…to celebrate food AND health!
Did you know that July is National Picnic Month? National Hot Dog Month? National Pickle Month? National Ice Cream Month and National Blueberry Month? These summertime favorites might bring visions of high fat/salt/sugar indulgences, but for those who want health along with such treats, it sometimes requires bringing a whole food plant-based twist to have our health and our delicious picnics too. Let me give an example.
Love the taste of traditional hot dogs but don’t want the health risks? Try a carrot dog. Find an appropriate-sized carrot and boil till soft, then grill and you’ve got a great substitute to wrap inside your whole-grain bun. Add some no-sugar-added pickle relish or pickles with your mustard and sugar-free ketchup and you’re all set. (There are several recipes out there with marinade, such as this one, but they taste fine just cooked and grilled without marinade.)
When it’s time for dessert, instead of high-fat, high-sugar commercial ice cream, treat yourself to easy frozen banana-based “Nice cream” .
It’s all in the presentation…
If you’re tired of seeing high-fat chips and dips at potlucks and would love to bring fresh raw vegetables but are concerned your contribution might seem to be too humble, next time why not present those veggies with a little more pizazz?
I’ve found guests love the “grab and go” concept of attractive individual veggie cups. Dixie cups filled with colorful slices of carrot, yellow squash, and zucchini; bites of cauliflower &/broccoli; strips of peppers and celery all topped with a cherry tomato are always crowd-pleasers, especially if presented in attractive or novel ways. Nobody ever complains about ”naked vegetables” when I present them like this:
If you don’t have a Keurig coffee holder or a tiered dish, just offering disposable cups on a tray works.
Using disposable individual containers without the need for serving utensils makes this “no-touch” option safer for other guests. And while cutting up lots of veggies will involve some work on your part, it will ensure some healthy munching for you and other health-minded guests. One final positive- If there are any cups left over, you’ll have a head start on making your next healthy salad or stir-fry.
