4th of July Weekend

It's ridiculously early by most people's standards, yet I've been up for over an hour and half thanks to some house shaking thunder. I'm not complaining though because I am all nice and cozied up in my bed listening to the rain. I am grateful for the beautiful weather we had over the weekend!

There are so many fun ways to get into the festive spirit of things, of course festive food is always one of my favorites! The lake that I live on had their fireworks on Saturday night instead of on the 4th so the 4th festivities got to continue on an extra day. To get into the spirit of things I made some festive American Flag Toast.

American Flag Toast

• 1 piece of bread (GF if needed)
• 2.5 tablespoons greek yogurt, just enough to lightly spread over top of the bread- can also use cream cheese if preferred 
• 6 blueberries, for the flag's stars
• 2 small strawberries, thinly sliced for the stripes
• 3 slices of banana, thinly sliced for the stripes

Toast the bread if desired.

Spread the greek yogurt or cream cheese over bread.

Assemble the blueberries in the upper left corner and then assemble the strawberries and banana to look like stripes. 

Saturday was the picture perfect night for fireworks. We got to watch the sunset over the lake before the firework show began.

I have so many pictures I could post, but I don't want to bore you too much so I'll only post one. If you want to see more check out my instagram. Fireworks always make me feel like a kid again because I can't help but oh and awe over them. Besides I don't think you're ever too old to believe in a little magic! 

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July fellow Americans! What a glorious day it is to celebrate our freedom with friends and family. I don't know about you, but food is always front and center with my family on the 4th. Normally we fire up the grill and make salmon, chicken or a steak for my dad. 

While there is sure to be lots of tempting food at any 4th of July BBQ you don't have to fall off the healthy eating bandwagon. There are tons of healthy and easy foods that would please a crowd and not expand your waistline. Here is a list of some of my favorite foods for a day all about the red, white and blue!

Breakfast
How about some delicious blueberry banana pancakes to start the day off right?

Maybe you're more of a oats eater for breakfast, don't worry I've got you covered with this delicious red, white and blue oats recipe.

Looking for a sweet parfait to start the day? No problem, this berry delicious parfait is sure to hit the spot!

Woke up with a sweet tooth this morning? Satisfy your sweet tooth without feeling guilty with a delicious healthy banana split.

Lunch/Dinner

Firing up the grill on the 4th is an American Tradition. Try grilling up something healthy like lemon salmon and bell peppers, this is one of my favorites!

If you like to break away from tradition and opt out of grilling, there is still plenty of easy and healthy options out there. Why not make the 4th a healthy taco or fajita day? Create a delicious meal without breaking sweat by whipping out your beloved crockpot for lightened up crockpot chicken fajitas or make crockpot ground turkey for healthy taco alternative.

If a salad more suits your style you can show a love of country by creating a patriotic salad like this salmon berry salad. Make the salad even more patriotic by throwing in fresh blueberries and strawberries.

Snacks/Dessert

There are so many tempting snacks and desserts at BBQ's that it's often hard to resist the urge. My favorite go to snack is homemade granola. It's easy to make and healthy, but still sweet enough to satisfy that dang sweet tooth. Or if you're in a time crunch opt for raw granola loaded with almonds for extra protein.

If you've been good all day and are looking to indulge a little, everyone is allowed to have a cheat day once in awhile right?!, try whipping up a batch of loaded oreo brownie bars or their cookie counterpart loaded oreo cookie bars which are always a crowd pleaser! 

Looking for the perfect campfire/bonfire treat while watching a firework display? Look no further! S'mores brownies keep the campfire tradition of s'mores alive while adding a little extra pizazz. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful 4th of July and is able to enjoy time off with loved ones. Enjoy the day and please be safe, God Bless!

Raspberry KIND Yogurt

I had to pack in an extra long workout at the gym today because it's closed tomorrow for the 4th of July. After my workout and before I hit the grocery store I whipped up a quick snack. 

Going grocery shopping on an empty stomach is never a good idea. When you're hungry you are more likely to impulse buy and buy unhealthy food. A simple snack before going to the store can save you a lot of money and unwanted calories. 

Yogurt with fruit is one of my go to snacks. It's fast, easy and there is so much you can do with it. For added protein I threw in some fresh raspberries and a cut up KIND bar. If you're in a rush you can put it in a container and eat it on the go. 

Raspberry KIND Yogurt

• 1/2 cup vanilla greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup raspberries
• 1 dark chocolate cherry cashew KIND bar, cut into chunks