We've made it to the end of June and somehow, the 4th of July is only one day away! Can you believe it? We can't. As you're preparing your shopping list for this weekend's festivities, we wanted to bring you some fresh and delicious food ideas to bring to your (socially distanced) celebratory barbeque. Who says you have to do the same old burgers, hot dogs, potato salad thing? Not us!
What to Grill
Burgers and hotdogs are great, but why not try marinating some chicken and tossing that on the old BBQ this year? Give this delicious Lemon Marinade a try, it's quick and easy to throw together and sure to woo your taste buds.
What about leaving the turf behind and leaning toward the surf? When was the last time you threw salmon or a tuna steak on the grill? Or, if you want something even easier, throw together some shrimp and veggie skewers, brush some soy sauce over them and throw them on the grill! It's that easy. Speaking of veggies
It's time to step up your grilled veggie game.
If you haven't been utilizing your grill to cook vegetables you are sorely missing out. Grilling vegetables is a perfect opportunity to introduce different produce into your diet that you may not usually eat!
Some of our favorite veggies to grill:
- Corn on the Cob
- Asparagus
- Zucchini
- Squash
- Mushrooms
These will make a perfect side dish to whatever meat or fish you grill, or if you're avoiding meat altogether, they're hearty enough to stand on their own!
Speaking of side dishes
What's a barbeque without a variety of sides to accompany our main dish? Keeping things on the lighter side doesn't have to be boring or tasteless. In fact, it should be anything but. Try one (or all) of these at your 4th of July meal this year:
Fresh Fruit Salad with Fresh Mint - Grab a variety of berries, peaches, melon or whatever your favorite fruits, splash in some lemon or orange juice, a drizzle of honey, toss in some fresh mint leaves and you're good to go!
Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad - Brussel Sprouts have really made a comeback over the last decade. If you haven't warmed up to them yet, give our recipe a try! Between the sprouts, walnuts, sunflower seeds and goat cheese, you really can't go wrong.
Whole Wheat Pasta Salad - If you're a lover of pasta salad, give this more wholesome and healthy versiona try. Not only is it easy to throw together, but it's delicious. You won't miss your old pasta salad recipe one bit!
Now that we've covered what we're grilling and serving on the side, it's time to move on to the sweeter side of the BBQ event
Let's talk Desserts
The last thing anyone really wants on a hot July day is a heavy dessert. Delicious? Yes. Heavy? No. This is good news! It means we can keep things on the lighter side in every sense of the phrase. Give one (or both) of these a try this weekend!
Red, White and Blue Fruit Pizza - Nothing says festive quite like a fruit pizza decorated like an American flag, am I right? Not only are these pretty to look at sitting on your buffet table, but they're always a crowd pleaser. You can find hundreds of different recipes online, but here is one recipe we know you'll love.
Dessert Skewers - What could be more fitting at a barbeque than a dessert skewer? Or a variety of dessert skewers if you're feeling ambitious? There is really no limit on how creative you can get with these. You could make strawberry shortcake kabobs, s'mores kabobs, grilled peach and pound cake kabobs. I could go on, but I won't. Instead, here's a link to 25 Dessert on a Stick Ideas for you to have fun with.
Finally, let's talk about what you're going to be drinking. For the most part, make sure you're drinking water. You can even mix it up by drinking your favorite flavored carbonated water. But it's a holiday weekend and you're sure to want something different to tickle your taste buds, so here are a couple of drink ideas to help you mix things up.
Fresh Minted Raspberry Lemonade - This is such an easy drink to throw together and will be guaranteed to please everyone at your party! This recipe is easy to follow and sure to be a hit.We recommend substituting the granulated sugar with maple syrup for a healthier take!
Raspberry Vodka Lemonade - If you want to enjoy a nice cocktail during your 4th of July party, why not keep it on the lighter side? Nothing says refreshing quite like a combination of raspberries, lemonade and vodka! Check out this recipeand enjoy!
We can't wait to hear how your 4th of July barbeques go! Make sure you head over to the Healthi community and let us know what you decided to serve at your meal this weekend and share some recipes with us!