Delicious Healthy Food Choices for this 4th of July

The 4th of July is a time of celebration, and often times, our celebrations involve food. Whether it be a BBQ in the backyard or a picnic at the beach, here are some ideas to keep your meals fun, yet healthy!

Turkey Confetti Burgers¹
Recipe from by Julie Harrington, Registered Dietitian

Ingredients
1 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 cups spinach, finely chopped
1 pound ground turkey breast
½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
½ cup ground flaxseed
1 egg
⅛ tsp salt
⅛ tsp pepper

Instructions
1. Preheat grill. Prep all the vegetables, and set aside in a bowl.
2. Add the ground turkey, feta cheese, flaxseed, egg, salt, and pepper.
3. Mix together until all ingredients are incorporated together. Form into 6 patties.
4. Grill each side for about 5-7 minutes (or bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes), or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
5. Put on top of a whole wheat bun and with your favorite healthy toppings.

Try some fun topping ideas for burgers to add some variety!
– Avocado or Avocado and mango
– Salsa
– Hummus

Other suggestions for keeping your meals light and healthy:
– Making kabobs? Add some vegetables and fruit for variety! Pineapple and mango both are great for grilling
– Choose lean beef if making hamburgers

For a side, try this alternative to broccoli salad, made with a Greek Yogurt Salad Dressing!

Broccoli Salad with Greek Yogurt Salad Dressing²

Ingredients
For the Greek Yogurt Salad Dressing:
1/2 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp raw honey
1 tsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp sea salt
For The Broccoli Salad:
2 heads broccoli, cut into small florets
1 cup red cabbage, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup sliced almonds
3 green onions, sliced
3 slices sugar-free uncured bacon, cooked and crumbled

Instructions 
1. In a small mixing bowl, combine Greek yogurt, apple cider vinegar, raw honey, fresh lemon zest, and sea salt, and then whisk together until smooth.
2. Place this in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the rest of the salad.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add the (bite-size) broccoli florets, chopped red cabbage, diced red onion, golden raisins, sliced raw almonds, sliced green onions, and cooked bacon crumbles. (You could also add in grapes, sunflower seeds, a little cheese, dried cranberries, or even sliced apples.)
4. Toss this all together until evenly mixed.
5. Now, grab the dressing from the fridge and add to the top of the broccoli mixture and toss again to coat.

Other suggestions:
– If vegetarian, the bacon can be left out.
– Add some sunflower seeds for added texture and variety
– Dried cranberries can be substituted for raisins

I hope you all have a fun and safe holiday. For more tips and tricks on eating healthy, reach out for your free consultation!

Happy 4th of July!

JoAnna Weinand graduated from the University of North Dakota in 2013 as a Registered Dietitian and started her career in New Mexico, working with many different disease states including diabetes in children and adults, kidney disease, malnutrition, weight management, and many different gastrointestinal diseases.

JoAnna has an adventurous spirit and her career has taken her from many different places, from New Mexico, to California, North Dakota and Alaska. She has worked in many different settings including hospitals, dialysis centers, skilled nursing facilities, gyms, and within the community with youth and adults in Alaska.

JoAnna has always had a passion for nutrition and living a healthy lifestyle. In her spare time, she loves to travel, mountain bike, rock climb and backpack. Living back in Minnesota, she also loves to spend time with her family.

JoAnna believes that nutrition is not “one size fits all” and each nutrition plan should be tailored to meet an individual’s needs. JoAnna enjoys working with many different disease states and developing the right plan so each person can reach his or her own personal goals.

 

References
¹Confetti Turkey Burgers, https://julieharringtonrd.com/confetti-turkey-burgers/, Accessed June 30th, 2019
²Broccoli Salad with Greek Yogurt Dressing, https://www.asweetpeachef.com/broccoli-salad/, Accessed June 30th, 2019