Black bean and flaxseed veggie burgers
The scoop: Black beans and flaxseeds are heart-healthy and protein-heavy. This recipe is also low in sodium, flavored instead with garlic and spices. To make these burgers gluten-free, use certified gluten-free oats, tamari and breadcrumbs.
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
Flax "eggs": 2 1/2 tablespoons ground flax and 1/2 cup warm water, mixed in bowl
1 cup oats, processed into a flourlike texture
1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup cooked black beans, rinsed and roughly pureed or mashed
Heaping 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1/3 cup almonds, chopped (toasted if preferred)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, (toasted if preferred)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon tamari (soy sauce)
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoons oregano
Fine grain sea salt and black pepper, to taste (I used about 1/2 teaspoon salt or a bit more)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (if baking). In a large skillet, sauté onions and garlic in 1/2 tablespoon oil. Mix your flax egg together in a small bowl and set aside for at least 10 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Place all ingredients (except spices and salt) into a large mixing bowl and stir very well. Now, add seasonings and salt to taste.

With slightly wet hands, shape dough into patties. Pack dough tightly as this will help it stick together.

Cooking methods: You can fry the burgers in a bit of oil on a skillet over medium heat for about five minutes on each side. For the barbecue, pre-bake the burgers for about 15 minutes in oven before placing on a pre-heated grill until golden and crisp on each side.

(Source: Oh She Glows)

Tuna burgers with carrot-ginger sauce
The scoop: Full of B vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids, tuna is a lean protein source, and ginger has anti-inflammatory properties.
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 small carrot, roughly chopped
1 1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
Pinch of sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound sushi-grade tuna
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup spicy sprouts, for garnish
4 whole-grain hamburger buns
1/2 avocado, sliced

Directions:
Pulse the carrot and ginger in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce and sugar and process until smooth. Drizzle in 2 tablespoons water and combine; season with salt and pepper. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and set aside.

Chop the tuna into chunks. Wipe out the food processor and add the tuna; pulse a few times to break up the pieces. In a bowl, mix two tablespoons olive oil, the soy sauce, lime juice, cilantro and ginger; season with salt and pepper. Pour over the tuna and process until well blended. Form into four patties; brush each lightly with the remaining teaspoon of olive oil.

Preheat a grill or grill pan. Once hot, add the burgers and cook for two minutes on each side for rare, or to desired doneness.

Toss the sprouts in the carrot-ginger sauce. Place the burgers on buns and top with avocado and sprouts.

(Source: Food Network)

Grilled shrimp with honey-ginger barbecue sauce
The scoop: Shrimp are low in calories and high in protein, not to mention inexpensive if you buy them frozen.
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:
Sauce:
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup mild honey
1/2 cup ketchup
1 1/2 tablespoons hot sauce, such as Tabasco
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced peeled ginger
1 teaspoon salt
Shrimp:
4 pounds jumbo or extra-large shrimp in shell, peeled, leaving tail and adjoining shell segment intact, and deveined
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
18 to 24 (12-inch) wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

Directions:
Stir together all sauce ingredients in a two to 2 1/2-quart heavy saucepan and briskly simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to about 1 1/4 cups, 25 to 30 minutes. (Stir frequently toward end of cooking to prevent sticking.)

If necessary, pat shrimp dry, then thread about six shrimp (through top and tail, leaving shrimp curled), onto each skewer, without leaving space between shrimp. Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium-high for gas).

Meanwhile, brush shrimp with vegetable oil and sprinkle evenly with salt. Lightly oil grill rack. Grill shrimp, covered only if using a gas grill, turning over once, for two minutes. Brush shrimp with some sauce from the saucepan, then turn. Brush shrimp with additional sauce then grill until just cooked through, one to two minutes. Serve with reserved sauce.

(Source: Epicurious)

Grilled vegetarian tostada
The scoop: The tostada is one of the most notoriously calorific entrees in the Mexican food oeuvre. By grilling shells instead of frying them, and cutting out the meat and sour cream, you get a guilt-free, flavorful vehicle for veggies. (If you just can't live without sour cream, the fat-free kind is super low-cal. You can also use a dollop of fat-free Greek yogurt.)
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for grill
3 medium zucchini (1 1/2 pounds total), cut into 1/2-inch-wide slices
4 Portobello mushrooms (1 pound total), stemmed
1 1/2 bunches scallions, root ends trimmed
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 flour tortillas (10-inch or burrito-size)
3 cups store-bought or fresh salsa
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 lime, cut lengthwise into 4 wedges (optional), for serving

Directions:
Heat grill to high; lightly oil grates. In separate piles, arrange zucchini, mushrooms and scallions on a baking sheet. Drizzle with two tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper.

Working in batches if necessary, remove each pile of vegetables from baking sheet. Grill, turning once, until lightly browned and tender, two minutes for scallions, six minutes for mushrooms and eight minutes for zucchini. Return all vegetables to baking sheet. Slice mushrooms into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Set aside.

Brush tortillas with remaining tablespoon oil; grill, turning frequently, until browned and very crispy, about two minutes. Place one tortilla on each serving plate; cover evenly with mushrooms and zucchini. Using kitchen shears, snip scallions over vegetables. Top with salsa, and sprinkle with feta; serve with lime wedges if desired.

(Source: Martha Stewart)

Flank steak skewers with cherry barbecue sauce
The scoop: If you've gotta have beef at your barbecue, flank steak is the leanest cut. Avoid tough, chewy texture by cutting the meat against the grain.
Makes 16 skewers

Ingredients:
Sauce:
2 teaspoons ghee or fat of choice
1/2 cup minced shallot
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (1-inch) ginger root, peeled and finely grated
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup coconut aminos (or wheat-free tamari)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup apple juice
10 ounces frozen cherries, roughly chopped
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Skewers:
1 1/2-pound flank steak
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons melted ghee
1/4 cup scallions, thinly sliced (optional)

Directions:
To make the sauce, melt the ghee over medium heat in a small saucepan. Add the shallots and a pinch of salt and sauté until translucent (around five minutes). Stir in the garlic, ginger and tomato paste and sauté for 30 second until fragrant. Add the coconut aminos, vinegar, juice and cherries and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until the cherry mixture is thickened. While the sauce is simmering, stir occasionally and smash the cherries against the side of the pot. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the sauce to a bowl or measuring cup and set aside.

Thirty minutes before you grill your skewers, soak 16 bamboo skewers in water. Grab your slab of flank steak and cut it into 16 pieces. Carefully stab each slice of meat through the center with a soaked skewer.

Grab a hefty meat pounder or small cast iron skillet and smash each steak skewer until it's about a half-inch thick. Season the beef with salt and pepper and brush both sides with melted ghee.

Grill over high heat for one to two minutes on each side. Let the meat skewers rest for five to 10 minutes before brushing on the cherry barbecue sauce. A garnish of fresh green scallions is optional.

(Source: Nom Nom Paleo)