4th of July = National Cookout Day

by Mimi & Vera Levin, Tastemakers in Residence

One of the best parts of summer is being able to get outside and soak up that warm weather and sun. Summer means lakes, outdoor sports, cabins, and for many, the coming-together of people that we have not seen in awhile. For the two of us, one way we celebrate reuniting with family or old friends is through barbeques – bonding over both cooking and camaraderie. Thankfully, we have another excuse to get all of our friends and family together with the Fourth of July coming up. The Fourth of July is essentially “National Cookout Day,” so get everyone together to celebrate our nation’s independence with these healthy and delicious barbeque ideas. 

Sometimes, you just need to spice up your salad a bit and stray from the usual lettuce and veggies. An easy substitute for your typical house salad is panzanella. We love Ina Garten’s recipe for the freshest summer flavors. Here’s her fantastic recipe - Panzanella

Want to impress your friends with something that differs from your typical barbeque chicken? Try Guy Fieri’s chipotle-mango barbeque recipe. Your taste buds will be blown away. 

Another food that we love (and we are sure most of you do, as well) is coleslaw. We like to do a healthier take on it, so you can leave room for a delicious post-barbeque dessert. Our favorite recipe by Two Healthy Kitchens is made with Greek yogurt instead of Mayonnaise. 

Who doesn’t love a delectable dessert after the grills are powered down? One of our favorites is vanilla bean angel food cake from Health Magazine. You can really knock it out of the park by making your own whipped cream, too. You will be thanking us after you try this light and fresh dessert: