The problem with being a goody-two-shoes when it comes to food, is that people are so delighted when they catch you out. I came through the doors of my office this morning holding a bottle of cranberry juice and one of the receptionists called out ?I hope you?re gonna dilute that!? Of course I was (honestly!) and I don?t even mind the call ? the fact that she knows it be diluted has to be a good.

However, sometimes I?m caught out doing a genuinely Bad Thing. I?m always saying how healthy barbeques can be and trying to persuade people to choose healthier options, but the other day I was caught red-handed, damn it! I was sitting by a pool at an all-day barbeque party, with one hand possessively holding a gigantic bag of chips and the other hand nursing a dark, dark and stormy. I guess I was hoping that nobody would notice, but sure enough, it wasn?t long before the comments started flying.

Now the thing is, I was just having a very self indulgent day off, which is justifiable every now and then. But it doesn?t look all that good does it? Also, it didn?t actually feel all that good ? I was eating all the food I thought I was missing, but a few hours later I felt horrible. It is difficult sometimes though to eat healthily when you are at other people?s barbeques. If all that?s on offer is burgers, chips and beer, what are you going to do? Starve? (Probably the best option, but hardly realistic!)

Of course when you are someone else?s guest, you have to make do. Although you could turn up with a healthy offering (say a green salad or fruit salad), earning yourself lots of brownie points whilst also doing some effective damage limitation. However it?s when you have your own barbeque that you can bump up the health factor several notches.

Firstly, it?s great if you can barbeque some chicken or fish (see last week?s recipe online) as well as red meat. Red meat tends to be higher in the bad, saturated fats that cause inflammation in the body and clog up arteries. Sausages and ribs are particularly bad offenders here. However, you could also provide lots of green salad and baked potatoes, which are great with low-fat sour cream and chives. Instead of mainstream potato chips and a cheesy dip, try the Cape Cod ?no salt? potato chips and a dip such as hummus or guacamole. Try the basil hummus from Miles when you get a chance ? it?s amazing!

Vege burgers can also be more healthy, depending on the brand you choose. The organic ?Sunshine? vege burgers from Harrington Hundreds and Lindo?s are fantastic ? they have just four ingredients (brown rice, sunflower seeds, carrots and spices) so no synthetic proteins or list of ingredients as long as your arm!

However, one of my favourite healthy barbeque recipes is this one as it makes a delicious and interesting lunchtime or evening meal. These chicken skewers are really fragrant and tasty ? so if you think chicken is boring, think again!

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Chicken & Mango skewers with a Ginger-Lime glaze (makes 12 skewers)

Ingredients:

4 tbsp olive oil

2 inches of fresh ginger, peeled and minced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 lime, juiced

1 tbsp honey

4 chicken breasts, chopped into cubes

2 firm but ripe mangoes, stone removed, peeled and each cut into at least 12 cubes

2 red peppers, deseeded and each cut into 12 pieces

12, 12-inch wooden skewers (soak these for 30 mins and then drain)

1. Mix the first 6 ingredients together in a large bowl.

2. Add the chicken, peppers and mangoes. Stir and coat in the mixture.

3. Load the ingredients onto the skewers. I suggest alternating pepper, mango and 3 cubes of chicken.

4. Leave to marinade in the fridge for 1-4 hours.

5. Grill over a medium-high barbeque for 15 minutes, turning regularly.

Serving suggestion: serve with corn-on-the-cob ( on the butter!) and a large green salad.

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