It will be summer and clam season here on the coast of Maine (as we get our 20th snow storm of the season today, that’s hard to imagine, but Saucy is holding out hope!

Ingredients

Directions

1. Place the clams in a large bowl. Cover with cold water and add a handful of salt. Leave to soak for 30 minutes to rise out the sand and grit.

2. Meanwhile, skin the tomatoes by placing in a heatproof bowl and pouring boiling water over to cover. Let stand for 30 seconds then drain and plunge into cold water. The skins should slide right off. Cut the tomatoes in half, deseed, and chop the flesh.

3. To make the salsa, combine the tomatoes, garlic, corn, cilantro, scallions, cumin, lime juice, and chili in a bowl. Season with salt to taste.

4. Drain the clams, discarding the ones that have opened. Place the clams on the hot coals of a barbecue, allowing about 5 minutes per side. They will pop open when they are ready.

5. Immediately remove from the barbecue, top with the salsa and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over the clams.

With a few fun additions and some subtle changes to how you cook, your backyard can become an open-air entertainment and fitness center.

On the Grill Unbeef the Burgers. Reduce the meat in burgers and spare yourself some of the fat without noticing the difference. Simply replace about an eighth of the meat with veggies. Finely chop and sauté onions, peppers, shredded carrots, or zucchini, and blend into the patties. To go completely vegetarian, throw a portobello mushroom on the grill. The mushroom’s texture is similar to steak and tastes good with all the regular burger condiments.

Check the Oil. To reduce fat in foods grilled with marinades, swap oil for mild fruit or vegetable juices, canned broth, or plain yogurt. However, leave in 1 tablespoon of oil to help prevent the food from sticking to the grill.

Get Game. Instead of the traditional ground beef, turkey, or chicken burgers, get some game—game meats, that is. They may contain less fat than commercially produced meats. A couple good examples to look for: venison chops, buffalo burgers, and elk steaks.

Trim Chicken. While cooking, leave the skin on the chicken breast to retain moisture, and then remove it before serving. This will reduce the number of calories and fat.