Healthy 4th Of July Tips and Recipes

It's Summer and what do you do in the summer?  You get out the grill and you enjoy some good old fashioned BBQ.  But BBQ can actually be quite unhealthy!  It is really full of sugar and hidden ingredients that you aren't expecting!  So lets go through a few marinades and tips that you can use if you plan to drag out the grill this weekend for your holiday weekend festivities.

Lets start with burgers!!  Everyone loves a burger on the grill.  The old me would eat red meat, smother with cheese, ketchup and a white bun.  The new me has a new spin on burgers but its not short on flavor what so ever.

So my favorite burgers are actually home made turkey burgers.  I buy the lean ground meat from Costco (6 pack) and then shape into palm size patties, season with onion powder, garlic powder, sea salt and pepper and grill.

Top with honey mustard, onion, lettuce, tomato and avocado for a nice twist!!!  I forgo the bun and do large lettuce leaves or I do a whole grain sandwich thin for a special treat.  Super easy to make and its going to save you a ton of calories in the long run!

You can also add in some fresh herbs, dijon mustard, a dash of Worcestershire sauce to keep your burgers juicy too!

Another variation is to add roasted garlic and fresh rosemary to make your burgers extra flavorful.  Grated zucchini with the ground beef keeps them moist and its an inexpensive way to bulk.

We made some black bean burgers for dinner tonight and they were off the charts good!  I didn't have the bun, but the kids did and we topped it with guacamole, onion and tomato!  

What's a great side dish that you can share at a picnic event?  This southwest quinoa salad is to die for!!!  My mouth waters just thinking about it.

Grilled Chicken Kabobs :  These are full of flavor and delicious for summer grilling.  The kids like to help make them too!

Teriyaki Marinade

I stumbled upon this Teriyaki Marinade when I was looking for a clean eating alternative to commercial marinades.  This is super delicious!  I use it on salmon, but I'm sure you could use it on other things as well!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp maple syrup
• 2 tsp finely chopped garlic
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Combine all ingredients and place meat or fish in shallow baking dish and marinate for 20 minutes in refrigerator.  I turned the meat a few times to distribute the marinade evenly.

If you are going to make the salmon preheat your oven to 350 degrees and place Salmon in 9x9 baking dish that has been sprayed with clean cooking spray.  Then bake in oven for 20 minutes, baste with leftover sauce.  You can also grill the salmon as well!
This dish is great with brown rice and asparagus.  Tonight we will be eating this dish with brown rice and fresh zucchini from our garden!

For Dessert!!!  Black Bean Brownies---- I tricked my Mother In Law and didn't tell her they were black beans and she didn't even notice!  hehe

So I think we have basically covered everything except for the drinks!

How about a clean Mojito for a refreshing drink!  Matt came up with this concoction and we love it!!!!  If all else fails, go basic and do a vodka and a sparkling water with a splash of lemon or lime!  

Enjoy your holiday weekend!  

Don't skip your workout, drink your water, and eat like its a weekday!  You have got this!  I'm cheer ing you on!  And if you need support, accountability or a kick in the pants after the 4th weekend you can join my 21 Day Fix Group Starting the workouts on the 12th of July and kick it off with the 3 Day Refresh!!!