Welcome to Labor Day Weekend! For many it may be the last chance this year for a great grilling get-together. Don’t blow this great opportunity by putting awesome food on pre-made, packaged, convenience caca. Honor this important holiday, and your body, with quality food that tastes amazing.
Try out one or more of the recipes below to send summer off on a high, delicious, nutritious note. Barbecues aren’t about winning or losing, but you’ll definitely win with these dishes.
Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken
You had me at honey mustard ... Easily one of the best combinations in the history of ever, honey mustard is an out-of-the-ballpark hit. We seem to forget about it until it comes time for a salad. Can’t stop, won’t stop there — this grilled honey mustard chicken is a crowd-pleaser.
Added bonus — both honey and mustard seeds have incredible health benefits. This recipe is a sure-fire, show-stopping, Stallone-style knockout.
Simply Scratch
Easy Grilled Vegetables
The struggle is only as real as you allow it to be. Don’t let a battle ensue with your vegetables. Even the grouchiest of vegetable-haters won’t be able to resist the tasty goodness. They’ll leave your savory soiree saying, “Those grilled vegetables though!”
Gimme Some Oven
Grilled Blooming Onion
There are few things more delicious in this world than a grilled cooked onion. Forget the breading, and let the onion’s true beautiful flavor shine through. Little tidbit of advice to take it to a whole other level — Walla Walla onions are now in season. The flavor profile of a Walla Walla onion cooked using this recipe will be absolutely divine.
Diethood
Grilled Lemon Zucchini
Pop onto social media now and ask if anyone has an excess of zucchini. It’s that magical time of year when gardeners have an overflowing abundance of zucchini and are dying to unload it on someone. This recipe is a great way to relieve said gardener and wow the crowd. Rein in on the amount of salt used to keep your favorite nutritionist smiling as well.
The Pioneer Woman
Grilled Mushroom Skewers
As summer draws to an end, so does the chance to get vitamin D from the sun. Mushrooms, especially ones that have been exposed to ultraviolet light, happen to be one of the very few foods with naturally occurring vitamin D. Make these amazing grilled mushroom skewers and send your Labor Day company off into a healthy fall season.
Flavorite
Honey Lime Quinoa Fruit Salad
To be clear, if you want to win any BBQ or potluck, you must be the person who brought a killer salad. Burgers, brats and hot dogs are expected. So are the store bought chips and dip. You, my friend, show up with an unexpected, bright, beautiful salad and you win.
Be prepared to be asked for the recipe and practice saying, “Oh, I just threw it together.” This recipe brings the flavor, the nutrition and the beauty to the picnic table.
The Recipe Critic
Greek Chicken Kabobs
Every now and then you find a recipe that puts a perfect twist on an old standard. This Greek Chicken Kabob recipe does just that, and even comes with a bonus recipe to make tzatziki. A great way to enjoy the last perfectly sweet cucumbers of the season, while avoiding the status of being the person who made basic kabobs.
Cooking Classy
Summer Sangria
Nutritionist are really ingenious at getting people to enjoy more produce, and finding excuses to enjoy a glass of wine. Increase your produce consumption (sort of) and decrease your stress levels with a perfect glass of sangria. This recipe has an unexpected ingredient that can actually really boost your health. The catch is you’d have to eat delicious, wine-soaked produce. Gosh darn it.
Gimme Some Oven
Edited by Jody Smith