5 Easy and Healthy Fourth Of July Recipes

healthy fourth of july recipe

The Fourth of July is a great time to spend with family and friends celebrating America’s Independence Day. While all the parties are fun, chances are there will be a lot of great food that is not-so-great for you.

Whether you are hosting or pitching in, here are five easy and healthy Fourth of July recipes your loved ones will love (and may not even recognize as healthy!)

Healthy Fourth Of July Recipe #1: Brownie Batter Dip

Brownie batter dip and the word health in the same sentence? Yup, you read that right. The ingredients speak for themselves, and if you don’t tell anyone, they may never know that it’s secretly good for them.

Ingredients:

  • 1 can chickpeas or black beans
  • 2 tbsp regular or dutch cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup quick oats (or almond meal or 1/3 cup flour of choice)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup sweetener of choice, such as pure maple syrup (Sugar-Free Version)
  • pinch uncut stevia, or 2 tbsp additional sweetener of choice
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup nut butter or oil of choice
  • chocolate chips, and other add-ins if desired
  • milk of choice, if needed for a thinner dip

Directions

Combine all ingredients except add-ins in a high-quality food processor until completely smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips before serving. Leftovers can be covered and refrigerated 3-4 days.

Healthy Fourth Of July Recipe #2: Grilled Zucchini with Parmesan Pesto

Grilled Zucchini with Parmesan Pesto will wow your friends and family at any gathering. It is super quick to prepare and can be made the morning of your party so you don’t have to cook it while your guests are with you or when you get to where you’re going.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup basil leaves
  • 1 small garlic clove
  • 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 6 zucchini
  • Olive oil

Directions

Combine basil leaves, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor; pulse until well-blended. Gradually pour in 1/2 cup olive oil and Parmesan cheese; pulse again. The pesto should be very thick. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper, as desired.

Thinly slice zucchini lengthwise; brush lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle lightly with salt and black pepper. Grill until marked on both sides and tender (about 1 minute per side); remove and cool. Spread about 1 teaspoon of pesto on 1 side of each grilled zucchini slice; roll up and secure with a toothpick.

Healthy Fourth of July Recipe #3: Berry Sangria

Yes, there is a healthier way to make sangria and no, you’ll never go back to the normal sangria again!

Ingredients:

  • 1 750-mL bottle Vinho Verde
  • 1 cup Sauternes or ice wine
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1 cup sliced strawberries
  • 1 star fruit, sliced
  • 1 cup chilled plain seltzer
  • Ice

Directions

Combine wine, Sauternes, blueberries, strawberries and star fruit in a large pitcher. Refrigerate until cold, about 4 hours. Just before serving, stir in seltzer. Serve over ice.

Make Ahead Tip: Refrigerate for up to 12 hours. Stir in seltzer just before serving.

Check out the nutrition info here.

Healthy Fourth Of July Recipe #4: Mango Chocolate Sparklers

Having something for the kids is always crucial, and if it is healthy, the happier everyone will be! Try these amazingly delicious chocolate dipped fruit on a stick at your 4th of July party.

Ingredients:

  • Mangoes- sliced
  • Dipping chocolate- milk and white
  • Sucker sticks
  • Red, white, and blue sprinkles

Directions

Slice up your mango, and insert the sucker stick into one end. Melt your milk chocolate and white chocolate in a bowl. Dip the end of the mango stick into the chocolate, and either dip or shower the chocolate end with sprinkles. Lay onto a cookie sheet covered in wax paper and freeze. Bring them out when the kids are ready for a tasty treat!

Healthy Fourth Of July Recipe #5: Grilled Blackberry, Strawberry, Basil, and Brie Pizza Crisps

Wow, that is a mouth-full of a name, but a mouth full is what your friends and family will want of these sweet and savory pizza crisps!

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 pound recipe of your favorite pizza dough
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 16 leaves basil chopped + divided
  • 8-12 ounces brie sliced
  • 1 1/2 cups strawberries chopped
  • 3/4 cup blackberries
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons honey

Directions

Prepare the dough 1-2 hours ahead of time.

As the dough rises, make the honey balsamic glaze. Add the balsamic vinegar and honey to small saucepan and simmer until reduced by half. This should take about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside until ready to use.

When ready to grill the pizzas preheat the grill the high heat.

Add the blackberries to a bowl and add about half of the basil. Lightly mash the blackberries with a fork.

Invert a baking sheet and generously dust with flour.

Divide the pizza dough in half and roll each half as thin as you can, but make sure not to rip the dough. Cut the dough into 12 to 16 squares or circles (I did both). Add the olive oil to a small bowl and brush both sides of the pizza rounds with the olive oil and place on the baking sheet.

Carefully add half of the pizza rounds to the hot grill and grill for no more than 2 minutes. The dough will bubble up, this is good! Remove the pizzas using tongs and repeat with the remaining pizza rounds. When all the pizzas are grilled, turn the heat on the grill down to medium.

Top the grilled side of each of the pizzas with slices of brie, but make sure to leave a 1/2 inch border around the edges so the brie does not melt all over the grill. Then top with lightly mashed blackberries and the chopped strawberries. Carefully return the pizzas to the grill and grill for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until the brie has melted and the pizzas are crisp. Top with the remaining fresh basil and drizzle on the honey balsamic glaze.

To make the American flag pizza place the blackberries in the left-hand corner of a square pizza crisp and then push the strawberries into the brie in rows. Grill as directed above.

If you’re hosting the Fourth of July bash this year, CleanSpace is here to help you in the Silicon Valley area of California. Call us today to get your appointment scheduled for a house cleaning before and after your big party! We can get your house looking great before your guests arrive for your Fourth of July party and clean up your house after they leave! We look forward to serving you!

Ultimate Summer Cleaning Checklist

summer cleaning

The start of summer brings with it so many wonderful outdoor activities. You get to dust off all that patio furniture and shake out those umbrellas. You get to pull out the old grill. You get to break out the bikes and give them a wipe down. You get to unpack all the summer clothes.

Wait… this is starting to sound less fun and more like a…you guessed it!

Ultimate Summer Cleaning Checklist!

It doesn’t have to be a lot of work and it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. In fact, many of the things on this list will occur to you organically;  for example, when things have been in storage, you naturally give them a wipe down before using them.

Here are our recommendations for summer cleaning that will keep your house feeling fresh, cool, and clean all summer long.

Summer Cleaning Task #1: The Grill

Thankfully, the weather in California is so nice, we can grill out all year long. But, summer is traditionally the best time to grill, so it is also a good time to give the grill a thorough cleaning.  Don’t forget these areas of the grill:

  • Take the grates off and use an oven cleaner (don’t forget your gloves!) to give the grates a really good scrub down.
  • Use a soapy solution and a washcloth to wipe down the outside of the grill and then dry completely
  • Hand wash your grill utensils

Most people quickly clean the grill after each use, but it is advisable to once or twice a year give it a good scrub down.

Summer Cleaning Task #2: Vases

Flowers are available in abundance all summer long. If you have flowers in your garden that you sometimes bring in the house, summer is a good time to give the vases a good cleaning. Some vases are rather difficult to thoroughly clean on the inside; for instance, they might be long with a very small hole at the neck.

 

To clean out those hard to reach places, put a spoon of uncooked white rice into the vase with a little soap and warm water. Then cover the hole of the vase with your hand and shake. This will help scrub the inside of the vase. Now you’re ready for all those pretty flowers!

Summer Cleaning Task #3: Pillows

Summer is a great time to wash all the pillows in your house. Throw pillows, pillows for your bed, pillows your dog uses— they could all could use a good cleaning once a year. Some pillows might be able to be tossed into the washing machine with no ill effect.

For those that aren’t washing machine friendly, just wash them in the sink or a washing tub. Use a low suds detergent like Woolite, and then press— do not wring— the pillow dry. Most pillows are safe to toss into the dryer; just add in a few dryer balls to fluff them up.

Summer Cleaning Task #4: Patios and Decks

Wiping down patio furniture periodically is a great idea. Chairs might be doing double duty and also being used to dry swimsuits and towels from the pool. The chlorine might make the colors fade over time, so to prevent that, use soapy water to scrub, rinse, and dry the patio furniture in the summertime, when it will dry quickly.

The patio or deck itself could likely use a good spray down. Power spraying the concrete, deck, ceilings, etc, to rid them of cobwebs and bugs and general dirt will make your outdoor living areas look new again. Just be careful to use the suggested spray strength.

Summer Cleaning Task #5: Stains

Summer is a time for parties, relaxing evenings with friends, or just a quiet evening with neighbors watching the kids play in the backyard. Plenty of these events might also involve a glass (or two) of wine. With kids about, there is also the chance of a glass (or two) getting knocked over. Popsicles are also a major culprit behind stains in the summer.

If a glass of wine is just knocked over, use salt to soak it up. Not just a sprinkle, but a good amount of salt over the stain (on the carpet or the floor) will soak the wine right up. Then just vacuum it away. White vinegar, warm water, lemon juice, and a sponge will help you get rid of Pop Ice stains in no time.

Another good item for your summer cleaning checklist? Call CleanSpace cleaning services to get your free quote on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly cleaning to keep your house looking its best.
Chances are high that during the summer, you’d rather be spending time outdoors with your family and friends than cleaning up around the house. Your summer cleaning checklist can melt away by hiring our professional cleaning teams at CleanSpace!