Marvelous Marinades

August 5, 2016
Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS

Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS

Award-winning nutritionist and New York Times bestselling author.

Easy recipes whisked to impress.

The last weeks of summer seem to be the sweetest as you enjoy the fleeting warmth and sunshine with a greater appreciation. Before the season of sun and fun shuts down for the year, you’re probably packing in as many outdoor get-togethers with family and friends as you can—and I bet a good ole fashioned barbeque is on the menu.

Some might argue that what many of us call a “barbeque” is actually more of a “cook out.” Being married to a Texan, I’m privy to the full 411 about what constitutes a “true blue BBQ.” The difference is the cooking style—slow and low vs speedy and high heat.

But the preference goes beyond simply a matter of taste.

Cooking without Carcinogens

Grilling and deep frying (which both rely on high, direct heat) expose your food to a larger number of carcinogenic HCAs (heterocyclic amines) and PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) than other methods that cook the meat for hours on a lower temp. This is due to the reaction of the proteins, sugar, and creatine in the meat during exposure to these hotter temperatures—typically 400° Fahrenheit and up. HCAs and PAHs have been shown to increase your risk for several cancers, including prostate, lung, colorectal, and esophageal.

That’s certainly not what you want as a side dish! A great temperature range for the slow and low style is 225° Fahrenheit or lower. So, keep in mind that charred = unhealthy.

Now that we have our cooking style set, I want to share a few yummy, Fat Flush friendly marinades that will delight your guests’ taste buds! Do note that while olive oil is a wonderful healthy oil that can be used in many recipes (as well as for gentle frying), avocado oil is our go-to here because it fares the best with heat.

Lemon Zing Marinade

2/3 cup avocado oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 teaspoons dried mustard
2 teaspoons rosemary, finely chopped
1 teaspoon thyme
1 ½ cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt

Spices of the Isles Marinade

1 cup avocado oil
2 teaspoons cayenne
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt

Do the Fandango Marinade

1 cup avocado oil
2 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 cups organic cilantro, finely chopped
3 tablespoons red pepper flakes
4 gloves garlic, minced

Each marinade makes enough for about 2 – 2 ½ pounds of meat. Whisk all ingredients in a bowl and use with your choice of free-range or pasture-raised, grass-fed meat.

Have a marvelous time at your next gathering!

Related Articles and Podcasts

Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS, is an award-winning New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty books including The Fat Flush Plan series and her latest book, Radical Metabolism. She’s been rewriting the rules of nutrition for more than 40 years and is internationally recognized as a pioneer in the field of diet, detox and women’s health issues. 

For a FREE daily dose of tips and strategies for maintaining healthy weight, conquering insomnia, and much more…check out my Radical Health Tips.

I’d like to meet and greet you on my Facebook groups, so won’t you check us out at the Radical Metabolism RevolutionFat Flush Nation, or my Inner Circle!

4 Comments

  1. Felice

    I love theses marinades! But I’m confused why we would use avocado oil when it is an oil that shouldn’t be cooked? Please explain!

    Reply
  2. Team ALG

    Avocado oil is an oil with one of the highest smoking points so it is ideal for the barbecue.

    Reply
  3. Lisa

    Thanks for explaining the mechanism of high temperature cooking that is unhealthy in meat. Very interesting. The marinades look yummy!

    Reply
  4. Elaine Robesky

    This is perfect timing for my husband and I. We grill 85% of our food, going to grill tonight and use the Spices of Isles marinade. Thank you for you for this article and all of your articles, I find them all very informative

    Reply

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