Central Peninsula Hospital | Pulse | Summer 2021 | 50th Anniversary Edition

Baja-style 5 tips for safer grilling Nothing says summertime like a cookout. But before you get the fire started, consider a few grilling tips for food that is tasty and healthy: 1 Pass on charring. Cooking food at higher temperatures produces chemicals linked to cancer. You can reduce these chemicals if you avoid charring and overcooking foods; marinate meat; remove any visible fat; or partially microwave or bake meat before you grill it. Keep meat in the center of the grill and flip often to avoid scorching. 2 Go lean. Instead of fatty steaks, burgers or hotdogs, try grilling leaner cuts of beef, chicken breasts or turkey burgers. Eating a lot of red meat or eating processed meats regularly may raise your risk of colorectal cancer. 3 Pile on the veggies. Try grill- ing an array of fresh and color- ful vegetables. Brush them lightly with olive oil and season with your favorite herbs. Try grilling fruit too. 4 Use a food thermometer. It’s the only way to know when meats are cooked to a safe inter- nal temperature (high enough to destroy any harmful bacteria). That’s 145 degrees for fish and red meat; 160 degrees for ground meats; and 165 degrees for poultry. 5 Avoid the danger zone. Bac- teria grow rapidly in tempera- tures between 40 and 140 degrees. So thaw and marinate meats in the fridge—never on a counter or by the grill. You can thaw meat safely in cold water or a microwave if you cook it immediately. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours or one hour on 90-degree days. Sources: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; American Institute for Cancer Research Makes 4 servings. Ingredients 12 ounces salmon fillet, cut into 4 portions (3 ounces each) 4 8-inch whole-wheat tortillas For taco filling: 1 cup green cabbage (about ¼ head), rinsed and shredded 1 teaspoon lime juice 1 teaspoon honey 1 ⁄ 2 cup red onion, thinly sliced (or substitute white onion) 1 medium jalapeño chile pepper, rinsed and split lengthwise—remove seeds and white membrane, and mince (about 2 tablespoons); for less spice, use green bell pepper 1 teaspoon fresh cilantro, minced (or substitute ½ teaspoon ground coriander) For marinade: 1 ⁄ 2 tablespoon corn oil or other vegetable oil 1 tablespoon lime juice 2 teaspoons chile powder 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon ground cumin 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon ground coriander 1 ⁄ 4 teaspoon salt Directions ● Preheat grill or oven broiler (with the rack 3 inches from heat source) on high temperature. ● Prepare taco filling by combining all ingredients. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes to blend the flavors. ● To prepare the marinade, combine the oil, lime juice, chile powder, cumin, coriander and salt in a bowl. ● Place salmon fillets in a flat dish with sides. Pour marinade evenly over fillets. ● Place salmon fillets on grill or broiler. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until fish flakes easily with a fork in the thickest part (minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees). Remove from the heat and set aside for 2 to 3 minutes. Cut into strips. ● To make each taco, fill one tortilla with ¾ cup filling and one salmon fillet. Nutrition information Serving size: 1 taco. Amount per serving: 325 calories, 11g total fat (1g saturated fat), 54mg cholesterol, 29g carbohydrates, 24g protein, 4g fiber, 395mg sodium Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute salmon tacos 6 Central Peninsula Hospital

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