26 Healthy Grilled Recipes for the New Year
Jan 03, 2022, Updated Jan 21, 2024
Start the New Year out right with these protein and nutrient-packed Healthy Grilled Recipes. Healthy doesn’t just mean salad. Grilling and smoking meat is a delicious and lower calorie option to deep frying or other fat-centric cooking methods.
First, let me say that I am not a trained nutritionist. However, I have been eating food for a while now, 😉 and noticing how it impacts my mood and body. I go to these dishes when I want healthy grilled recipes.
Table of Contents
‘Healthy’ is a pretty broad term that means different things to different people. I believe there are no intrinsically good and bad foods. What is ‘good’ for one person’s body may not work well in someone else’s. Additionally, I love what my fellow food blogger friend Samantha says: “Some foods nourish our bodies, while others cater more to our souls”. (If you’re looking more for the latter, try our Comfort Food round-up.)
Every January my family does a 10-day sugar detox. It’s not that sugar is evil. But for us it’s a great way to start the year feeling fresh and the commitment is doable. We teach the kids the difference between natural and artificial sugar, and how to read food labels.
That said, most doctors would probably say that eating a variety of fruits and veggies will help improve your health and may even help you fight the winter blahs. So here are our favorite veggie forward and protein packed recipes for a healthy new year.
Grilled Protein
Grilling requires much less oil than pan frying, making for a healthier end product.
Grilled Salmon
Savory Grilled Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Recipe
Grilled Fish Tacos Recipe with Citrus Marinade
Grilled Chicken Wings Recipe
Grilled Cod with Chimichurri
Grilled Chicken Kabobs with Citrus Marinade
Grilled Pork Loin with Blackberry, Caramelized Shallots, and Red Wine Glaze
Healthy Side Dishes
Food is all about balance. Balance a rich main dish with one of these lighter side dishes.
Collard Greens Recipe With Smoked Turkey Leg
Grilled Sweet Potato Recipe with Smoked Honey Butter
Smoked Bacon and Tomatillo Guacamole
Smoked Beets Recipe with Goat Cheese Ranch
Grilled and Glazed Carrots Recipe
Easy Grilled Green Beans Recipe with Grilled Lemon
Delicious Salads
Salad may be one of the first things you think of when you think ‘healthy’. You may also immediately think of dieting and being hungry. Well it doesn’t have to be that way! These salads boast a hefty dose of protein to keep you feeling full and fueled until dinner time.
Grilled Chicken Salad with Candied Pecans and Balsamic Dressing
Watermelon Salad with Basil and White Balsamic Vinegar
Grilled Romaine Caesar Salad Recipe
Grilled Salmon Salad Recipe
Healthy Snacks
As a parent, you want to feel good about the snacks you’re handing to your kids. Let out a sigh of relief because these snacks are delicious and healthy.
Smoked Almonds
Grilled Shishito Peppers with Yogurt Dipping Sauce
Grilled Crudités Platter with Tarragon Dipping Sauce
Taco Lettuce Wraps Recipe with Ground Beef
Smoked Deviled Eggs Recipe
Puglia inspired Tuna Toast Recipe with Tomatoes and Arugula
Healthy Dessert Recipes
Being ‘healthy’ doesn’t mean going without dessert! Try one of these fruit-forward sweets after dinner tonight.
Grilled Peaches Recipe with Ice Cream and Honey
Grilled Pineapple Recipe
Grilled Apple Crisp
About Vindulge
Mary (a certified sommelier and recipe developer) and Sean (backyard pitmaster) are co-authors of the critically acclaimed cookbook, Fire + Wine, and have been creating content for the IACP nominated website Vindulge since 2009. They live in Oregon on a farm just outside Portland.
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