Healthy BBQ Plate

Cooking on the grill can be a fun way to enjoy the outdoors and keep the heat and mess out of your kitchen. In celebration of MyPlate's birthday on June 2nd, 2012, we have created a delicious, easy-to-make meal that follows its recommendations.These Chicken Fajita Kabobs are a fun twist on BBQ skewers. They will wake up your taste buds and have everyone scrambling to the dinner table! This recipe features adorable baby peppers, mostly because we found a package of baby peppers on sale at Costco and couldn't resist. If you don't have any baby peppers, don't worry! You can simply use large cubes of regular peppers and onions. We also grilled a variety of veggies like corn, asparagus, and tomatoes. For even more color, we made whole grain black forbidden rice. Once again, no forbidden rice, no worries. Brown rice works just as well.

Chicken Fajita Skewers:

Ingredients:2 chicken breasts, cut into large cubes1 sweet onion, peeled and cubed8 mini peppers (cored and seeded) or cubed pieces of cored, seeded, sweet peppers1 tablespoon olive oilFresh lemon or lime juiceSeasoning: oregano, black pepper, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder4 long bamboo skewers, soaked overnightDirections:

1. Thread chicken, onion cubes, and peppers onto the bamboo skewers.
2. Place the kabobs on foil and drape with oil, lime/lemon, and seasonings to taste.
3. Heat the grill to 350-400 degrees then place the kabobs on the grill. Cook until the chicken is almost done, then flip. Take the kabobs off the grill when the chicken is firm and no longer pink  in the middle. You can use a thermometer to evaluate doneness -- just wait until the inside of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F. (That's according to the USDA's new meat temperature guidelines).

While the skewers are grilling, prepare a variety of your favorite grilled vegetables. We've listed instructions for some of our favorites below.Corn -- Peel the husk back far enough to remove the silk. Place the husk back over the corn and dampen with a little water. Brush with olive oil as it cooks.Asparagus -- Place asparagus on foil with a little olive oil, then transfer foil to grill and cook until crisp tender. Season with garlic powder, black pepper, and a little hot pepper sauce.Tomatoes -- Place tomatoes on foil and sprinkle with a little olive oil. Season with dried Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and black pepper, then place the whole packet on the grill.Make the rice -- Make a batch of brown or black forbidden rice according to package directions. We generally use 1 cup of rice and 2 cups of water. A rice cooker makes this process very easy. Plus, if you start the rice along with the grill, everything should be done at the same time.Make a healthy plate -- Once everything is ready, load your plate based on MyPlate's advice. If you look at the picture at the top of this post, you can see that we have 1/2 veggies, 1/4 whole grains, and 1/4 chicken on our plate. Serve skim milk on the side and fresh fruit for dessert.  A unique way to serve the corn on the cob is to cut it into wheels and use those as a veggie garnish. Enjoy!Want this recipe in PDF form? Download it here: MyPlateFajitaKabobsVisit our store for free shipping on all MyPlate education materials. We're also offering free downloads of select posters, handouts, and games.