Weekly Recipe #121: Fouth of July – Red, White and Blue Food Fun

by Open Arms Registered Dietitian, Gwen Hill

It’s time to celebrate our country’s independence and all of those that fight hard to keep us free. As you dress in red, white and blue for the annual cookout, consider dressing up your food too. Here are a few ideas to make the menu more festive this year:

Potato Salad- when making your coveted potato salad recipe, trade out your regular potatoes for equal parts red, white and blue (purple) potatoes.

Festive Green Salad- Using romaine lettuce as a base, top with strawberries, blueberries and feta cheese.

Kebabs- Alternate cubed chicken breast, blue (purple) potatoes, onions, cherry tomatoes, and red peppers on a skewer and grill.

Bomb Pops- Remember Bomb Pops? The red, white and blue sugary, juicy popsicles found in every ice cream truck? Here is a variation of the classic—slightly healthier and definitely heartier. All you need is a blender, a freezer and a little time. 

Adapted from the honest fare recipe found at honestfare.com. 

Ingredients: 
Makes 10 popsicles
10- 9 oz Dixie cups
10 Popsicle sticks
2 cups strawberries
2 cups cranberry juice
1.5 quarts frozen yogurt
2 cups milk or soy milk
1 cup blueberries


Directions:

1. Blend strawberries and juice together until they create a puree consistency. 
2. Fill 1/3 of each Dixie cup with the strawberry puree.
3. Place in the freezer for 45 minutes, until they are partially frozen.
4. While the first section is freezing, blend 1 part milk with 3 parts frozen yogurt or ice cream. Blend until it’s nice and runny like a milk shake (add more milk if needed).
5. Pour 2-3 TBSP on top of the frozen juice to create a layered look- the juice should be frozen enough to support the weight of the milk/yogurt mixture. (and if not, it will still look swirly and pretty!)
6. Submerge a few blueberries into the milkshake part of each cup. 
7. Put a stick in each cup and place in the freezer. 
8. Freeze for at least an hour. 
9. To serve: Take the cups out of the freezer and let them sit for a few minutes until you are able to pull the popsicle out of the cup. Enjoy!