Recipe: GRILLED TROPICAL KABOBS

Kabob Ideas:

 Lean protein (meat and meatless options): shrimp, chicken breast, fillet, scallops, tofu, and tempeh

Vegetables: bell pepper, onion, zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, mushrooms, whole cherry tomatoes, and Brussels sprouts.

Fruit: pineapple chunks, quartered peaches/nectarines/plums, whole strawberries, and peeled kiwis

Tropical Kabobs:

Instead of using store brought marinades and BBQ sauces, create your own low sugar, salt-free marinade to brush on your kabobs containing olive oil, lime juice, fresh cilantro, garlic, and various dried herbs and spices. 

INGREDIENTS:

Ingredients:

Yield: 6 Servings (2 kabobs per serving)

·         1 lb of meat per recipe:

1/2 lb of raw shrimp and 1/2 lb raw skinless chicken breasts

OR

1 lb of either shrimp or chicken breast

·         2 large red bell peppers, cut into 1 inch x 1 inch pieces

·         1 zucchini, cut into thick slices

·         1 large red onion, cut into 1 inch x 1 inch slices

·         1 canned of pineapple, chopped (or 2 cups fresh pineapple, cubed)

Kabob Marinade:

·         1/4 cup olive oil

·         1 fresh lime squeezed (1/8 cup of lime juice)

·         1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, minced

·         3 garlic gloves, minced

·         1 teaspoon of garlic powder

·         2 teaspoons of dried rosemary

·         2 teaspoons of cracked black pepper

At least 12 skewers

DIRECTIONS:

Directions:

1.  If you are grilling your kabobs, soak the wooden skewers in a pan of water for at least a half hour. If you are baking your kabobs, you do not need to soak the wooden skewers.

2. If grilling, pre-heat grill at 400 F°. If baking, pre-heat oven at 350 F°.

3. Skew the shrimp, chicken breast, bell pepper, zucchini, red onion, and pineapple onto the wooden sticks. The wooden skewer should pierce the shrimp (facing flat like a number 6) two times. Place assembled kabobs on a large plate or tin pan.

4. In a small bowl, mix together the marinade ingredients and brush the marinade onto the assembled kabobs.

5. Grill the kabobs for 10 minutes or bake the kabobs for 35 minutes.

*Cooked chicken turns white and cooked shrimp turns white/pink. 

6. Serve immediately

*Leftovers: disassemble kabobs and refrigerate in a sealed tight container. Reheat shrimp, chicken, vegetables, and pineapple for 2 minute in the microwave. Add warm leftovers to a salad with mixed greens or ½ cup of cooked brown rice.

Nutrition Information Per Serving (2 Kabobs):

Shrimp Kabobs:

Food weight: 1.0, Calories: 173 kcal, Fat: 8 g, Cholesterol: 86mg Carbohydrate: 13g, Dietary Fiber: 2g, Protein: 13g, Sodium: 92 mg

Chicken Kabobs:

Food weight: 2.0, Calories: 175 kcal, Fat: 8 g, Cholesterol: 33 mg Carbohydrate: 12g, Dietary Fiber: 2g, Protein: 15g, Sodium: 45 mg

Combo Kabobs

Food weight: 2.0, Calories: 174 kcal, Fat: 8 g, Cholesterol: 60 mg Carbohydrate: 13g, Dietary Fiber: 2g, Protein: 14g, Sodium: 69 mg

Vegetarian Kabobs

Food weight: 1.0, Calories: 112 kcal, Fat: 7 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg Carbohydrate: 12g, Dietary Fiber: 2g, Protein: 1g, Sodium: 8 mg