Stuck for healthy menu ideas this 4th of July?

Check out these recipes the whole family will love!

Get ready for the red, white and blue without the blues of having to see that number increase on the scale come July 5^th! We know you like to grill out on the 4^th to celebrate all your independence (and so do I!)… but that doesn’t mean you have to break the calorie bank just to get in a decent meal.

Check out our healthy 4^th of July menu below that will satisfy every taste bud and keep your waistline in check!

Roasted Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

Makes: 6 servings ~ Time: 15-20 min

Asparagus is one of those summer delicacies that you just don’t want to miss out on. Wrap it in a little prosciutto and now you have a real treat that’s just a little salty and oh so delicious!

 

 

 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb asparagus, washed and woody ends removed
• ½ lb prosciutto, sliced paper thin, cut in half lengthwise
• olive oil spray
• black pepper (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with foil. Wrap each asparagus spear with a ½ slice of prosciutto and lay on baking sheet. Make sure the asparagus is not overlapping.
3. Once all spears have been wrapped, spray lightly with olive oil spray and top with black pepper. Roast in oven for about 15 minutes or until prosciutto starts to become crispy on the ends. Serve warm or cool.

 

Applewood Grilled Chicken Breasts

Serves: 6 ~ Time: 30 min

Who needs extra sauces and sugar-laden spice mixes to spice up your chicken when you can eat bacon-tasting chicken! That’s right, by using applewood chips your chicken will literally smell and taste like applewood smoked bacon!

 

Ingredients:

• 3 large chicken breasts (about a pound and a half)
• salt & pepper
• applewood chips- you can buy these in the grilling section of the grocery store 

Directions:

1. If using a charcoal grill, soak wood chips in water for about 30 minutes prior to grilling. This is very important otherwise the chips will burn! If grilling over gas, grab a large piece of foil, put un-soaked wood chips in the center and fold the edges of the foil to make an envelope around the chips. Poke or tear 6 smallish holes in the foil. Preheat the grill during this time.
2. If grilling over charcoal, place the soaked chips directly on top of the burned down charcoal. If grilling over gas, place the foil packet directly on the grill grate.
3. Season chicken breasts with salt & pepper and put on grill at a 45 degree angle. After about 5 minutes, rotate chicken breasts on the same side 45 degrees. After 5 minutes, flip chicken over and repeat- that’s the easy way to get those pretty grill lines!
4. Your chicken should be fully cooked to 165 degrees internally (use a meat thermometer) and will take approximately 20-25 minutes to cook.

 Grilled Corn with Cilantro Lime Butter

Serves: 6 ~ Time: 15 minutes

Everyone loves corn on the cobb but it’s time to spice things up a bit with some compound butter! What’s a compound butter? It’s basically butter mixed with any spices or ingredients you’d like which just adds a little something extra to your food!

 

 

Ingredients:

• 6 ears of corn
• 3 Tablespoons of real butter (no margarine)
• 1 Tablespoon lime zest
• 1 Tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the grill to medium.
2. Pull the outer husks down the ear to the base. Strip away the silk from each ear. Fold husks back into place and place the ears of corn in a large bowl of cold water with 1 Tablespoon of salt for 10 minutes.
3. Remove corn from water and shake of excess. Place the corn on the grill, close the cover and grill for 15-20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, or until kernels are tender when pierced with a knife.
4. Remove the husks, top with a ½ Tablespoon of butter and a dash of black pepper for each ear of corn while still hot. Serve immediately.

Marinated Kale Salad

Serves 4-6 ~ Time: 7 minutes

This is by far one of my favorite salads, and I LOVE salad! It’s chock full of fiber and nutrients, plus it’s a superfood to boot! I’d suggest making this the night before so the kale has time to soak up all the delicious flavors of the marinade. If you forget to make it ahead, it’s not the end of the world.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of fresh kale
• ¼ c. green onions, sliced
• ¼ c. olive oil
• ½ c. lemon juice
• ¼ tsp. salt and pepper
• ½ tsp. each dried basil and dried oregano
• Additional additives (optional): ¼ c. sliced sun dried tomatoes or sliced red bell pepper

Directions:

1. Pull kale leaves off the stems; discard stems and rip leaves into bite-sized pieces. Add the remaining ingredients to the kale and mix together.
2. You can either eat the kale right away or let it marinate for a few hours to overnight. The longer the better! Serve with grilled chicken.

 

Greek Potato Salad

Serves: 6-8 ~ Time: 30 minutes

Don’t be fooled by the name “Greek”; this isn’t some Mediterranean-style potato salad. In fact, it’s made with non-fat, plain Greek yogurt! Shhh, don’t tell anyone because they won’t even know the difference! Watch and be amazed!

 

 

Ingredients:

• ½ c. low fat mayo
• ½ c. plain non-fat Greek yogurt
• 5 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 4 cups cubed cooked potatoes (5-6 medium)
• 1 c. diced celery
• ½ c. chopped red onion
• 2 hard boiled eggs, chopped

Directions:

1. Combine first 5 ingredients. Add the remaining ingredients. Cover & chill.

Red White & Blue Fruit Tart

Serves: 8 ~ Time: 20 minutes

This is one of my favorite desserts! It’s so easy and looks amazing like it should be not as healthy as it is! This is a great way to spice up the boring “healthy fruit dessert!”

 

Ingredients:

• 1 low-fat graham cracker piecrust
• 2 cups plain non-fat Greek yogurt or Chobani 100/Oikos Triple Zero Vanilla Greek yogurt
• 1 cup each blueberries, blackberries and sliced strawberries
• 1 Tablespoon honey, optional

Directions:

1. Place yogurt in piecrust and top with fruit. If using honey, drizzle over the top.
2. Chill if not eating the pie right away and when ready slice into 8 equal slices.

Love these recipes? Leave us a comment and let me know!

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