Summer is the season of the year when we spend the most time outside. In Marbella temperatures rise in this time of the year to almost 34º Celsius with a humidity higher than 60%, so when it comes to eating we usually look for lighter meals which are easier to digest and also make you feel better than heavy meals. Celebrate this summer inviting your friends for a cookout with fresh, tasty and low-calorie food that apart from being delicious will help you to maintain healthy eating habits. Furthermore, your guests will not miss at all any other flavor.

When thinking about cooking outside, the first things that come to mind are bbq, iced drinks and tasty grilled food. Multiple are the benefits of grilled food, a few of them are: vegetables and meats retain more vitamins when they are grilled, use of oil or butter is lower than when frying and cookouts are also associated with healthy outdoor activities.

In addition to those benefits, when looking to prepare a summer BBQ in Marbella try to put into practice some of the following healthy proposals: choose lean cuts of meat like chicken, fish or pork which are a healthy alternative to red meat. If you love cheese, sauces and mayo, consider eating light versions of them, healthy alternatives to those high-fat sauces are for instance sliced avocado or yogurt, have a look at the meats when shopping and see it does not have a marbled appearance. Last but not least, side dishes like salads and vegetables play a supporting role as they are low in fat and rich in vitamins.

An excellent and hassle-free alternative that will meet everybody`s expectations is hiring a professional private chef that will be in charge of preparing exquisite healthy food, serving the table and cleaning afterwards.

Burgers
There are countless of delicious burgers recipes to suit everyone’s taste. Pork burgers are a delectable smoky flavor which contains a similar amount of proteins as beef, while the same serving of pork contains less fat. There are thousands of recipes that can be applied to pork burgers, a sensational way of preparing them is by mixing pork mince together with apple, seasoned afterwards with mustard or your favorite marmalade and fresh cilantro sprigs.

Chicken burgers are another healthy choice if you do not feel like eating pork. Once they are ready, try pouring tahini sauce or scallion-lemon mayo together with some veggies or lamb’s lettuce to add flavor and color to the dish. Vegetarians have also a wide array of options to satisfy even the hungriest stomach: miso burgers, lentil or even kale and quinoa burgers.

Meat and Fish Steaks
Be it fish or meat, the primary basis for having a healthy cookout goes through eating delicious lean cuts. That being said, when grilling beef be sure you already have the following cuts: top loin, sirloin, T-bone steak or tenderloin. When it comes to chicken, you definitely should prepare it skinless. Regarding pork, go for tenderloin also, and same thing happens with lamb, you should choose rump or loin chop cuts. For instance, a great option to prepare chicken is marinated on the skewers and also alternating with vegetables such as peppers, tomatoes, red onion, zucchini and mushrooms.

Fish cuts also have an exquisite taste when preparing them on the grill, maybe it can be slightly trickier as this meat is softer, a basic tip is waiting to flip the fillet over when you see the grill marks on it and then cook it until desired doneness. There are many lean fish which are real tasty over the flames: sea bass, salmon, swordfish or tuna are just a few of them. Salmon is delish when served marinated with ginger and green onion or a handful of mint or dill leaves. Other ingredients that perfectly match with fish cuts are basil, slices of lime or grilled red onion.

Salads
What a great dishes are salads when thinking about something fresh and fun to eat. Salads come really handy when thinking on a healthy and delicious dish. In addition, they can be prepared in many different ways and with an endless number of ingredients: legume such as lentils or beans, pasta, fruits such as pineapple, mango, apple, strawberry or apricot and all type of dried fruits.

The possibilities are infinite when thinking about colorful and healthy dishes for your cookout. A great proposal for this summer is spinach salad with mango and prawns, a perfect bite to delight your senses!

Desserts
In summer rather than a heavy dessert, we usually look for a lighter and tasty treat to end up a delicious healthy meal. A classic and unbeatable dessert with a delicious light version is Tiramisu, this coffee soaked dessert with Mascarpone cheese can be a great end of a meal, Mascarpone is an Italian cheese with a high fat content, you can replace it with a less-fat version.

In case you feel more like eating fruits, another great choice is preparing a delicious Cheesecake with blueberry jam or a fruit salad with limoncello, a delicious fresh dessert for this summer.