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Side dishes for barbeques using healthy ingredients

Nick Duell09/02/20210 comments

Barbeque season is well and truly here. In fact, we can’t think of anything better to sum up the spirit of summer…the delicious aroma of food sizzling away accompanied by drinks with friends under the warm sun.

To accompany your barbequed meat and fish, you might like to try some healthy side dishes. Make the most of your fruit and veg shop by choosing some fresh, tasty ingredients to add flavour and nutritional balance to your barbie.

While the barbeque is smoking away, you can quickly and easily prepare some steamed vegetables as an accompaniment.

Steaming is a great way to prepare your veggies as it preserves their colour, flavour and nutrients. Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and asparagus are all great choices for steaming.

All you need to do is bring water to boil in the bottom pan of your steamer, then add the prepared vegetables to the upper steamer basket. Note that the water in the bottom pan shouldn’t touch the vegetables in the basket. Put on the lid and steam for three minutes to start with and check at regular intervals to check if they are tender.

Serve seasoned simply with salt, pepper and chilli flakes or a cheese or herb sauce.

Another way to get the most out of your veggies is to serve them raw, as certain nutrients are preserved this way. This is true of fat-soluble nutrients, which can be lost by the process of cooking. These include vitamins A, D, E and K. The same can be said of water-soluble nutrients, including vitamins B and C and antioxidants.

Our recipe for Southeast Asian coleslaw makes full use of delicious raw vegetables, adding zest and nutrition to your barbeque offering.

The capsicums offer high levels of vitamin A for growth and development, vitamin C for the immune system and the antioxidant vitamin E.

Meanwhile, the cabbage is especially rich in vitamin K, essential for bone and heart health, and is high in fibre, which aids gut health.

Easy to prepare, our coleslaw is a delicious complement to any barbeque.

This low-fat coleslaw combines the typically Asian flavours of peanut, chilli and coriander with the powerful nutritional content of capsicums and cabbage.

Southeast Asian coleslaw

Courses: Lunch, Main Course, Salads and sides

For: 8 Serves

Ingredients

3 tablespoons Peanut butters
2 cloves Garlics (finely chopped)
2 tablespoons rice vinegars
2 tablespoons soy sauces
½ teaspoon Chilli (red)s
½ cup Coriander leaves (chopped (or parsley))
2 tablespoons Chives (chopped fresh)
2 Capsicum (red)s (finely sliced)
2 Carrots (grated)
½ Red cabbages (finely shredded)
½ Cabbage (white)s (finely shredded)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds (toasted)

Instructions

Mix the peanut butter, rice vinegar, garlic, salt, soy sauce and chilli sauce together until smooth.
Add the chopped chives, coriander and the sliced red capsicum. Then add the shredded cabbage and toss until all the ingredients are well-mixed.
Place in a serving bowl, cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds just before you serve the coleslaw.

Healthy ingredients from a fruit shop near me

The ingredients for our Southeast Asian coleslaw recipe, along with other fresh produce, can be easily obtained in your regular fruit and veg delivery.

Why not order your vegetable and fruit delivery in Melbourne from the Local Food Market Co? We offer a single platform where you can source all the fresh, tasty and nutritious fruit and vegetables you need in a few simple clicks.

We also offer fruit box delivery in Melbourne so you can make the most of the season’s available fruits.