Take mojo marinated pork outdoors this summer with these flavor-packed kebabs. Using a variety of veggies and (surprise!) fruit means you never have to make the same kebab twice.

Mojo has a zippy bite because of the grapefruit and lime juice that it’s made with. Copious amounts of garlic add nothing but Latin flavor to the kebabs. As a result, this might become your go-to marinade for all your grilled proteins.

Childhood Memories of Kebabs

My childhood memories are filled with kebab fundraisers to support my mom’s or dad’s Air Force units. We stayed up all night impaling chunks of pork on sticks to grill the following day.

My entire Saturday was consumed by fake-smiling at adults while trying to hawk kebabs. I hated it. The only ray of hope came in the hourly breaks I was given (child labor laws being what they are) where I was able to eat a kebab. Two kebabs, if I was sly enough to sneak one.

So, while being a kebab salesperson wasn’t the highlight of my youth, the memories I have of making and eating them were. Our fundraising kebabs were bare-bones, though: Meat on a stick is all they were. As an adult, I’ve taken advantage of my ability to add veggies to my kebabs, and now you can’t tell me nothing!

WHAT’S THE BEST PORK FOR KEBABS?

The best cut of pork to use for kebabs is tender and lean like pork neck meat or tenderloin.

Because the meat won’t cook long on the grill, you want a tender cut that won’t dry out. I find that pork neck meat (in your meat section it may be labeled pork collar or pork top round) meets that requirement because it has ribbons of fat throughout the meat, but the meat is still very tender (since a pig doesn’t shake its neck as much as I do).

Tenderloin is my backup. It’s leaner than neck meat, which means it tends to dry out faster when grilling so just keep an eye on it. Tenderloin is a great fallback if you can’t find neck meat, though.

When all else fails, grab a pack of boneless, thick-cut pork chops and cut them to size.

WHAT IS MOJO MARINADE?

Mojo (pronounced mo-HO) is a garlic- and citrus-flavored sauce that’s moderately acidic and plentiful on flavor. If you’ve ever had a Cubano sandwich, chances are it was made with mojo marinated pork roast.

In Hispanic cooking, it’s used as a marinade for all sorts of proteins. Pork is among the most common, but poultry and seafood tend to be runners-up.

If you’re looking to go the super authentic route, try to get your hands on bitter orange and use that in place of the grapefruit and orange juices. No worries if you’re not in the mood for a scavenger hunt though. The recipe is written to mimic the flavors you would get from bitter orange.

HOW LONG SHOULD YOU MARINATE PORK KEBABS?

At the very least, your pork kebabs should sit in the mojo marinade for two hours. I’ve rushed the marinade before and felt the pain of disappointment. The flavors just weren’t what I wanted them to be. Don’t get me wrong, I still ate them, but that two-hour marinade makes a world of difference.

If you’re looking to get the most out of the marinade, leave the pork to soak it up for eight hours. Any more and you’re dabbling in meat that will end up too tough (the acid in the marinade slowly “cooks” the protein). When in doubt, shoot for four hours and you’ll hit the sweet spot.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN KEBABS ARE FINISHED COOKING?

One of the things I love most about grilling these pork kebabs is how fast they cook. Because pork only needs to be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F, these skewers will only take 10 minutes to cook on the grill.

As a result of the short cooking time, it’s important to cut your fruits and veggies to uniform sizes. This way, they’ll be pleasantly charred and cooked through at the same time as the pork.

MIX UP YOUR FRUITS AND VEGGIES FOR TASTY KEBABS

When it comes to the best fruits and veggies to use on your kebabs almost anything goes.

Try to avoid dense or thick-fleshed veggies like carrots, potatoes, or gourds (butternut squash)—they’re not going to be soft enough to enjoy by the time the pork is grilled.

I highly recommend summer squash though. When in doubt, the old kebab regulars are a surefire choice: mild bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes are the quintessential kebab cohorts.

I gave mine a tropical/spicy bent by impaling pineapple chunks and thick slices of jalapeño peppers on a few of my skewers. Spice yours up likewise, but I recommend keeping it at jalapeño peppers and nothing spicier.

SWAPS AND SUBSTITUTIONS FOR PORK KEBABS

If you want to swap out the pork for a different protein, I’d recommend anything from chicken thighs (which are juicier than breasts, but those will still work), shrimp, swordfish, or even firm tofu.

When it comes to marinating proteins like seafood, you’ll need to reduce the time to no longer than 20 minutes. Any longer and you’ll be grilling ceviche.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH PORK KEBABS

I nestle my pork kebabs in a bed of steamed rice on a large serving platter. When it’s time to serve, my family scoops up a spoonful of rice and grabs their kebabs. It’s a balanced meal on a platter.

If you’re serving a crowd or just like options, you can also serve the kebabs with dishes like Black Bean Salad, Quinoa Pilaf, or Jicama, Avocado and Orange Salad.

CAN YOU MAKE KEBABS AHEAD OF TIME?

You can most certainly assemble your kebabs ahead of time! Ask my ten-year-old self.

• Marinate the meat for a couple of hours
• Remove it from the marinade
• Assemble the kebabs
• Wrap them in plastic
• Store them in the fridge
• Remove from the fridge 20 minutes before grilling to take the chill off

MORE GREAT KEBAB RECIPES

There’s no doubt that school is looking a lot different this year! In a way, it seems that there are several different directions we are taking to navigate this upcoming school year, but there is one thing that remains a constant… SCHOOL LUNCH. Whether you’re in-person, distant learning, doing a hybrid method, or homeschooling, these kiddos need to eat!

I am doing a homeschooling co-op with a few other families in my neighborhood, and the topic of lunch has come up in all the logistics we’ve had to figure out. We have decided that each kid will bring their own lunch, which means I will still be packing five different lunches every night. Yes, I pack my lunches at night! It’s one of the ways I help my mornings run just a bit smoother.

While PB&J is still a major contender for our lunch boxes, we definitely like to try new things!

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This month, welcome Sara Bir. Sara Bir is the author of two cookbooks, Tasting Ohio and the IACP award-winning The Fruit Forager’s Companion. She also moderates and replies to your comments here on Simply Recipes. Follow her @sausagetarian.

As a kid, I met the end of summer vacation with a mix of anticipation and dread. It’s not so poignant as an adult, but I still feel a soft melancholy knowing the long days and warm nights are embarking upon their way out for the year…just like the last of the lightning bugs glowing after the sun sets.

Do you get similar pangs? There are still plenty of summery nights left, so make the most of them as you transition to the altered schedules of school or whatever changes life may hold for you! These are light, carefree recipes to enjoy while mentally adjusting to the eve of autumn.

One last thing: Looking for dinner ideas? You’re in the right spot! We have delicious meal plans to suit every taste and lifestyle—Healthy Eating, Family Favorites, and Vegetarian just to name a few. These one-month plans are $6.95 and, with them, you get a dessert and weekend prep recipe and a shopping list. They’re beautifully designed and perfect to print and save or simply load and cook right from your computer!

This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Simply Recipes. Read more about our affiliate linking policy.

A free 7-day, flexible weight loss meal plan including breakfast, lunch and dinner and a shopping list. All recipes include calories and updated WW Smart Points.

7-Day Healthy Meal Plan

Why Should Everyone Meal Plan?

Meal planning is a great way to organize your meals for the week ahead. You also save time and money in the supermarket! And of course, planning ahead helps you stick to your goals!

About The Meal Plan

If you’re new to my meal plans, I’ve been sharing these free, 7-day flexible healthy meal plans (you can see my previous meal plans here) that are meant as a guide, with plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food, coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc or swap recipes out for meals you prefer, you can search for recipes by course in the index. You should aim for around 1500 calories* per day.

There’s also a precise, organized grocery list that will make grocery shopping so much easier and much less stressful. Save you money and time. You’ll dine out less often, waste less food and you’ll have everything you need on hand to help keep you on track.

Lastly, if you’re on Facebook join my Skinnytaste Facebook Community where everyone’s sharing photos of recipes they are making, you can join here. I’m loving all the ideas everyone’s sharing! If you wish to get on the email list, you can subscribe here so you never miss a meal plan!

Also, if you don’t have the Skinnytaste Meal Planner, now would be a great time to get one to get organized for 2020! There was a print error last year, but it’s perfect now! You can order it here!

THE DETAILS:

Breakfast and lunch Monday-Friday, are designed to serve 1 while dinners and all meals on Saturday and Sunday are designed to serve a family of 4. Some recipes make enough leftovers for two nights or lunch the next day. While we truly believe there is no one size fits all meal plan, we did our best to come up with something that appeals to a wide range of individuals. Everything is Weight Watchers friendly, I included the updated WW Blue SP for your convenience, feel free to swap out any recipes you wish or just use this for inspiration!

The grocery list is comprehensive and includes everything you need to make all meals on the plan. I’ve even included brand recommendations of products I love and use often. Cross check your cabinets because many condiments you’ll notice I use often, so you may already have a lot of them.

And last, but certainly not least, this meal plan is flexible and realistic. There’s plenty of wiggle room for cocktails, healthy snacks, dessert and dinner out. And if necessary, you can move some things around to make it work with your schedule. Please let me know if you’re using these plans, this will help me decide if I should continue sharing them!

MONDAY (8/31)
B: 2 scrambled eggs (0B 4G 0P), 1 slice whole grain toast (3B 3G 3P) and 1 cup watermelon (0B 0G 0P)
L: Chicken Club Lettuce Wrap Sandwich (5B 7G 5P) with a peach (0B 0G 0P)
D: Angel Hair Pasta with Zucchini and Tomatoes (7B 7G 7P) with 1 ½ cups mixed greens, 1 tablespoon shaved parmesan and 1 tablespoon light vinaigrette (2B 2G 2P)

Totals: WW Points 17B 23G 17P, Calories 938*

TUESDAY (9/1)
B: Greek Yogurt with Berries, Nuts and Honey (5B 8G 5P)
L: Chicken Club Lettuce Wrap Sandwich (5B 7G 5P) with a peach (0B 0G 0P)
D: Turkey Enchilada Stuffed Poblanos Rellenos (6B 6G 6P) with 1 ounce avocado (1B 1G 1P) and Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice (1B 1G 1P)

Totals: WW Points 18B 23G 18P, Calories 921*

WEDNESDAY (9/2)
B: 2 scrambled eggs (0B 4G 0P), 1 slice whole grain toast (3B 3G 3P) and 1 cup watermelon (0B 0G 0P)
L: Open Faced Tuna Sandwich with Avocado (4B 4G 4P) with an apple (0B 0G 0P)
D: Summer Vegetables with Sausage and Potatoes (7B 7G 5P)

Totals: WW Points 14B 18G 12P, Calories 967*

THURSDAY (9/3)
B: Green Apple Lemon Cucumber Ginger Smoothie (½ recipe) (7B 7G 7P)
L: Open Faced Tuna Sandwich with Avocado (4B 4G 4P) with 1 cup grapes (0B 0G 0P)
D: Crispy Togarashi Chicken with Sesame Cucumber Relish (4B 7G 4P) with ¾ cup brown rice** (5B 5G 0P)

Totals: WW Points 20B 23G 15P, Calories 903*

FRIDAY (9/4)
B: Green Apple Lemon Cucumber Ginger Smoothie (½ recipe) (7B 7G 7P)
L: Open Faced Tuna Sandwich with Avocado (4B 4G 4P) with an apple (0B 0G 0P)
D: Air Fryer Cajun Shrimp Dinner (5B 6G 5P) with ¾ cup (LEFTOVER) brown rice (5B 5G 0P)
Totals: WW Points 21B 22G 16P, Calories 899*

SATURDAY (9/5)
B: Breakfast Pizza (5B 8G 5P)
L: Spiralized Greek Cucumber Salad with Lemon and Feta (recipe x 4) (7B 7G 7P)
D: ORDER IN!

Totals: WW Points 12B 15G 12P, Calories 496*

SUNDAY (9/6)
B: Crustless Summer Zucchini Pie (3B 4G 3P) with 1 cup fruit salad*** (0B 0G 0P)
L: BLT with Avocado (recipe x 4) (9B 9G 9P)
D: Grilled Steak with Tomatoes, Red Onion and Balsamic (½ recipe) (4B 4G 4P) with Grilled Corn Salad with Feta  (3B 6G 3P)

Totals: WW Points 19B 23G 19P, Calories 847*

*This is just a guide, women should aim for around 1500 calories per day. Here’s a helpful calculator to estimate your calorie needs. I’ve left plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food such as coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc.
**Make an extra 3 cups rice for leftovers Friday.

***Fruit salad includes 1 cup watermelon, 1 cup grapes, 1 peach and 1 cup blackberries.

*Google doc

While we'll never give up our half sheet pans, don't forget about quarter sheet pans! These smaller-sized pans are perfect for small-batch cooking and prep.

A simple, classic cocktail—just gin (or vodka), lime, and sugar--the gimlet is one of the gems among classic cocktails, with a long history stretching from the high seas to Madison Avenue. Light green, lime-forward, and exquisite when well-balanced, this gin sour is equal parts refreshing and scurvy-preventing—who doesn’t require both?

WHAT’S THE HISTORY OF THE GIMLET?

Like every other classic cocktail, the gimlet comes with a handful of competing origin stories. The most credible is its creation, in the 1880s, at the hands of Royal Navy surgeon Sir Thomas Gimlette, who encouraged his mates to take their gin rations with a healthy dash of scurvy-preventing lime juice. Lauchlin Rose’s lime juice cordial, invented just a decade earlier, helped make that possible, at the same time sweetening the drink and preserving the citrus.

As for its origins, you can think of the gimlet as a sweet gin rickey (without the soda water), or another in a long line of descendants of the sour, one of the main cocktail families. Originally a 50-50 mix of gin and lime cordial, modern preferences for drier (better balanced) drinks have seen the proportion of lime cordial track ever downward.

GIN GIMLET OR VODKA GIMLET?

This is going to be a question that only you can answer, as opinions are many and they are strong.

Unless you specifically request vodka, most bartenders will likely serve this with gin, for good reason. It is the gin that makes this a balanced, more soulful drink with a soupçon of complexity, elegance, and even strength. A great gimlet depends on the balance between juniper (from the gin) and fresh citrus: Too much of the former, and it is overly stiff; too much of the latter, and it is too tart. To a gin purist, vodka would be like signing yourself up for a boring blind date.

To the vodka camp, gin talks a bit too much, dominates the conversation; preferable are the more subtle airs of a good, clean, ice-cold vodka.

WHAT’S THE BEST GIN FOR A GIMLET?

Your old-school gimlets were all made with Plymouth gin, a unique style of gin so special it was called for by name in 20+ recipes in the Savoy Cocktail Book, and so beloved by the British Royal Navy that they commissioned a higher proof version known now as “Navy Strength.”

Plymouth is drier than London Dry gins, but more citrusy and even botanical than most. It has enough character to guarantee some personality to even a sour.

But a crisp, dry London-style gin like Tanqueray, Beefeater, or Gordon’s also make for good choices. Save your more delicate or aromatic gins, like Hendrick’s, for spare cocktails like a Martini, where those subtleties can be appreciated.

What’s the Best Vodka (if you go that route)?

The same thinking holds true here, too: Save your Grey Goose for another occasion. Smirnoff is a perfectly fine choice. That said, feel free to venture off toward Ketel One, with its hints of honey and subtle cracked black pepper, or even Tito’s with its clean minerality and grain character.

FRESH LIME JUICE OR ROSE’S?

After deciding between gin or vodka (though there is only one proper answer to the above, and it rhymes with “win”), your choice of how to sour and sweeten this drink is most critical.

Historically, the gimlet is made only with Lauchlin Rose’s original formula for a lime cordial—commonly available as Rose’s Lime Juice. But while original recipes and those of the many gimlet originalists all call for Rose’s Lime Cordial, the Rose’s of today is much changed from Lauchlin’s original, with high-fructose corn syrup and additives that wouldn’t make it through the door of most craft cocktail bars.

The recipe below substitutes Rose’s for a “quick lime cordial” hack, combining fresh lime juice with a simple syrup and fresh lime zest. If you’re set on using Rose’s, mix one ounce of Rose’s sweetened lime juice with a half ounce of fresh lime juice.

ANY FUN VARIATIONS ON THE GIMLET?

• The Richmond Gimlet, a creation of Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s, simply includes mint shaken with the same ingredients mentioned below.
• A Basil Gimlet, muddling the basil leaves with either a simple syrup or agave nectar, will be slightly herbal and more than a little refreshing.
• Vodka Gimlet: The default for some, this should still count as a variation, and one not without its own great qualities.
• Ancho Gimlet: This slightly spicy version would incorporate Ancho Reyes Verde, a peppery Mexican liqueur.

MORE BELOVED CLASSIC COCKTAILS