Looking for healthy cookout dishes for your next outdoor dinner?
Spring is already here, so it is time to get your hands on the best electric smoker out there and open a new season of outdoor cooking! One of the best things about cooking in the open air is the fact that it allows you to get the freshest and the most flavorful ingredients and make even more tasteful and nutritious meals out of them.
Opting for healthy and nutritious veggie recipes will allow you to balance your diet, reduce calorie intake, increase energy levels – and all this while still eating tasty food! Moreover, it will also positively impact your overall well-being and boost your mood.
Here are a few incredibly delicious recipes made with mood-boosting foods that will take your spring cookout to a whole new level!
Grilled Asparagus with Lemon and Parmesan
Asparagus is one of the best mood-boosting foods. It contains quercetin, a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to improve memory function, enhance cognitive performance, and boost your mood.
For this dish, you will need the following ingredients.
- 1 pound of asparagus (whole or cut into pieces)
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of lemon zest
- lemon juice from half of a lemon
- half a cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat your grill to medium heat. Drizzle the asparagus with olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste. Mix lemon zest and juice together and pour over asparagus. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Put the asparagus on the grates and keep it there until the cheese has melted and the asparagus is tender but still bright green. Serve immediately!
Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Zesty Lime Herb Butter
Sweet potatoes are one of the best mood-boosting foods. They contain vitamin B6, which is known to convert tryptophan – an essential amino acid – into serotonin, a neurotransmitter that regulates mood, appetite, sleep patterns, memory, and learning. It also contains additional minerals that have been shown to contribute to overall mental health, such as magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc, and manganese.
For these healthy cookout dishes, you will need the following ingredients.
- 4 sweet potatoes (scrubbed and cut into rods)
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 clove of garlic (minced)
- half a cup of fresh cilantro leaves
- juice from one lime
- 3 tablespoons of butter
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat your grill to medium heat. In a small bowl, mix one tablespoon of olive oil with salt, pepper, garlic, and cilantro leaves together. Lightly brush sweet potatoes with remaining oil and sprinkle with a mixture of herbs. Place on a grill and cook for about ten minutes per side. After it is done cooking, sprinkle lime juice on top of each potato. Lastly, cut the butter into slices and place a slice on top of each potato. Enjoy!
Grilled Summer Squash with Sage
Summer squash is one of the best foods when it comes to boosting your mood. It contains tryptophan, an amino acid that contributes to overall well-being and happiness. Moreover, it contains magnesium, which has been linked to better sleep quality and reduced stress levels.
For this dish, you will need the following ingredients.
- 4 yellow summer squash (sliced)
- a quarter of a cup of fresh sage leaves
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- half a teaspoon of salt
- half a teaspoon of pepper
- juice from 2 lemons
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat your grill to medium heat. In a small bowl, mix the sage leaves, olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice together. Brush the squash with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with the sage mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place on the grill and cook for around ten minutes per side. Remove from heat and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Grilled Corn on the Cob with Lime Butter Sauce
Corn is known as one of the best mood-boosting foods as it contains B vitamins such as niacin, thiamin, folate, pantothenic acid, and biotin that help maintain overall mental health and prevent depression. It also contains magnesium that has been found to reduce stress levels and aid sleep. This recipe combines corn with butter for even more nutritional value!
For this dish, you will need the following ingredients.
- 3 cups of frozen corn kernels (thawed and drained)
- 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon of lime zest
- salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat your grill to medium heat. Lightly coat the corn in remaining butter and sprinkle with lime zest, salt, and pepper. Then, place it on the grill and cook for around twenty minutes or until it is slightly charred. Lastly, remove from the heat and enjoy!
In Conclusion
As you can see, there are many healthy cookout dishes that you can prepare in order to boost your mood. On top of that, the recipes mentioned above are relatively easy to put into action. As a result, you should be able to take your spring cookout to the next level in no time!
