Recipe Doctor: Rubs add flavor to meats without adding any extra fat

Dear Recipe Doctor: I’m trying to follow my doctor’s orders and cook leaner meats. How can I make them more exciting and keep things healthy?

A: Cooking lean and low fat doesn’t have to be bland and boring. The key is adding some natural flavors into the mix whenever possible. One easy way to add flavor to meat without adding a lot of calories and fat is to rely on flavorful rubs.

Here are two easy rubs I like to use:

Savory Spice Rub

Makes enough spice for about 6-8 lean burgers or skinless chicken breasts

1 teaspoon seasoning salt

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Mix together all the ingredients well. Store in a sealable plastic bag for up to a month.

This rub works well to season burgers or chicken breasts. Sprinkle 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per side. Cook or grill as desired.

Lemon-Pepper Herb Rub

Makes about 5 tablespoons of rub

1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon finely chopped lemon zest (or peel)

1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves, crushed

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed

3/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Add all the ingredients to a small bowl and mix together well. Dry the outside of whatever skinless meat you are going to grill well with paper towels then coat the outside lightly with extra virgin olive oil (I used about 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil for a turkey breast).

Rub the Lemon-Pepper Herb mixture on the outside of your seafood, skinless poultry or pork tenderloin; let rest 15 minutes.

Grill meat to your desired doneness (fully cooked for fish, poultry and most meats).