Does anyone else think immediately of the musical, 1776 on the Fourth of July? I will have this song in my head for three days as a result of writing this post:

Just me? Well all right, then…

Anyway, for anyone looking for a few healthy (or healthier) red-white-and-blue recipes, here are a few I sent out in my newsletter* the other day that are easy enough to pull off at the last minute:

Breakfast Parfait: Layer plain yogurt with blueberries & strawberries. Add your favorite high-fiber cereal for crunch.

Banana Soft Serve Sundae: Puree 1 frozen banana per person in a food processor or blender until it resembles soft serve ice cream. Scoop into festive cups and top with berries.

Healthier Berry Crumble: Layer ~6 cups of your favorite berries and 1 tbsp lemon juice in a 8X8-inch baking dish or 9-inch pie plate. In a mixing bowl, combine ½ cup rolled oats, 1/c cup whole wheat flour, oat flour, or almond meal, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla, and ¼ tsp salt. With a fork or pastry cutter, add ¼ c maple syrup or honey, and ½ c coconut oil, working until large crumbs form. Spread oats mixture over berries. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until fruit is bubbly and oat mixture is browned.

Sparklers:

Skip the boozy slushy drinks at your summer cookout and pop a bottle of bubbly-or how about some sparkling rose for a little change of pace? Lots of festive flavor with only 80 calories per flute-what’s not to love?  Garnish with frozen raspberries, strawberries, and/or blueberries, if desired.

*Want to sign up for my newsletter? Shoot me an email at KeepingItRealFood(at)gmail(dot)com. 

Have a wonderful day!

How are you spending your Fourth of July?