Ditch the bun with these BLT Style Bunless Hot Dogs! This fun hot dog idea will keep your Labor Day barbecue fresh and delicious!
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When your healthy lifestyle changes include a low carb diet, it can make barbecues seem a little tricky to maneuver. Labor Day is coming up and there's guaranteed to be at least one backyard barbecue happening. So how do you enjoy all of your favorite barbecue dishes without the guilt?
Hands off those buns!
I've been using lettuce wraps in place of buns lately. And I've got to tell you - I think I'm enjoying all of that crunch and freshness way more than bread! A head of Romaine lettuce can go a long way in place of burger and hot dog buns. It's way cheaper than a package of buns, too. Remember that for your next cookout!
The fun part of living a low carb lifestyle is getting creative with fresh produce and protein. Hot dogs are a summer staple, but they aren't necessarily the best food for a diet (or, really, in general). But when you've got a package of them on hand, you might as well try to make them healthier.
Since there's only two of us, one package of hot dogs lasts us a while. So I decided to make us hot dogs for dinner the other night. In place of a bun, I used lettuce leaves. Then, in place of mustard or ketchup, I decided to make them BLT style and top them with chopped tomatoes and onions, and a strip of bacon.
If you like a little pinch of heat with your dinner, top off these hot dogs with some sliced jalapenos and spread on some of Trader Joe's Jalapeno Sauce. Trust me - it'll take your BLT game up another level!
If you're planning on making these dogs for your Labor Day barbecue, they're easy to prep ahead of time! Precook the bacon, wash and dry the lettuce, and chop the tomatoes, onions, and jalapenos (if you like them). Then, keep the lettuce, bacon, and tomato and onion mixture in separate plates and containers for easy assembly.
BLT Style Bunless Hot Dogs
Ingredients
- Low sodium bacon precooked
- Hot dogs
- Romaine lettuce leaves separated, washed, and dried
- 1 small red onion chopped
- 1 pint grape tomatoes chopped
- Optional toppings: sliced jalapeño peppers jalapeño sauce, mayonnaise
Instructions
- Mix the chopped red onion and tomato in a bowl and set aside.
- Preheat grill to medium heat. Cook hot dogs for 7-10 minutes, turning until grill marks are noticeable and they start to expand.
- Place one hot dog in each lettuce leaf.
- Add a bacon strip alongside each hot dog.
- Top the hot dogs with the onion and tomato mixture. If desired, drizzle on a splash of jalapeno sauce or mayonnaise and add a few jalapeno slices to each hot dog.
If you really want to put a healthier spin on this recipe, use veggie dogs (a nice way to include your vegan and vegetarian friends) or chicken sausage in place of regular hot dogs. You could even swap turkey bacon in for regular bacon!
Share your pics of this BLT Style Bunless Hot Dogs recipe on social media using the hashtag #holokahome. Don’t forget to tag me @holokahome!
