Photo: woodleywonderworks, Flickr

Grilled food is simply delicious and compared to other cooking methods like frying, it's generally healthier. But grilled food is not without a caveat. When the high heat from the grill hits the meat, cancer-causing compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are formed.

According to a post at CafeMom, a tasty trick can minimize the chances of HCAs forming. Just use antioxidant-rich herbs such as rosemary, thyme, sage or oregano in your marinade before grilling. Besides adding a layer of safety, marinading your meat makes it tastier. In addition to the fresh herbs, other healthful ingredients for your marinades include olive oil, fresh citrus and balsamic vinaigrette.

Remember, meat isn't your only option for the grill -- try grilling an all veg dinner or try some of these creative grilling ideas. AOL Health has more tips for safe, healthful and tasty grilling.

Nothing says summer like a backyard barbecue. And nothing says summer weight gain like heavy potato salads, chips and dip and sugar-rich desserts. In fact, that plate full of food can set you back up to 2,000 calories.

Whether you're hostessing and want to serve up healthy sides to your guests or are bringing a dish so you know there's something you can enjoy without all the extra fat and calories, here are delicious and nutritious tips for your next BBQ:

• Use whole wheat pasta in your pasta salad and go heavy on the vegetables, light on the dressing.
• Grill angel food cake and serve up with fresh strawberries and low-cal whipped topping.
• Roll your corn on the cob in mixed herbs or with a dash of lime sauce, rather than butter.
• Go ahead and serve those baked beans, just skip the meat and add some extra vegetables. Or better yet, try a bean salad instead.
• Skip the dip and serve up fresh, crunchy veggies with salsa or hummus.

It's BBQ season, so if you're looking for more tips on how to make your grilling habits healthier, check out our posts on creative cookouts, grilling fruits and vegetables and good for you BBQs.

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Grilling is a summertime treat -- and a great way to get out of cooking in that hot kitchen. Before you pull out that package of hot dogs, though, consider that your grill is the perfect place to cook fruits and veggies, too. Getting in your five to nine servings a day has never tasted so good!

• Firm vegetables like corn, peppers, eggplant and onions can be cooked directly on the grill. Baste them in your favorite marinade for extra flavor, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Some veggies are perfect for steaming. Make a pocket out of tinfoil, put in carrots, zucchini and potatoes, then add seasoning and a small amount of water. Put the entire package on the grill and heat.
• Bite-sized veggies, like mushrooms, grill up great on a skewer or in a grill basket.
• Satisfy your sweet tooth with grilled fruit. Brush fruits like apples and peaches with a small amount of oil and sprinkle with cinnamon, or serve grilled bananas with a scoop of low-fat yogurt.

Serve up great nutrition this summer by putting fruits and veggies on your grill -- indoor or outdoor. Check out Maggie's post on creative grilling for more healthy and delicious ideas.

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When the warm weather arrives, nothing tastes better than a meal cooked on the grill. But don't limit yourself to hot dogs and burgers. There are lots of creative options for the grill that are light, nutritious and delicious:

• Dinner on a stick. Skewer healthy ingredients like shrimp, chicken and veggies. Toss all the cut ingredients with a little olive oil and sprinkle with herbs before skewering them. Grill until the protein is thoroughly cooked.
• Pizza pizazz. Pizza is great on the grill. Lightly brush a prepared pizza crust with olive oil and grill one side. Flip the crust over to grill the other side and add your toppings. Keep on the grill until cheese melts. (Make sure other toppings are already cooked -- you can grill those before starting the crust.) Remember, choose pizza toppings that are in keeping with your healthy eating goals.
  
• Tropical burger. Make the traditional burger a bit healthier by choosing lean turkey instead of beef. Then, put a twist on it by topping it with grilled pineapple and mango. You can even grill the whole wheat bun.
• Grilled greens. OK, you don't really grill your salad. But you can add some summery flavor to your salad by grilling salmon, shrimp or chicken to go on top.
• Dessert on the grill. Many fruits are delicious after grilling -- the heat caramelizes the sugars and gives them a whole different taste.

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It's that time of year ... early Fall, when apples abound, but warm enough that you can still grill without a parka. So what's this all mean to you? Another fabulously delicious recipe to make, which includes apples on your grill: Apple Halibut Kabobs.

Grilling is a healthy coop all to itself because you use so much less fat than you would if pan-frying or even oven roasting. Yes, healthy fats are good for us in moderation, but you'll get those in the halibut -- so grill while you still can.

You want more healthy reasons to make this recipe? How about the loads of vitamin C in the apples and peppers? The onions and thyme lend their own healthy benefits as well.

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Salmon is by far my favorite type of seafood. Not only is it delicious, it's good for you, too; it's rich in omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin D, selenium, protein, and vitamins B3 and B12.

While it's important to me to serve healthful meals for me and my son, I'm not the world's most innovative cook. That's another reason why salmon is tops on my list. It's so easy to cook ... you really can't go wrong. My favorite method is to drizzle it with just a tiny bit of olive oil, sprinkle some paprika on top, and grill it. The same method works in the oven, too. I usually pair it with some seasoned brown rice and steamed asparagus.

Real Simple has eight salmon recipes that are much more creative than my stand-by preparation method. The Dill Salmon Burgers sound awesome as does the Blackened Salmon.

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This summer I joined some friends on their pontoon for a day of cruising around the lake and docking in the shallows with about 30 other boaters. My friends told me we'd have lunch on the boat, so I had brought along some simple fare. Instead of keeping it simple, my friends attached a small grill to the back of the pontoon and grilled a fantastic lunch. In fact, they made so much that they filled a styrofoam cooler with the food and walked it through the shallows offering other boaters food from their floating restaurant. Needless to say, the other boaters were thrilled.

Just as my friends wowed their water-loving comrades, you can wow your fellow football fans when tailgating. Cooking Light has four great menus for you to try. You don't have to stick to hot dogs or cold sandwiches. The Cooking Light menus are much more ambitious -- not to mention delicious; salmon, cous-cous, barbecued chicken, and peaches with caramel sauce are just a few of the tasty treats they recommend.

Want more tailgating tips? Check out Kristin's post on vegetarian tailgating.

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So what are your plans for Labor Day? Frankly, the holiday sneaked up on me this year. What with back-to-school and work deadlines and other things I have on my mind, I completely forgot about it. My son and I will find something fun to do, though. We'll probably visit with family and maybe go to the BMX track (my son's favorite activity).

When making your Labor Day plans, keep health in mind. Some ideas:

• When grilling for your Labor Day BBQ, choose leaner cuts of meat and grill plenty of vegetables. You can also grill some fruits (peaches, plums, pineapple) for dessert. Remember to keep grilling safety in mind, too.
  
• Skip the chips and mayo-laden salads. Instead offer more healthful choices like veggie trays, yummy mixed green salads, and fruit salad.
• Plan some active time with family and friends. You can set up a volleyball net in the backyard, hold a basketball competition, or swim. Kids would also enjoy relay races and active games like red light, green light.
  
• Go on a Labor Day outing. Hike along a nature trail, bike on a rail trail, or visit a nearby beach (and don't just lay around -- swim and be active).

Studies reveal that boiling or grilling meats over too much heat creates chemicals, known as HCAs, that may be carcinogenic. I think it's a fair assumption that nobody wants their summer barbecue to be cancer-causing, so follow these safe cooking tips to reduce that risk:

Marinate your meats before grilling them. Studies have shown that marinating before grilling works very well to reduce the amount of potentially dangerous chemicals in meats.

Don't eat the charred parts. Simple enough, right? If the research is sound and charred meat may be carcinogenic, then an easy solution is to completely avoid any blackened portions while you feast on your beast.

Grill meats at a moderate temperature over embers, not fired-up coals. And flip your meats often, as this prevents charring and also kills bacteria.

Avoid meats that are high in fat, such as ribs or sausage, and remove skin from chicken. The added fat will drip into the flames below and cause smoke and flame flares.

For more ways to keep your summer grilling healthy, follow this link to the website for the American Institute for Cancer Research.

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When I plan out meals for the week, I often look for ways to cut some corners on time. For example, if I'm going to brown ground turkey for lettuce wraps, I make sure to buy enough meat that I can reserve half of the browned meat for spaghetti or lasagna the next day. (If you're wondering about the lettuce wraps, I brown the meat, add teriyaki sauce and a little garlic, spoon the mixture into romaine leaves, and then top with shredded carrot -- delicious and healthy!)

Cooking Light has some ideas on how you can apply the "cook once, eat twice" principle to grilling. It's a great time saver and, when it comes to outdoor cooking, lighting up the grill only once for two meals is much better for the environment.

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Here are some "kick butt" tips for keeping fit, active and regret free on the Fourth of July from KickYourButtIntoGear.com. As KickYourButtIntoGear.com is owned and managed by a fellow expert in the field of fitness, Exercise Physiologist, Tracy Benham ... the tips are awesome advice for you and you family to adhere to!

• Sports and summertime go together. Plan an activity early in the day. Play baseball, touch football; go to the local pool or beach.
• Get outside early and see if you can think of and do more than four activities before four o'clock to celebrate the Fourth.
• Eat a bowl of fruit before you head for the barbecue goodies. Tons of fruits are in season. Make a Fourth of July fruit cocktail. Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries...
• Use a plate. You will be less tempted to mindlessly snack.
• Skip the cheese and the Mayo on your burger and load up on lettuce tomatoes, pickles, onions and relish.
• Alternate cocktails and other caloric beverages with a glass of water. Or ... just avoid the high calorie beverages all together!

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There's just something about summertime that begs for food to be prepared on a grill. This summer, while grilling out, keep the environment in mind and make your barbeque a little greener:

• Often barbeques focus on the meat. But, when it comes to thinking green, meat production has a big impact on the environment. So, reduce the overall amount of meat you serve and make sure whatever meat you do grill was local, organic, and humanely-raised.
• Visit your farmer's market and buy some locally-grown organic veggies. Peppers, onions, zucchini, and summer squash are delicious when grilled. You can cut thick wedges, lightly brush them with olive oil, and grill. Or, skewer chunks of veggies and grill them like that. Corn is also great on the grill, but avoid the butter because it can really crank up the calories.
• Dice potatoes and grill them in a foil packet. You can also grill potatoes whole -- try a Yukon Gold sliced open and sprinkled with olive oil and rosemary. Thick wedges of sweet potato are also delicious on the grill.
• Serve a mixed greens salad topped with strawberries (all purchased from the farmer's market, of course).
  
• You can even grill fruit for dessert.
  

Your healthy -- and green -- feast is sure to be a hit with friends and family. Enjoy!

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Besides the different things we do and wear from season to season, the foods we eat vary dramatically as well. The snow keeps hearty stews on the stove and hot drinks in our hands. The summer however, propels us to brew ice cold tea and lighten up a little at mealtime. I found a recipe I like a lot from the book Delicious Disney, The Disney Chefs with Pam Brandon.

The Field Greens Salad with Grilled Salmon just feels right this time of year. It's a delicious dish you can gobble up tonight and not pay the price in your swimsuit tomorrow. I've placed it on page 38 of my recipe book on Fitzness.com. Enjoy!

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It's hard to say which day out of the six we spent a few weeks ago at the Walt Disney World Resort was my favorite, but day three really was special. It was jam packed with a variety of super fun activities that were both totally exciting and totally relaxing at the same time. The majority of day three was spent at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort, where we were staying. We capped off a superb day with a glamorous evening at The California Grill, one of Disney's Signature Restaurants located on the top floor of The Contemporary Resort.

If you take your family to Disney, I highly recommend strategically placing at least one 'resort day' in the middle of your stay. The theme parks and water parks are amazing, but can be exhausting. Playing at your Disney resort still offers loads of fun, but doesn't drain. In fact, a 'resort day' is the perfect recharge for tired parents needed a break. The pools are wildly creative, the hot tubs....to die for, and the free organized activities are endless. Yes, you heard me right. Most of the Disney resorts offer planned activities for both children and adults.....FREE OF CHARGE! Whooohooooo!

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