Nothing makes a good grilled meal even better than a tasty marinade. However, the nutrition facts labels on most marinades look like something that would be slapped on the side of a candy bar-not something you’d want to soak your chicken in. Fear not, there are plenty of marinade options out there that are sugar free and still pack a powerful flavor punch.
1. Sugar-Free BBQ Sauce
BBQ is a weapon in any serious griller’s arsenal. Believe it or not, the bottle of barbeque sauce you pick up in your local supermarket can contain a whopping 25 grams of sugar in 2 tablespoons. That’s equivalent to a half of a can of coke!
Here’s a sugar-free BBQ sauce that cuts out the sugar but leaves in the smokey flavor:
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon Coke Zero
- 2 slices of cooked bacon, chopped
- 1 white onion, very finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar
- 1 can of chopped tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon of tomato purée
Instructions:
1. Caramelize the onion in a pan with olive oil.
2. Add all other ingredients into saucepan and mix with onion until warm.
2. Sugar-Free Teriyaki Sauce
Since coming over from Japan, teryiaki sauce has been adapted to western cooking-and it doesn’t get much more west than grilling meat! Teriyaki has a sweetness and a “zing” factor than goes great with grilled foods.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 clove of freshly cut garlic
- 2 pinches of grated peeled ginger
- 1 tablespoon Splenda
Instructions:
1. Mix oil and soy sauce vigourously.
2. Add in other ingredients
3. Let sit for 1 hour, stirring before use.
3. Spicy, Sugar-Free Jerk
Jerk is a classic flavoring straight from the Caribbean. More of a rub than a marinade, it still adds a flavorful kick to meats like chicken and pork.
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions:
1. In a bowl, combine all ingredients together.
2. Place meat or meat substitute in jerk seasoning, coating both sides.
4. Sugar-Free Vegetable Wine Glaze
This might be the most fun to make. Once you make the glaze, you mix it with vegetables in a Ziplock bag and shake like there’s no tomorrow! Fun is fun, but this marinade also helps bring out the natural flavor of the vegetables. Although this marinade works for almost any vegetable, it pairs best with cherry tomatoes, onions, and red bell peppers.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup white cooking wine
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
1. Mix all ingredients directly into Ziplock bag (saves a dish)
2. Add chopped vegetables and shake until coated.
5. Sugar-Free Vegetable Wine Glaze
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced green onions
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1/3 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth
To get the most out of these marinades you should puncture your meat or tofu with a fork and let sit in the marinade for at least 1 hour. For fish and vegetables, you only need to marinate for 20 minutes.
If someone at your barbeque compliments your marinade and asks you what’s in it, you can reply: “not sugar!”.
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