The low-cal summer barbecue

Yes, there is such a thing, says chef Gregory Epstein, Shape's recipe tester. Here's an easy way to go about it: Add 2 tablespoons of Epstein's award-winning Gold Dust Chipotle-Honey BBQ Sauce (50 calories and no fat) to any dish--'cued or not--and you won't be tempted to use butter or other fats for flavor ($5 for 16 ounces; golddustspices.com, 800-221-8189). We've even used it at our Shape recipe taste tests--to spice up a lackluster frittata and an uninspired sandwich. But the best use by far is on grilled meats, fish and vegetables, as in the recipe here. A portion of all proceeds are donated to cancer research in memory of Epstein's brother, Andrew, who recently died of the disease at age 31.

recipe instructions

Preheat outdoor grill to medium high (or oven to 425[degrees]F). Place salmon and egg white in a food processor and pulse until salmon forms a ball (do not puree). Transfer to a medium bowl. Add cilantro, green onions, sesame oil, ginger, oats, soy sauce and grated pear. Season with salt and pepper and let sit 10 minutes to allow oats to absorb moisture in salmon mixture. Form into 4 1-inch-thick patties.

In a large bowl, gently toss vegetables (including mushrooms and apple quarters) with half the BBQ sauce. Place vegetables and salmon patties on hot grill or foil-covered baking sheet. Spread 1 tablespoon BBQ sauce on each patty. Cook 4-5 minutes, turn patties and vegetables, then baste with remaining sauce and cook another 4-5 minutes, until vegetables are tender but crisp on the outside and salmon patties are cooked through.

Nutrition Score per serving (1 salmon patty, 1/4 vegetable mixture): 431 calories. 31% fat (15 g; 2.9 g saturated), 42% carbs (48 g), 27% protein (29 g), 7 g fiber, 60 mg calcium, 2.7 mg iron, 546 mg sodium.

RELATED ARTICLE: Greg's Chipotle-Honey BBQ Salmon Burgers With Grilled Vegetables

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 8-10 minutes

    1 pound fresh boneless, skinless salmon, cut into 1-inch cubes
    1 egg white
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
  1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
    1 teaspoon sesame oil
    1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
  1/4 cup rolled oats
    1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
  1/3 cup fresh Bartlett or Bosc pear, grated, with juice squeezed out
Kosher salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
    1 eggplant (about 1/2 pound), sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
    2 red bell peppers, seeded and quartered
    2 zucchinis, ends cut off and quartered
    8 button mushrooms
    1 sweet onion (such as Maui or Walla Walla), sliced into 1/4-inch
      rounds
    1 Fuji apple, quartered and core removed
  3/4 cup Gold Dust Chipotle-Honey BBQ Sauce, divided in half

RELATED ARTICLE: nutrition tip

If you find skim milk too watery and bland-tasting, make it richer and more palatable by stirring in 1 heaping tablespoon of nonfat powdered milk per cup. You'll boost the calcium content by 94 milligrams while adding only 27 calories and no fat.--Angela Hynes

COPYRIGHT 2004 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group