Cleveland, OH

Hey, don’t slather on that sugary sauce! Healthy barbecue options exist: 8 grill tips

Published

1 year ago

May 22, 2023

Hey, don’t slather on that sugary sauce! Healthy barbecue options exist: 8 grill tips

CLEVELAND, Ohio – This time of year brings the aromas of sizzling meats on the grill, savory and mouth-watering dishes to feast on as we enjoy our few months of warm weather.

But barbecue – like many styles of cooking – can quietly load up calories when you add sides like creamy potato or pasta salad and other dishes. But you can take a healthy approach. Holistic nutritionist Dan LeMoine, who lives in Phoenix but is originally from Hudson, offers some tips.

“Being from Cleveland I know we always gain 15 to 20 pounds every winter, and we work hard leading into the summer to get it off. I think grilling is one of the healthier options. You can make some really delicious food that is healthy for you with the grill,” said LeMoine, who runs re:vitalize weight loss and wellness clinics with Dr. Noel Abood.

They focus on using technology “to remove the guesswork for people out of what foods are good for losing weight with their metabolism for the long haul. It’s not about bars and shakes but a holistic approach based on science and nutritional coaching,” he said.

But it’s easy to take a healthy idea and make it unhealthy. And that’s where LeMoine comes in.

“I love grilling,” he said. “Generally speaking I think a grill is a great way to cook. You don’t need to use a lot of added oils, you don’t need things to stick to the bottom of a pan. Air frying is probably the healthiest way, but I think grilling is a really great way.

“The biggest thing is most of the stuff you can throw on the grill is inherently what I would consider a healthy option. It’s usually a protein of some kind and a vegetable.” Trouble comes with what we put on our grilled dishes to try to enhance their taste, he said.

Here are eight things to consider when trying to stay healthy while grilling:

1. Main dish: Kebabs

Kebab’s origin is Persian, with “shish kebab” translating as “skewered meat.” The bite-sized pieces of meat and vegetables can be marinated and grilled. “Kebabs are great because you can load them up with veges, and steak or chicken are a good go-to,” he said. Alternatives: Plant-based vegetable kebobs make for good grilling with zucchini, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, red onions and – for those who want a smoky, savory and sweet kick – pineapple. A bit of olive oil and seasoning “can really go a long way,” he said.

2. Main dish: Portobello mushroom

For those who are vegetarian or watching their carbohydrate intake, portobello mushrooms – with their versatile and steak-like texture – serve a dual option: They can be the “burger” itself or the patty.

3. Buns

If you are grilling burgers, pulled pork or any sandwich fodder, consider whole grain instead of traditional white buns.

4. Vegetables: Corn and potatoes

“I think sometimes corn gets a bad rap, but corn and potatoes is something you can do; there’s a lot of nutritional value,” LeMoine said, adding to keep an eye on portion control.

5. Marinades, sauces and rubs

“There’s so many good options now at the grocery store,” he said. “You don’t have to go with just your standard barbecue sauce. There’s sugar-free options, there’s different marinades made with quality ingredients – herbs and olive oil vs. sugar and a bunch of questionable ingredients that neither you or I can pronounce.” He suggested considering a savory mayonnaise or a sour cream-based sauce for burgers and sandwiches with herbs and spices “can go a long way.” For those who like to smoke meats consider sugar-free rubs. For salt, choosing pink Himalayan or Hawaiian over table salt adds healthy flavor. “There’s some good high-quality pink salts. … What’s different about that vs. your table salt is those pink salts are coming straight from the earth with the 70 to 80 trace minerals. So it’s not being refined in a way that’s stripping out all these other trace minerals. When sodium is in balance with all these trace minerals you don’t see the blood-pressure spike and issues you’d have with typical table salt.” (Here’s more on salt vs. pink Himalyan salt.)

6. Dessert: Fruit salad

This is the time of year to enjoy “vibrant life-giving fruit in season. Watermelon, berries and grapes can be a side or dessert alternative.” Bonus: A Greek yogurt-based dip makes a good accompaniment. (Note: A fast way to take the health factor down would be to smother your fruit with more than a generous dollop of cream.)

7. Condiments

“Condiments in general can really go from healthy to unhealthy really quick,” LeMoine said. He used mustard as an example. “Your general yellow mustard or stone-ground mustard is pretty clean.

But then you get into some of the Dijon mustards or the fancy mustards. Now they’ve added honey to it, they’ve added sodium to it. The more fancy some of these condiments get, the more you can get into trouble.”

8. Ingredient checking

LeMoine looks at trans fats or any oil listed on labels. “Mayonnaise is I don’t think unhealthy, but when you’re using things that are not olive oil or avocado oil (based), I usually steer clear of, as well as added sugars. What sugars and what fats are in it are important to me.” Sodium is less of an issue when it comes to grilling than it is in other products, like some soups, he said. “The punchline is getting familiar with the ingredient list. A lot of us have learned, ‘Oh yeah, I look at the nutritional label and I look at how many calories is in this and how many grams of fat and what the carbs are like.’ That’s all well and good, but I do think there oftentimes are things that we miss, like questionable ingredients, like different syrups and sugars. … if you can’t pronounce it maybe you should steer clear of it.”

“I like to think about how did our ancestors eat,” LeMoine said. “Part of that is, ‘How did they prepare their food?’ I think fermenting and cooking over a fire source is how they did it.

“I don’t think we can go wrong cooking over a grill,” he said.

Get your grills on

Oddly enough, a recent study of the most barbecue-obsessed cities in the United States does not include Cleveland in its top 50.

The list comes from Illinois-based Bid-on-Equipment, which culls data from Yelp, Trip Advisor and Google search volume. The top three? Atlanta, Kansas City and Tampa. Columbus, at No. 40, is the only Ohio city that made the ranking.

Texas garnered four spots in the top 15.

Here is the full list.

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I am on cleveland.com’s life and culture team and cover food, beer, wine and sports-related topics. If you want to see my stories, here’s a directory on cleveland.com. Bill Wills of WTAM-1100 and I talk food and drink usually at 8:20 a.m. Thursday morning. Twitter: @mbona30.

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Cleveland, OH

City launches ‘Cleveland Moves’ initiative, seeks public input on 5-year transportation plan

Published

5 hours ago

August 2, 2024

Press Room

City launches ‘Cleveland Moves’ initiative, seeks public input on 5-year transportation plan

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The city of Cleveland is seeking public input and engagement on its ambitious five-year transportation initiative that aims to enhance the safety, comfort and convenience of walking, biking and using public transit across the city.

In a news release Friday, the city said it hopes to harness the feedback and build upon the multimodal transportation plan, dubbed “Cleveland Moves,” which includes five key components:

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Cleveland, OH

Orioles vs. Guardians Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Friday, August 2

Published

12 hours ago

August 2, 2024

Press Room

Orioles vs. Guardians Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Friday, August 2

Two powerhouse contenders are squaring off this weekend in Cleveland, part of a massive four-game series that is going to help answer some questions about what we may see come October. The Baltimore Orioles and Cleveland Guardians are well in contention for a championship and it takes center stage all weekend long.

The Orioles continue a titanic battle in the American League East with the Yankees at 65-45, while the Guardians continue to shine with a current league-best 66-42 record. Both teams have surprisingly impressed this season, especially the young but mighty Guardians. Here’s how to play this Friday matchup.

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Run Line:

Moneyline:

Total:

Colton Cowser: Part of the rich youth pool of talent, the Orioles may have found a true gem with Colton Cowser. The 24-year-old left fielder has extended his active hitting streak to 14 games, recording one in each game since the all-star break. His average has increased from .219 to .247 in that span, along with 4 home runs and 13 RBI. His hitting streak is tied for the 2nd most active one in all of the MLB, behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (14) and Ezequial Tovar (17). Cowser is making 2024 a memorable inaugural full season.

Jose Ramirez: There may not be anyone hitting the ball better right now across all of the MLB like Guardians slugger Jose Ramirez. He opened this series on Thursday with a 2-run blast, marking his 3rd consecutive game with a home run. Ramirez has a ridiculous ledger of 3 home runs and 8 RBI in his previous three games. His 28 home runs and 90 RBI this season place him in the top 10 across all players. He continues to provide the power on this feisty, young team. Ramirez is the offensive spark the Guardians must turn to in their run to the postseason.

This is an exciting change of pace to the normal juggernauts that we have seen through the years in baseball. While we don’t quite know if these two will be near the top of the standings in October, all that matters is that both are positioning themselves for it. A pair of unlikely division leaders are battling for a little summer glory in Cleveland.

Dean Kremer takes the hill for the Orioles on Friday. A lot of uncertainty surrounds this start as he’s amassed mixed results for much of 2024. Currently at 4-7 with a 4.20 ERA, 73 strikeouts and 14 home runs allowed, it hasn’t been pretty but at least is passable. Kremer anchors the No. 4 spot in this rotation and has yet to find much consistency. Last time out on Saturday against San Diego, he tossed 6 innings, allowing 4 runs (1 earned), 7 hits, a walk and 7 strikeouts. The Orioles have not provided him the best run support lately, with the team being 2-5 in his last seven outings.

Carlos Carrasco holds the fort down for the Guardians in this one. It’s been a lackluster season with a 3-9 record, a 5.68 ERA and 79 strikeouts. The month of July was very unkind to him, allowing 19 earned runs and 6 home runs across a total of five starts. Carrasco additionally has allowed 6 runs in each of his prior two outings. He is currently 20th in all of the MLB in home runs allowed (17), but a lower walk rate with just 27 free passes allowed. The 37-year-old is clearly beginning to hit a decline, and likely will finish his career here where he has so many great memories.

Both teams certainly check a lot of marks offensively and Thursday’s 10-3 Guardians win backed that up. We have another pitching matchup that is not pretty, so it’s absolutely fair to expect a lot of offensive fireworks. The Orioles are superior on paper, ranking 1st in home runs per game, 4th in hits and 3rd in runs.

That’s the way I lean with this prediction. I get the feeling both teams will feed off each other’s energy all weekend long, especially with a lot on the line in this series. I’ll happily back the total to go over 9 runs in Friday’s contest at -115 (FanDuel), especially with a pair of starters that have been less than ideal for most of the year.

Pick: Orioles-Guardians OVER 9 Runs (-115)

Note: Game odds are subject to change.

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Cleveland, OH

Northeast Ohio road construction: What new delays can driver’s expect?

Published

19 hours ago

August 2, 2024

Press Room

Northeast Ohio road construction: What new delays can driver’s expect?

CLEVELAND, Ohio — There will be plenty of overnight lane closures over the next several weeks for various construction projects in Northeast Ohio.

The Ohio Department of Transportation has released an updated list of lane closures and delays for Cuyahoga County and other regions.

I-90 westbound just east of Columbia Road will be in a bi-directional traffic pattern beginning Tuesday and continuing through September for bridge deck replacement. All lanes of traffic are maintained. However, one lane of westbound traffic will be maintained on the I-90 eastbound side separated by a concrete barrier wall. Two lanes of traffic are maintained on the existing westbound side using a lane shift.

U.S. 422 westbound ramp to I-271 northbound will be closed from 9 p.m. Monday to 5 a.m. Tuesday. The detour is I-480 westbound to Miles Road to I-271 north.

Harvard Road entrance ramp to I-271 north will be closed from 8 p.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Chagrin Road entrance ramp to I-271 north will be closed at 8 p.m. Tuesday until 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Chagrin Road entrance ramp to I-271 south will be closed at 8 p.m. Wednesday until 6 a.m. Thursday.

Westway Drive over I-90 will be closed from Aug. 12 through mid-September for bridge repairs. The detour will utilize Wager Road

I-271 southbound ramp to U.S. 422 eastbound will be closed 8 p.m. Aug. 9 through 6 a.m. Aug. 12 for bridge repairs.

The following closures will be in place each night from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. from Tuesday until Thursday for pavement work.

I-71 northbound to I-480 westbound. The detour is I-480 east to Tiedeman Road to I-480 west.

I-480 westbound to Ohio 237. The detour is Ohio 17 east to Ohio 237.

The following ramps will be closed for resurfacing from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night from Aug. 7 to Aug. 11. All ramps will not be closed at the same time.

Ohio 176 north ramp to I-90 east. The detour is I-490 east to I-77 north.

I-90 east ramp to I-71 north. The detour is I-90 east to I-77 north.

I-90 east/I-490 west ramp to I-71 south. The detour is Ohio 176 south to Denison Avenue to Ohio 176 north to West 14th Street to I-71 south.

Ohio 700 just south of Tavern Road has been reduced to one lane maintained by a temporary traffic signal beginning through early September for culvert replacement.

Ohio 91 (SOM Center Road) between U.S. 20 and Ohio 2 has various lane restrictions through mid-September for bridge repairs.

U.S. 6 between Rockefeller Road and Bishop Road will be reduced to westbound traffic only beginning Aug. 10 through early September for resurfacing. The detour for eastbound traffic is Bishop Road to Eddy Road to Rockefeller Road.

Ohio 615 between Andrews Road and Center Street has various nightly lane restrictions between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. through October.

I-277/U.S. 224 westbound between I-76/Kenmore Leg and I-77 will have various lane restrictions beginning Aug. 12.

I-277/U.S. 224 westbound between I-77 and I-76/Kenmore Leg will be closed from Aug. 19 through Aug. 28 for resurfacing. The detour will be I-77 northbound to I-76 westbound to I-76/Kenmore Leg.

Brush Road over Ohio I-77 will be closed beginning Aug. 14 through late August for bridge repairs. The detour is Brecksville Road to Boston Mills Road to Black Road.

Ohio 303 under I-77 will be closed between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. each night beginning Aug. 19 through Aug. 26 for bridge-beam placement. The detour is Brecksville Road to Wheatley Road to I-271.

Ohio 303 eastbound under I-77 will be closed from Aug. 21 through late November for bridge construction. The detour is Brecksville Road to Wheatley Road to I-271.

The ramp from Glenwood Avenue to Ohio 8 southbound will be closed between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily beginning Aug. 19 through late August. The detour is Glenwood Avenue to Howard Street to Tallmadge Avenue.

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