The Grilling Zone

Grilling celebrates natural flavors of whole food and intensifies the flavor of meat, vegetables and fruit. Plus, enjoy a Summer Chicken BBQ with Coleslaw and Grilled Vegetables recipe.

There’s something about grilling food outside that celebrates simplicity and the natural flavors of whole foods. Grilling (usually done quickly over moderate to high heat with little smoke vs. barbecuing done slowly over low heat with smoke) intensifies the flavor of most meats, vegetables and fruits. Yes, you can grill fruits. Peaches are delicious.

Grilling is easily adaptable to the Zone, which recommends lean proteins, colorful, non-starchy vegetables and a small amount of monounsaturated fat like olive oil. If you consume lean proteins, vegetables, nuts, and berries, you would be following what Dr. Sears termed the Paleo-Zone in his 1995 N.Y. Times bestselling book, "The Zone." This is a stricter and perhaps an even healthier Zone Diet consisting of foods that we were genetically designed to eat. No grains, breads, pasta, rice, processed foods, cereal, soy or dairy. If one chooses to follow the Paleo-Zone, substitute more colorful non-starchy vegetables in place of grains pasta, rice, etc., and lean proteins in place of dairy.

Here’s an easy recipe from Lynn Sears’ book “Zone Meals in Seconds.”

Summer Chicken BBQ with Coleslaw and Grilled Vegetables
Prep:           10 minutes
Cooking:   20 minutes
Yield:          2 servings

Ingredients (Coleslaw):

• Coleslaw cabbage mix - 8 oz. of dry coleslaw mix
• Dressing - 2 tbsps. prepared cole-slaw dressing
• Grilled vegetables (variation from the book)
• 2 whole zucchini – cut in half
• 2 summer (yellow) squash – cut in half
• 1 whole red pepper – seeded cut in half
• 1 whole orange pepper - seeded cut in half
• 1 whole yellow pepper - seeded cut in half
• 1 bunch of asparagus
• 2 tbsps. olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Ingredients (Chicken):

• 1 8-oz. chicken breast
• 2 tablespoons prepared BBQ sauce
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. To make coleslaw, in a large bowl place 8 oz. of coleslaw. Add 2 tablespoons of prepared coleslaw dressing and toss.
2. Preheat the grill.
3. In a large bowl mix zucchini, summer squash, and red, orange and yellow peppers and toss to coat with olive oil, salt and pepper.
4. Brush the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Place vegetables and chicken on grill. Cook the vegetables, turning when grill marks begin to appear. Cook chicken turning occasionally (basting with BBQ sauce) until firm to the touch or done in the center by cutting in half. This will yield two 4-oz. servings.
6. Serve chicken with grilled vegetables and coleslaw on the side.

Enjoy!