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Ultimate Recipe Guide For A Fit 4th Of July

Happy Birthday America …

It’s time to celebrate Independence Day with fireworks, family, friends, barbecues, and beer.

What’s not to love? Oh yeah … the calories!

If you are looking for ways to have a healthier 4th of July BBQ ..
you are in the right place.

In today’s article, we have over a dozen healthy recipes that will help you stay on track during this food focused holiday.

If you are one of the tens of millions expected to attend or host a cookout .. you will no doubt be faced with a lot of temptation.

Americans love to eat and drink (A LOT) to celebrate the birth of American independence.

Check out these 4th Of July food fun facts…

Americans are expected to eat ..

  • 190 million pounds of red meat or pork.
  • 150 million hot dogs.
  • 750 million pounds of chicken.

And spend…

  • $92 million on chips $60 million on dips.
  • $568 million on wine.
  • $1 billion on beer.

Oh and speaking of beer … 4th Of July is the #1 beer drinking holiday. A whopping 68.3 million cases of booze are typically sold during the holiday weekend.

If you are watching your waistline .. it’s easy to see why you may have a little food anxiety.

We’ve got you covered!

Cookouts can actually be really healthy! All it takes is a little planning, modifying, and some willpower.

We can’t force you to put down the chicken wings and pass up on that game of beer pong .. but we can help by giving you some diet friendly recipes that will help you dramatically dial down calories!

We aren’t including any summer BBQ staples, like burgers and hot dogs.

As we mentioned above.. those are pretty easy to modify! We wanted to help you think outside the BBQ box and give you some new cookout recipes to try!

Hamburger buns with only a few carbs .. a zero calorie salad dressing .. and healthy protein packed apple pie .. YES PLEASE!

And if you are searching for a new protein that you can use in that recipe .. we are also giving you the chance to grab some for 40% off!

Just CLICK HERE and use the code: JULY40 at checkout!

MAIN DISHES + SIDES + DESSERTS

RECIPE 1: CAULIFLOWER BUNS
*Servings will vary pending the size you want to make your buns*

Using cauliflower instead of bread may sound unappealing, but with the right recipe, you won’t notice the cauliflower taste. You will only be left with hundreds of calories that you can use somewhere else (like on our healthy protein apple pie or sugar free jello shots.)

Ingredients:

  • 1 (12 oz) bag cauliflower rice
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 tbsp coconut flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 tsp each of any other seasonings you want your bun to taste like!

Directions:
Steam the cauliflower according to the package; drain until ALL WATER IS REMOVED (this is key) and let cool. You may want to use a cheesecloth or dry paper towels to make sure ALL water is removed.

Whisk together the coconut flour, baking powder, seasonings, add the cauliflower mixture, and egg white. Stirring until blended. If the batter is too dry, try adding teaspoons of unsweetened nut milk, or even water, to reach desired consistency.

There are several methods you can use to make your buns! Here are a few!

Muffin Tins
Distribute evenly into muffin tins. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown at edges and centers feel set when lightly touched. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely before removing. Slice them in half and serve up!

QUICK TIP … You can also use this batter and pour it directly into a small sprayed skillet .. in a mini-waffle or pancake maker .. or even in the microwave!!

For the microwave version…
Pour a couple of inches of batter into a deep coffee mug. The larger it is, the better, unless you are eating a tiny patty of meat. Microwave time will vary, but zap it about 45 seconds and see if it’s ready. If not, keep adding 10 seconds at a time until done!

Don’t overcook, or it will be too dry. Dump out of the mug .. let cool .. cut in half …. Enjoy!

TIP .. if they still don’t seem “toasted” enough. You can always throw them on the grill, put them in a toaster oven, or even an air-fryer!

RECIPE 2: FIRECRACKER GRILLED SALMON
You may not think of salmon as being a 4th of July staple, but eating this super healthy fish on Independence Day .. is a tradition in New England!

According to history buffs, it started by coincidence. During the mid-summer months, salmon was plentiful in that region. Because it was “in season” – it always ended up on the dinner table for Independence Day! Even though salmon is available year-round now, the holiday tradition of eating salmon on the 4th remains to be a big deal there!

If you want to celebrate like the New Englanders .. this grilled salmon recipe is tasty, tangy, and packs just enough heat. The only calories it packs on, are from heart-healthy Omega 3’s!

The calorie content in salmon can be well over 300 calories, or as low as well under 200 calories.
You want to always buy salmon labeled wild” and not farmed.

Wild salmon has fewer calories and half the fat content of the same amount of farmed salmon, and it is better for you.

While farmed salmon is sometimes praised for having slightly more omega-3 fatty acids, it is also very high in saturated fat – which is a type of fat you do not want.

Farmed salmon is also known for having more unsafe contaminants, chemicals from polluted waters, and other pollutants. Farmed salmon comes with the potential of antibiotic use.
Wild salmon does not.

Some good choices would be WILD sockeye (red), king, keta, coho, or atlantic.

Ingredients:

  • 4 (4-6 ounce) wild salmon fillets
  • ⅛ -¼ cup peanut oil
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons green onions, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½-1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • ½ teaspoon sesame oil
  • Pinch of salt

Directions:
Place salmon fillets in a glass dish.

In a separate bowl, combine the peanut oil, soy sauce, vinegar, green onions, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, sesame oil, and salt. Whisk well and pour over the fish.

Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 to 6 hours.

Transfer filets to aluminum foil and place them on the grill.

Grill 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Turn over halfway through cooking.

*With any meat, it is best to use a food thermometer to ensure you do not under-cook or overcook for your liking. For salmon, it is re

commended the internal temp reach 145. Keep in mind that meat will continue to cook just a tad after it leaves the grill*

If you want to really keep with New England tradition, pair your salmon with some peas! They ate salmon with this nutritious veggie .. because it too .. was in season at the time!

Not sure how to enjoy this green veggie … check out our next recipe idea!

RECIPE 3: GRILLED VEGGIES
Pair your salmon with some grilled sugar snap peas! Peas are one of several vegetables that are great cooked up on the grill!

Grilling your veggies is one of the healthiest side-dishes you can enjoy at your cookout. Put them on a kabob, throw them in some aluminum foil, or put them straight on the grill… no oil needed!

Many veggies do well on the grill, but a few really shine!

Asparagus, eggplant, mushrooms, onions, zucchini, eggplant, and bell peppers are excellent options!

Of course, you can’t go wrong with some corn on the cob. Just keep in in mind that corn is a vegetable that is higher in carbs!

 

RECIPE 4: SUMMER SALAD
(Serving size – 1 large salad)

There is just something satisfying about a nice summer salad! This one follows a “red, white, and blue” theme .. with fresh blueberries, strawberries, and a virtually calorie free homemade vinaigrette dressing!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups mixed salad greens of choice
  • 1/4 c fresh blueberries
  • 1/4 c fresh sliced strawberries
  • 4 oz grilled lean protein from the grill
  • 1/2 c cooked quinoa, rice, or cauliflower rice.
  • 2 tbsp. Crumbled fat-free feta cheese
  • 2 tbsp. Fat Free Vinaigrette (DIY recipe below)

Instructions:
Toss all ingredients except dressing together… mix up .. enjoy!

**Healthy Homemade Vinaigrette Dressing**
This comes with a warning. You may never want to buy salad dressing again! It will be hard to believe that something this good .. is virtually calorie-free (minus the few calories in the mustard and stevia.)

The base of this recipe can be altered to go with any salad! Think greek seasonings and lemon juice for a greek salad! Get creative!

The amounts below should be enough to cover 1-2 salads.

Ingredients:

  • 6 tablespoons vinegar: balsamic, white wine, champagne, apple cider, rice, or red wine vinegar.
  • 4 teaspoons mustard: Dijon is the best, but you can also use yellow, brown, or spicy.
  • 2 teaspoons Stevia (or a few squirts/drops of liquid stevia if that is what you typically use)
  • 1 clove garlic, crush or minced (or some garlic salt)
  • 2-4 tablespoons water
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:
Simply whisk together and pour over salad!

 

RECIPE 5: HEALTHY POTATO SALAD
(Approx 8 Servings)
Traditional potato salad is drowning in high fat mayonnaise! This recipe lightens things up by using non-fat greek yogurt! We promise that making this smart swap will not compromise any of the flavor in this popular BBQ side dish. Go with one type of potato, or use a colorful medley, if you want to go with a “red-white-blue” theme!

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds russet, yukon gold, or red potatoes.
  • 1 tablespoon salt (for cooking potatoes)
  • ½ cup plain, non-fat, greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons fat-free or light mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • ¾ teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ cup chopped celery
  • 3 tablespoons pickle relish (or pickles)
  • 2 tablespoons minced red onions
  • 2 tablespoons minced parsley or dill
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs

Instructions:
Peeled and cut the potatoes into approx ¾-inch cubes.
Place in a saucepan covered with one-inch of water, over medium-high heat.
Bring to boil and add 1-tablespoon salt.
Reduce heat to medium and let simmer.

Stir several times during cooking. Cook for approximately 8-10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
Drain and set aside.

While potatoes are cooking, whisk together yogurt, mayo, mustard, salt, pepper, and onion powder. Peel and cut hard-boiled eggs into small cubes.

Add the yogurt/mayo mixture to potatoes and stir slowly to combine.

Add the celery, pickles, red onions, parsley, and chopped eggs to the potato mixture, stir to combine.

Cover and refrigerate until chilled (at least 1 hour before serving)

RECIPE 6: Low(er) Calorie Baked Beans
(Approx 10-12 servings)

Baked beans are a cookout staple, but they are often soaked in ketchup and/or BBQ (remember what we said about condiments containing all kinds of hidden calories.) They also usually have fatty bacon and lots of brown sugar and/or molasses.

This recipe dials down the calories by subbing turkey bacon .. reduces sodium and sugar by using tomato sauce .. and further lightens the sugar-load by using stevia brown sugar!

Ingredients:

  • 2 slices turkey bacon (chopped)
  • 1 diced onion
  • 15 ounce can navy beans , rinsed and drained
  • 15 ounce can pinto beans , rinsed and drained
  • 15 ounce can northern beans , rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 tsp smoked​ paprika
  • 1/2 cup stevia brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:
In a large cooking pot – add bacon (with a little oil or spray oil) and cook on medium heat.
Remove bacon once cooked.

Add onions to the pot and cook until translucent.

Add in beans, tomato sauce, water, dark brown sugar, yellow mustard, chili powder, salt and pepper, and stir.

Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 45-60 minutes (until thick)

RECIPE 7: PROTEIN APPLE PIE
Apple Pie is a longstanding American favorite .. I’m sure you’ve even heard the phrase .. as American as Apple Pie. I’m not sure why we say that, because neither apples nor apple pie originally came from America.

We aren’t complaining .. especially when you can recreate this American favorite for a fraction of the calories!

Crust Ingredients:

Crust Instructions:
Mix together dry ingredients.
Mix together wet ingredients.
Combine dry/wet into a bowl.
Press into a baking paper lined pie pan.
No baking required .. place in the fridge (or freezer) so that it gets nice and firm.

Filling Ingredients:

  • 2-3 medium apples (granny smith, gala, pink lady, golden delicious)
  • 1-2 cups unsweetened applesauce
  • 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1-2 teaspoons apple pie spice
  • Stevia (to taste)

Filling Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350.

Chop apples into chunks.

Mix 1-2 teaspoons of cinnamon, apple pie spice, and some stevia (how sweet will be based on your liking) into 1-2 cups of unsweetened applesauce.

Add apples to a baking dish and coat with the applesauce mixture.

Place in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes (or until desired firmness is reached.)

Remove from the oven and let cool.

Topping Ingredients:

  • ¼ Cup Quick Oats (Dry)
  • ½ Cup Chopped Pecans
  • Unsweetened Nut Milk (almond or cashew)
  • Brown Sugar or Brown Sugar Splenda
    *for a lower carb, but higher fat swap, use almonds in place of the oats*

Topping Instructions:
Mix ingredients together in a small bowl, adding tiny amounts of the unsweetened nut milk until the mixture slightly crumbles.

Protein Apple Pie Assembly
Spoon the pie filling into your crust … top with the topping mixture .. enjoy!

Get the most out of this recipe by using a highly bioavailable protein like Sculpt Nation’s 90% Whey Protein Isolate. It’s made with a certain type of whey that is absorbed quickly and easily by your body, helping you build new, powerful muscle fibers, burn fat, and even maintain lean muscle while dieting.
Grab a bottle of Sculpt Nation PROTEIN 40% off today only when you use code: JULY40 at checkout! CLICK HERE TO SHOP!

 

RECIPE 8: NO BAKE APPLE PIE PROTEIN BITES
Sticking with the apple pie theme, here is another option that requires zero baking!

Ingredients:

Instructions:
Chop 2 small apples and place them in the food processor and turn it on for 1 minute.
You may need to scrape down the sides depending on the size of your processor.

Add in … almond butter, vanilla protein powder, coconut flour, apple pie spice mix.

Continue to pulse until everything is combined.

Place the mixture in a bowl in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Remove from the fridge and form into balls.

Notes:
If your mixture seems to wet, add more coconut flour or protein powder
If your mixture seems a little dry, add some sugar free maple syrup or honey.

Eat them as they are .. or make a protein drizzle by mixing a few tablespoons of Sculpt Nation Protein Powder with a little bit of water!

Don’t forget, you can get SCULPT NATION PROTEIN for 40% off right now. Just CLICK HERE and use the code JULY40 at checkout!

RECIPE 9: RED-WHITE-BLUE FRUIT KABOBS
This is a fun, festive, and guilt-free dessert to serve. The only carbs and sugar come from fresh fruit!

Ingredients:
(Red)
Strawberries
Raspberries
Cubed Watermelon
Red grapes

(White)
Apples
Pears
Banana

(Blue)
Blueberries
Purple grapes
Blackberries

Instructions:
Grab a skewer and alternate between sliding on one red, one white, and then one blue ingredient until the skewer is filled.

RECIPE 10: RED, WHITE & BCAAS FRUIT POPSICLES
Remember those red, white, and blue popsicles? Here is a healthy way to enjoy the childhood favorite. It uses Sculpt Nation BCAAS .. so this would be a great treat following this 4th Of July cardio burn workout!

BCAAs (or branched-chain amino acids) assist in helping you recover from your training sessions much faster. They provide exactly what your body needs to get into a muscle building and fat burning state and then help quickly repair the damage training causes to your muscle fibers.

Faster recovery is only one of the benefits of BCAAs. The essential amino acids in our Sculpt Nation blend have been shown to assist with and support …

  • Adding Lean Muscle
  • Increasing Fat Burn
  • Enhancing Endurance
  • Maintaining muscle when in a calorie deficit

Grab some BCAAs HERE! And don’t forget to use the code JULY40 at checkout for a limited time discount of 40% off!

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups Strawberries
  • 1 ½ cups Blueberries
  • 2 prepared servings of

 

 

Instructions:
Divide blueberries and strawberries into popsicle molds.
Pour prepared bcaa mixture over the berries.
Freeze until completely firm.

You can also use our Fruit Punch POST WORKOUT or CREATINE in this recipe!

Sculpt Nation POST WORKOUT provides the essential nutrients your body needs to recover after working out. So it would give you an additional post training boost!

Pre-workout you could modify the recipe to include CREATINE (which also comes in a delicious fruit punch flavor.)

Creatine is one of the most studied supplements in existence. One study even found that CREATINE is so powerful that creatine users added an average of 4.4 pounds MORE muscle mass than the non-users with consistent use! {6}

Right now, all of these supplements are 40% OFF! Just use the code JULY40 at checkout. CLICK HERE TO SHOP!

HEALTHY MOCKTAILS & LOWER CALORIE DRINK RECIPES

Consuming calorie-rich beverages is an easy way to sabotage your weight-loss efforts.

Instead, try having some fruit infused water, choose stevia based or other sugar-free drinks, and if you drink beer, opt for lighter options.

Whether you choose to indulge a little and have some alcohol, or just want a mocktail, here are a few lower calorie options!

SUGAR FREE JELLO SHOTS
it doesn’t get much easier than jell-o shots. You only need three ingredients: jell-o powder, hot water, and alcohol. We will dial down the calories and sugar by using SUGAR FREE JELLO!

Instructions:
Pour all the Jell-O powder out of the box into the measuring cup, followed by 1 cup of boiling water. Whisk together until jell-o powder has completely dissolved into water.

Next, add your alcohol of choice. Just make sure your jell-o mixture is cool so that the alcohol doesn’t burn off.

Whiskin the alcohol and pour into some clear plastic cups!

Place in the refrigerator to firm up for 3 to 4 hours before serving.

 

NON-ALCOHOLIC PATRIOTIC PUNCH
(Perfect following your patriotic pump workout.)

Ingredients:

Instructions:
Fill up your cup all the way with ice cubes.
Pour in your pre-made Sculpt Nation BCAAs (about ⅓ of the way)
Add a few more ice cubes.
Slowly pour a layer of blue Gatorade (about another ⅓ of the way up) directly over the ice cubes.
Add crushed ice and slowly pour on the diet soda.

Using crushed ice should help keep the “colors” from mixing as much. It also gives the “white” to your red-white-blue drink theme!

WATERMELON & CUCUMBER TONIC
(Approx 8 servings)

Pass up on the sugary pre-made mixers and go with the natural sweetness from fruit!
This cocktail includes fresh watermelon and cucumber juices as it’s base!

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup mint leaves.
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 English cucumber, peeled and sliced
  • 2 1/2 cups cold tonic water
  • 1 1/4 cups gin

Instructions:
Combine half each of the watermelon, mint, juice, and cucumber in a blender and blend until smooth.

Using a sieve and some cheesecloth, strain the watermelon mixture over a bowl, reserving the juice mixture.

Make sure and squeeze the contents in the cloth, so you get all of the juice mixture.

Repeat using the rest of the watermelon, mint, juice, and cucumber.

Combine 2 1/2 cups of the juice mixture you just made, tonic water, and gin.

Stir well and serve over ice.

It is possible to stay on track and enjoy food focused holidays like 4th Of July!
We hope that these recipes help you out!

If you want a few more TIPS on how to make your cookout healthier .. check out THIS ARTICLE! And if you are looking for a good pre-cookout pump .. we have the perfect 4th Of July cardio blast .. HERE!

Oh .. and if you are looking for a reason to cook up these tasty bbq dishes more than once this holiday weekend (or just want to look like a history buff at your party) … here is another Independence Day fun fact for ya!

Did you know that the Declaration of Independence wasn’t signed on the Fourth of July? Technically on the 4th .. we are celebrating the adoption of the declaration, not the signing!
It had officially been voted for independence on July 2nd!

We hope you have a safe .. and healthy .. 4th of July celebration!

If you make any of these recipes .. snap a pic .. post it on the gram .. and tag us! We would love to see your creations!

And don’t forget that for a very limited time we are giving you 40% OFF your Sculpt Nation order with code: JULY40

SOURCES
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/502369/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-fourth-july
https://aghires.com/16-facts-fourth-of-july-foods/
www.sculptnation.com

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