Lightened-Up Labor Day Fare

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Exercise physiologist and certified personal trainer Bob Greene has helped millions of people slim down, most recently with his online program TheBestLife.com. The best-selling author shares the sure-fire strategies for losing weight, protecting your health and living your best life.

However, if you work out hard enough (which should be at about 80 percent of your target heart, or vigorously enough that you still could still carry on a conversation during the workout, but would prefer not to) you'll likely burn more calories than you take in -- even if you experience an increase in appetite. And the fitter you are, the longer and harder you can work out, which will further increase your calorie burn not only during the session, but throughout the day as well.
Labor Day Weekend is here, which means that it's time to squeeze in one last barbecue before the summer season officially ends. Make this a get-together to remember by serving creative -- and of course, healthful -- food that your guests will love. Instead of the same old hamburgers and hot dogs, try my grilled salmon recipe. I've been spending the summer in Hawaii, and I have to say, I've gotten hooked on grilled fish! Pair it with a roasted potato salad dish instead of standard fat-laden sides, like macaroni salad, and you'll have a satisfying summer meal that won't sabotage your weight-loss efforts. Check out the recipes for these two great dishes below and enjoy your holiday weekend!

Grilled Salmon (makes four servings)

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound wild salmon fillet
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, including flat parsley, dill, thyme and oregano
• 2 lemons, cut into thin slices

Directions:

1. Heat grill to medium.
2. On a piece of aluminum foil, spread half of sliced onions, lemons and herbs about the length of the salmon.
3. Lay salmon on top and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with remaining half of lemon, onion and herbs.
4. Cover salmon with a second piece of aluminum foil and crimp sides together. Place on grill and check after about 10 minutes. When salmon changes color (it should be light pink in the middle) and can be flaked with a fork, your fish is done.

Nutritional Info (per serving):

Calories: 228
Protein: 30 g
Carbohydrate: 8 g
Dietary Fiber: 3 g
Total Fat: 9 g
Saturated Fat: 1.5 g

Roasted Potato Salad (makes for servings)

Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound potatoes, skin intact, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1 sweet onion, sliced
• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh basil (optional)
• 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/16 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place potatoes and onion on a sheet tray and lightly coat with cooking spray; toss to evenly coat. Cook until soft, about 15 minutes.
3. Let vegetables cool to room temperature. Toss with carrots, celery and basil.
4. Make dressing by combining vinegar and oil.
5. Season potato mixture with vinaigrette, salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Nutritional Information (per serving):

Calories: 160
Protein: 2.8 g
Carbohydrate: 29.8 g
Dietary Fiber: 4.6 g
Total Fat: 3.7 g
Saturated Fat: 0.5 g