Fun, Healthy 4th of July Recipes
Healthy Holiday Food that Keeps You on Track
Holidays can be intimidating. The overwhelming thought of family coming over, making sure the decorations are set up and the ultimate showdown of food preparation can put you in panic mode.
And when you’re on a workout routine and meal prepping during the week, eating on the holidays can scare you and make you either under-eat or overeat.
But we’re here to tell you that it’s okay to enjoy the holidays and everything that comes with it. Don’t restrict yourself. Don’t lose sight of the bigger picture. You CAN still eat with your friends and family for the 4th of July - and you can even keep it healthy.
There are ways to savor the traditional holiday meals without getting off track of your fitness plan.
Here’s a few of my favorite meal ideas that get us through the holidays without the guilt:
1. High Protein Burger Wrap
1 Ezekiel wrap
4oz ground cooked bison or 96% lean ground beef
1 Tbsp grapeseed oil vegenaise, or light mayonnaise
Shredded lettuce
Low-sugar ketchup and mustard
Avocado Slices (optional)
Spinach salad
Tbsp low-cal dressing (I like Light Italian)
Macros w/out avocado: Calories 342 - Protein 32g - Carbs 28g - Fat 13g
2. High Protein French Toast
2 slices cinnamon Ezekiel raisin bread
3/4 cup liquid egg whites
Cinnamon to taste
Stevia to taste
2 tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk
Walden Farms calorie-free syrup
Optional: Top with blueberries or strawberries
Macros: Calories 239 - Protein 11g - Carbs 39g - Fat 1g
Heat a skillet on medium on the stove. Whisk egg whites, almond milk, cinnamon and stevia together. Dip bread in mixture and let soak in well so that you get as much of the egg whites in the bread as possible. Spray your pan with non-stick cooking spray and lay the bread inside. Cook until both sides are golden brown. Top with Walden Farms calorie-free syrup.
Note: If you have extra egg white mixture left over, cook it up to eat on the side of your toast!
Pro tip: If you keep your bread in your fridge like I do, microwave it for 5 to 7 seconds to soften it so the bread can absorb the mixture better!
3. Healthy Pizza
1 Ezekiel wrap
¼ cup organic all natural pizza sauce
Fresh basil, chopped to taste
Garlic, chopped, to taste
Red onion, ¼ cup chopped, or to taste
Mushrooms, ¼ cup chopped, or to taste
Spinach, ¼ cup chopped, or to taste
¼ cup organic fat-free shredded mozzarella
Sundried tomatoes in olive oil, ¼ cup or to taste
Macros: Calories 274 - Protein 18g - Carbs 41g - Fat 6g
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay your wrap on a baking sheet and assemble all of the ingredients to make a pizza. Spray the top with non stick cooking spray. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
Pro tip: For this meal I use as many veggies as possible to keep the calories down and the nutrients and fiber up! The sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil taste great and add some nice healthy fats, and allow the nutrients from the spinach to be better absorbed. I recommend organic cheese, even if you can’t find a low-fat version, because organic dairy has 500% more CLA in it, which is reputed to be a powerful antioxidant and immune-system enhancer. It is also supposed to help burn fat and help you retain muscle.
4. Low - Calorie Watermelon Coconut Sorbet
A party isn’t a party without dessert. Homemade sorbet is an easy and addictive option!
Try blending your favorite frozen fruit with coconut or almond milk for a low-calorie, refreshing dessert!
INGREDIENTS:
5 cups fresh watermelon, seedless or seeds removed
4 cups unsweetened coconut milk
juice from 1/2 lemon or a lime
Macros per recipe: Calories 411 - Protein 5g - Carbs 62g - Fat 19g
Serves 5
Macros per serving: Calories 82 - Protein 1g - Carbs 12g - 4g
Dice watermelon and remove seeds if not using seedless fruit.
In blender, combine watermelon, coconut milk, and lemon juice. Blend until smooth.
Pour watermelon coconut puree into a baking dish, cover with plastic wrap and freeze until solid (about 4 hours).
With a sharp knife, cut frozen puree into cubes.
Place cubes in a blender/food processor and process until the texture is silky smooth. If your blender/food processor is not powerful enough, you might want to add the cubes in small batches. If too frozen, add a few drops of coconut milk.
Transfer back to baking dish until firm.
Then when ready to serve, grab an ice cream scoop and enjoy!
Don’t let the holiday’s scare you away from all of the food and fun. You can still have flavorful food while sticking to your healthy lifestyle.
Be a Queen everyday!
XO Amanda