Did you know that meal prep can help with stress, mindfulness, and other conditions? So why not shoot two birds with one stone and prepare something healthy yet scrumptious for this year’s upcoming Fourth of July festivities?
Serving delicious food will delight your taste buds and help strengthen your immune system, as well. Check out five healthy 4th of July recipes that will surely impress your guests.
1. Black Bean Salad
No meal is perfect without salad! Stimulate your taste buds and make them hungry for more with a black bean salad made with creamy avocado. You can also add some arugula for a peppery bite!
Ingredients you’ll need to prepare:
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/2 cup sliced red onion
- 1 avocado
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
- 2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
- 8 cups mixed salad greens (adding some arugula is optional)
- 2 medium ears corns
- 1-pint grape tomatoes
- 1 15-ounce can black beans
Instructions:
- First, soak the red onions into a bowl of ice water to soften their flavor. Soaking the onions before cooking will help neutralize the strong flavor and bring out their sweetness. Set the bowl aside for later.
- Pit the avocado and chop it into small pieces.
- Place the avocado pieces into a food processor along with salt, oil, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice.
- Blend the mixture until it’s smooth and creamy. Add a dash of water if the mixture becomes too pasty or thick while being blended. Then set it aside.
- Rinse and drain the beans before mixing them in with the corn, tomatoes, and salad greens.
- Drain the red onions from the ice water before adding them with the other ingredients.
- Lastly, mix in the avocado dressing until every ingredient has been covered.
2. Pan-Fried Sesame Garlic Tofu
This is one of the most popular Fourth of July vegetarian recipes and for good reason: a lot of people have said that it tastes just like a chicken dish! Since it’s cooked with sesame garlic, it brings out the umami that makes it truly mouthwatering.
Prepare these ingredients:
- 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon of garlic paste
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sambal oelek
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 14 ounces of tofu
Instructions:
- Start by draining the tofu and layering two paper towels on a plate. Place the tofu between them, and gently press down with your hands to release the moisture.
- Replace the paper towels and repeat the process as many times as necessary.
- After draining, chop the tofu into smaller cubes.
- Place the chopped tofu bits into a bowl and add the cornstarch. Make sure the tofu bits are properly covered in cornstarch.
- Pour sesame oil and vegetable oil on a skillet and set the heat to medium-high.
- Mix the honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and sambal oelek.
- Fry the tofu until they’re crisp and golden brown on the outside and soft on the inside.
- When the tofu turns golden brown, add the mixture to the skillet.
- Mix until all the tofu cubes have been covered with the mixture.
3. Creamy Vegan Garlic Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes
Creamy vegan garlic pasta with roasted tomatoes is a must-have to your healthy Fourth of July recipes! It’s the perfect match to pan-fried sesame garlic tofu, after all.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
- 3 cups grape tomatoes
- 10-ounces whole wheat pasta (choose a gluten-free pasta if you want a healthy option)
- Olive oil
- 2 medium shallots
- 8 large cloves of garlic
- 1 pinch each sea salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 3-4 tablespoon of unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups unsweetened plain Almond Breeze
- 2-3 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1-2 tablespoon vegan parmesan cheese
- Basil
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 C).
- Cut the tomatoes in half and place them in a bowl. Add a bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt.
- Position the tomatoes so that the insides are facing upwards on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add the pasta to the water and make sure to stir the noodles regularly so they don’t end up sticking together. Drain and set aside.
- Heat a skillet on the stove over medium-low heat. Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil, as well as minced garlic and diced shallots.
- Cook the ingredients for four minutes then add salt and black pepper.
- Add in flour to thicken the sauce and mix with a whisk.
- Slowly pour in the almond milk. Refrain from pouring the entire 2 1/2 cup of almond milk into the mixture so it doesn’t form clumps.
- Add nutritional yeast with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Keep cooking for another four minutes to thicken the sauce.
- Once you’ve reached the desired consistency, toss in the pasta and baked tomatoes. Stir until the creamy sauce has evenly spread.
- Add a drizzle of parmesan cheese and top with basil.
4. Orange and Mint Lemonade
Wash your meal down with orange and mint lemonade. It’s a refreshing way to tame that garlic and peppery kick!
Prepare these ingredients:
- 1 cup water
- 1 lemon’s juice
- 3 orange’s juice
- 3 teaspoon of cane sugar
- 10 mint leaves
- ice cubes
Mix everything into a glass container like a mason jar, and you’re all set.
5. Vegan Ice Cream
For your 4th of July vegan dessert, try dairy-free vegan ice cream. It’s extremely creamy and delicious even though it’s only made up of three ingredients.
Prepare the following:
- 1 14-ounces can full-fat coconut milk
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup tahini
Instructions:
- Before conducting any food prep, chill the base of your ice cream maker in the fridge for at least 12 hours. Performing this step will help ensure that your ice cream will freeze faster.
- Place the tahini, maple syrup, and coconut milk in a blender and mix them.
- Pour the mixture into the ice cream maker and churn for about 20 minutes.
- Stop once its consistency thickens.
- Freeze for one to two hours before serving.
Elevate your Fourth of July festivities with a delicious and healthy vegan meal! For more health tips on diet and exercise, visit the LifeClinic blog.
