The 4th of July isn’t just about burgers and hot dogs! Fire up the grill and celebrate Independence Day with a medley of colorful grilled vegetables, couscous salad, and fun fruit dishes. Flavor and healthfulness go hand-in-hand with these festive recipes. Happy 4th of July!
Grilled Vegetables
While you have your BBQ fired up, throw some fresh veggies on there for a delicious side dish.
Ingredients
- Zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces
- Mushrooms
- Bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
- Cherry tomatoes
- Asparagus, cut into thirds
- Any other veggies you have in the fridge
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Toss all of the veggies with a little olive oil, salt and pepper
- Cook on the grill until soft and start to brown on the edges
Refreshing Couscous Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole grain couscous
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 hothouse cucumber, diced
- 2 scallions
- 1/2 cup roasted red pepper, diced
- 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fines herb
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 3 tablespoons slivered almonds
- 1/4 cup balsamic salad dressing
Instructions
- Combine couscous and stock in small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cover. Cook 10 to 15 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed. Let cool completely.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled couscous with remaining ingredients. Toss to mix thoroughly.
- Serve chilled
Fruit Flag
Ingredients
- 29 large strawberries
- 30 large blackberries
- 7 or so large bananas
- Lemon juice
- Hull and halve 29 large strawberries and set them aside.
- Arrange 30 large blackberries, as shown, in the upper left corner of a serving tray or cutting board (it should be at least 8 by 13 inches).
- Cut 58 banana slices, 3/4-inch-thick, into a bowl. Sprinkle on lemon juice and toss the slices gently with a rubber spatula to keep them from browning.
- Assemble the banana slices in rows as shown and top each slice with a strawberry half, or you can alternate rows of bananas and strawberries to make red and white stripes.
- For ultimate freshness, prepare this treat right before serving. Present it with toothpicks for spearing the fruit and a bowl of your favorite dip, if desired.
Watermelon Pop Stars
These starry fruit pops make a cool treat for your Fourth of July celebration.
Ingredients
- Watermelon
- Popsicle sticks
- Star-shaped cookie cutter
Instructions
- Use a cookie cutter to cut juicy star shapes from 1-inch-thick slices of seedless watermelon.
- Insert a Popsicle stick into each star, then set the pops on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.
- Cover the stars with another sheet of foil and freeze for 1 hour or until firm.
Remember to drink plenty of water and get lots of exercise this holiday weekend. Have fun and enjoy!
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