Is there anything better than a summer barbecue? Think about it: Friends, family, a fired-up grill, and, of course, hot dogs. But considering one hot dog and bun with zero toppings (and let's be real, who eats just one hot dog with nothing on it?) easily racks up more than 300 calories and almost 40% of our daily recommended salt intake, hot dogs are definitely not something we can indulge in very often.
Well, hold up, and cue the best food news since sweet potato toast: You can ditch the mystery meat and instead indulge in this new-and-improved summer staple that even Bugs Bunny would approve of. Yes, that's right — we're talking about the almighty carrot.
It turns out that when they're prepared just right, carrots are the perfect meatless substitute for hot dogs. Ali from Inspiralized created four recipes that satisfy every hot dog craving — from the classic ballpark frank to a chili cheese dog. For less than half the calories of a regular dog, you can devour something just as satisfying that also ups your vitamin A-game (heeello, glowing skin and healthy eyes!) and respects the summer body you worked so hard for.
But how, you ask? Just marinate the carrots for a few hours in a handful of easy-to-find ingredients to give them that beloved smoky, mouth-watering flavor, and then roast them until they're tender. Toss in a bun with your favorite toppings, and get ready to take yourself out to the ball game, because this wiener is a home run.
Grab the recipe here to whip them up yourself.
