The Fourth of July is tomorrow and if you are still looking for some side dishes to serve tomorrow or at your next cookout, here are the best summer BBQ sides!
Category: Healthy Recipes
Kale Caesar Salad
A salad I have been making for years, this Kale Caesar Salad makes for a great summer dish. Swapping a few ingredients from the traditional recipe yields a yummy and healthier version of a classic salad.
Starbucks Sous Vide Egg Bites
I have always found breakfast foods to be challenging. Weekday mornings are typically a rush, so quick meals are key. Since giving up caffeine last summer, I don’t frequent Starbucks all that much. But, a few months ago, I stopped by to get a decaf coffee and saw these cute, little egg bites in the case. Known as “sous vide egg bites” and with an egg and egg white version to pick from, I thought I would give the egg white version a try. After one bite, I was hooked. Since I loved the Starbucks version, I thought I would try recreating the recipe at home.
Summer Watermelon Salad
Summer and Memorial Day are just around the corner and today I am sharing one of my favorite side salads for the summer. We made this easy summer watermelon salad countless times last summer and already once this summer! With only a few ingredients, this summer dish is the perfect compliment for your next BBQ!
Peach Caprese Salad
I have never met a caprese salad I did not like. This peach caprese salad included! While the traditional version of this salad featuring tomatoes, mozzarella and basil will always be my favorite, I spotted this peach caprese recipe in the new Magnolia Table cookbook (buy it here) and I knew I had to try it.
My Trader Joe’s Top Five
I don’t know about you, but I always like reading about new food finds. I shared a few of my favorite healthy snacks (post here) with you a few months ago and now I’m back with a Trader Joe’s edition. As much as I love sharing new recipes with you each week, all the recipes start with some of my favorite ingredients and this post gives me a chance to share a few of the products I’m loving. We have a Trader Joe’s pretty close to our house and I always love checking out their newest selection. Although I don’t find Trader Joe’s to be a great place to find your “everyday” groceries, it is good for specialty products and snacks. Here is my Trader Joe’s top five products.
Avocado Caprese Chicken
I have shared my love for weeknight dinners on the grill before (most recently in this post). Since we had a few warmer days in March, we have already used the grilled quite a bit this spring. I made this Avocado Caprese Chicken a few weeks ago and couldn’t wait to share it with all of you. This easy grilled dinner is perfect for weeknights or anytime you are looking for a quick dinner. Pair it with a salad, rice or even pasta, this Avocado Caprese Chicken is a new favorite in our house.
Vegetarian “Meat” Loaf
About once a month, I sit down and begin to brainstorm food post ideas. I always take into consideration upcoming holidays and other food worthy events when my making list. However, my favorite recipes to come up with are healthy spins on classic, sometimes even comfort food, dishes. I have shared quite a few here on the blog, including Buffalo Cauliflower, Zoodle Mac & Cheese and Cauliflower “Potato” Salad. I was trying to think of a comfort food that would be easy to spin into a healthier dish when I instantly thought of one of my favorite restaurants: Founding Farmers. With several locations around the Washington, D.C. area, the restaurant features farm to table dishes with an expansive vegetarian section. One of the vegetarian dishes is the “Many Vegetable Mushroom Loaf”. *Side note: I would highly recommend Founding Farmers if you are ever visiting the D.C. area!
Since meatloaf is one of our favorite winter dinners, I thought I would try a play on the Founding Farmers menu item: vegetarian “meat” loaf.
Healthy Peanut Butter and Banana Muffins
Last spring, Richard and I went on a “no carb” diet for a few weeks. I can honestly say that it was the most awful thing ever! I love all kinds of carbs and two weeks without them was super difficult for me. However, I did feel better (and lost weight). For me, cutting carbs out of my diet was a great way to detox. Dinner ideas were pretty easy, but no carb breakfast items (besides eggs) was challenging. I stumbled upon a no flour banana muffin recipe on Pinterest and decided to give it a shot. After a few ingredient changes, these healthy peanut butter and banana muffins have become a go-to in both our house and my parent’s for the past year.
Favorite Healthy Foods
I am always on the lookout for the latest and greatest when it comes to healthy foods. I really try to eat healthy during the week while letting myself splurge a little on the weekends. Lately, I have been finding some great healthy foods and thought it would be fun to share what I’m loving right now. I photographed these pictures awhile ago and have actually been through at least one package of each. Needless to say, these are my current favorite healthy foods!
