Grilling season is upon us and if you are anything like me this brings thoughts of good food along with the chance to begin to slowly slip off the clean eating track.  Am I right?  I thought it would be helpful to you all, and who are we kidding - me mostly, to round up a list of delicious and clean eating grilling meals, sides, and desserts.  All of which I have personally tried or plan to very soon.  All are either Paleo or Whole 30 compliant or both!  Click through the links in the text or photo to take you to the original recipe author where you can find recipe details.  Enjoy grilling season!

Clean Eating Entrees 

Grilled Cilantro-Lime Chicken With Avocado Salsa - Avocado and lime lover like me?  You will love this recipe with a very simple and quick marinade (2-4 hours) with an equally simple yet delicious salsa.   

Jalapeño Turkey Burgers - Looking for an alternative to the greasy burger?  Look no further than these juicy and flavorful turkey burgers!  Ground turkey is a great source of lean protein which can still have enough fat content to provide moist and juicy burgers.  Leave out the bun and instead cook up some sweet potato fries on the side!  Linda also suggests the option of adding a poached egg on top which I think is a delicious way to add in even more protein! 

Grilled Balsamic Chicken - Here is an easy, hardly any prep chicken recipe.  Totally delicious for my balsamic vinegar lovers!  Pair with a  salad or roasted veggie side and you have a super simple weeknight meal.  Dress it up with a  homemade flavored balsamic vinegar (like strawberry or raspberry) and you have a gourmet weekend meal!

Lemon Garlic Chicken Skewers - These skewers look impressive while only taking a very short time to prepare and require very few ingredients!  If you are unable to find the marinade that is listed in the recipe or don't have it on hand just combine about 1/2 cup of olive oil with 2-3 minced garlic cloves, juice and zest from 1 lemon and about a 1/2 teaspoon each of dill, salt, and pepper.

Grilled Garlic Lime Skirt Steak - Craving steak but want a healthier and cheaper version than a filet mignon or KC Strip?  Check out this recipe that is super easy and delivers tender and juicy results.  Pair with grilled veggies for a full meal high in protein and fresh produce!

Strawberry Basil Chicken - This recipe here just screams summer to me!  Pair this with a strawberry mojito (because you only live once right?) and you have a refreshing summer patio meal.  This recipe is not stated to be grilled but that's the way I like to do it.  I marinade the chicken first for 2-3 hours in a olive oil and lemon marinade first.  This would be about 1/2 cup of olive oil, lemon juice and zest from one lemon, 2 minced garlic cloves, and  about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper.  After the chicken is grilled prepare the strawberry salsa as described in the recipe. 

Grilled Mahi Mahi With Lemon Butter Sauce - In the mood for some seafood?  We don't eat Mahi-Mahi often but when we do I always wonder why we don't.  Mahi-Mahi is dense like chicken without too much of a fishy taste.  It  blends well with many flavors like the lemon sauce found in this recipe.  Give it a try, it will not disappoint.

Greek Chicken Kabobs -  Do yourself a favor and try out these moist and flavorful kabobs.  Somedays I crave to have them stuffed inside some pita bread but that's just my carb loving demons taking over.  You will still love them, and feel much less guilty if you substitute some veggies for the pita LOL.  

Clean Eating Sides

Grilled Sweet Potatoes - I love this recipe because of the prepping method used.  I absolutely do not like dicing sweet potatoes or cutting them into fried or wedges.  I mean I'll do it, but not happily.  This recipe calls for slicing the potatoes into discs which will give you the same great taste with not near as much work.  Just make sure to not buy sweet potatoes that are too thick. 

Grilled Mushrooms - Admittedly, I do not like mushrooms so I have not tried this one myself.  But I know there are a lot of mushroom lovers out there so I will include this one and maybe even make it one day for my husband! This recipe actually sounds good, I just can't get past the mushroom part of it.  For those following strict diet rules, you probably want to switch the soy sauce in the recipe to liquid or coconut aminos.

Crispy Barbecue Spiced Brussels Sprouts -  To me this is a recipe that just screams "Make Me!!".  As of my adulthood, I am a lover of the brussels sprouts and this combination of spices just can not be beat.  I even throw a pinch of nutmeg in as well just to give it a little something interesting. Promise me you'll make these. 

Balsamic Grilled Vegetable Salad - This one takes a little bit of preparation to wash and dice produce but the reward for your efforts is great.  I would suggest making a very large  portion so you can include them in leftovers and breakfast sandwiches as mentioned in the recipe's blog post. 

Clean Eating Desserts

Grilled Peaches and Coconut Cream -This is so delicious that I may have to go and make it right now.  I love peaches in the summer, grilled peaches are even better because they are warm and more flavorful.  And coconut cream?  Don't get me started, I absolutely love all thing coconut! Try this one out for an impressive dessert that won't have you missing the cookies!

Grilled Pineapple With Cinnamon Honey Drizzle - Okay, another one here where you can get your dessert cravings squashed with healthy produce!  Pineapple is another summer fruit that I just adore, add some cinnamon and honey and some warmth from the grill - just wow! 

Grilled Mangoes - Do you sense a theme here?  Grill any dessert and you can say good bye to all the other grill out sugary desserts of the past.  These mangoes are a good combination of savory and sweet with a small pinch of spice.  A great way to end a hearty meal!

Paleo Vanilla Almond Butter Ice Cream - And how about any of the dessert options above a la mode? This is a great basic paleo ice cream to which you can add a number of purees or fruit and nut toppings to customize to your liking.  I can't wait to get the ice cream maker out this season and make some delicious creations with my girls!

Alright, this list should give you a great start to a healthy grilling season.  Thank you to all the blogs and recipe makers out there who provide the inspiration we all need to eat healthy but not compromise on flavor!

Looking for more healthy summer recipes? Check out my blog post on the 10 Best Paleo Desserts For Summer