Showtime Rotisserie Oven for chicken and fish but when I want a quick meal, I use a Panini Grill, (Bella Cucina). Yes, it makes delicious toasty Panini Sandwiches but it is also perfect for low fat grilling of fish, chicken, vegetables and a lot more.  
The non-stick surface allows you to use very little cooking oil. In fact the salmon you see here was simply brushed with a little EVO before being laid on the grill.  So simple, here is a basic recipe that works for chicken, fish or steak:

Panini Grilled Salmon Recipe

1-2   3 oz Boneless Skinless Salmon Fillets or Salmon Burger
1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
1 tablespoon EVO for brushing
Dash of Garlic Powder
Dash of Sazon Goya 
Dash of Blazin Blends Memphis Style Grill Seasoning
 
Place salmon in a bowl and coat with lemon juice.  Brush the fillets or patties with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning.  Set aside and let marinate for about 15 minutes.
Heat Panini Grill on high until "Ready" light comes on. Add your salmon fillets and close the lid to use as a press grill. These will cook in under 5 minutes as the lid of the Panini Press is also heated. 
Add an extra dash of fresh lemon juice and serve hot on a bed of fresh greens with oven baked sweet potato fries.

Variation on Salmon-Grilled Salmon Burgers & Cheddar Scone

This particular Panini Grill has a removable drip pan the catches any excess oil that comes off during cooking.  Sort of like the George Forman Grill but a bit smaller.  This grill is large enough to make two big panini sandwiches, chicken breasts or fish fillets. Use it closed to cook faster so your food is pressed between the two heated surfaces.  Leave it open if you want to use it as a contact grill. Either way the results are fantastic as you can stuff your sandwiches with low fat, grilled vegetables for extra nutrition and fiber.

Grilled Chicken and Beef Cluck n' Moo Burgers are also lower in saturated fat.

Having kitchen equipment like this makes it easier to put together a quick, healthy dinner at the end of the day. Using your microwave to defrost your fillets is another time saver. Cooking at home has never been easier and now you can treat yourself to healthy, quick meals to fuel your workouts.

Bella Cucina B Artful Food Panini Grill & Press