Get planked on the exercise floor and on the grill

The plank is a popular Pilates and yoga exercise that targets the core muscles, especially the abs, as well as the shoulders, arms, rear end, and legs. Here’s a demo of a plank from Violet Zaki of exerciseTV.

But did you know that planking is also a cooking method? Cedar plank grilling grilling is a great way of giving food a smoky taste without having to use a smoker.

One of the most popular meats to plank is fish, though you can use this method for chicken, beef or pork. I bought a set of six cedar planks for my husband’s Father’s Day present, and I’m looking forward to grilling some trout that was caught by him and my son. We have a smoker, which I love to cook the trout on. However, grilling with a cedar plank takes a fraction of the time – 15 to 20 minutes instead of two hours.

If you’re not one to catch your own dinner, head to the grocery store to take advantage of the summer salmon sales.

Grilled Cedar-Planked Salmon
8 servings

Ingredients:

1 untreated cedar plank (14x7x1 inch)
1/2 cup KRAFT Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing (Don’t have any dressing on hand? Use oil olive, vinegar, salt, pepper and a little dill.)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 salmon fillet (2 lb.), 1 inch thick

Directions:

Immerse the plank in water, placing a weight on top of plank to keep it submerged. Soak at least 4 hours or overnight.
Preheat your grill to medium heat. Mix dressing, parsley and tomatoes; set aside. Brush top of cedar plank with 1 Tbsp. of oil; top with fish. Place on grill; cover grill with lid.
Grill 10 minutes. Brush with dressing mixture; continue grilling 10 min. or until fish flakes easily with fork.
If your flank catches fire, put out fire with a spray water bottle.

Weight Watchers POINTS = 4 POINTS per serving

Click here to watch a cedar plank grilling basics video from Kraft Foods.

Here’s another cedar plank salmon recipe from Whole Foods.