Julygasbord!

I have always appreciated the 4th of July as a holiday of true celebration. I mean, not every holiday goes out with yells and cheers over the bangs and booms, or the zips and zooms of vibrant fireworks! That is not the pull it has on me though. It’s not the POOL that has the pull either—my kids grew up around family members with inground pools, but since my skin is fair, the sun and I are NOT friends. So, you can keep your chlorine and bug-filled water holes.

Are you dying to know what has me holding Independence Day in such high esteem? There are two things:

  • The knickknacks! Not mine, of course. Aunt Doris sure does it up, though! The red, white, & blue (RWB) pitcher with the fake RWB flowers and mini flags sticking out. The Longaberger candy basket with the RWB flag trim. The wood & wire 4th of July RWB cool-lookin' thingy that hangs from the hutch in the dining room. The Uncle Sam sittin'-with-a-teddy-bear candle holder. The ceramic Betsy Ross that is completely white, except for the RWB flag laying across her lap. The RWB painted jingle bell wreath with a bow on top.  And WHOA! There’s a 4th of July fat-bird sitting on a stars and stripes placemat! He’s new this year. Things just keep getting better!
  • The RWB Jello. You think I’m kidding, don’t you? Ok. Small fabrication. There is no such thing as white Jello. Cool Whip does it’s best to fill in, and it does a pretty darn good job! (Whatever you do, do NOT destroy this delicacy with Reddi-Whip. Sorry not sorry!) There is just something about this wonderfully cool and refreshing snack layered with paper thin strawberries between festive colors. Add this to your dessert table at your holiday celebration. You’re welcome.

I just have to keep telling myself that there is room in this world for the simple-minded people like me.  Haha.

Speaking of the 4th and food, or ANY occasion and food, really, it always presents an opportunity to either one, eat like garbage, or two, overeat. In reality, my scrumptious little snack COULD be considered garbage, but let’s discuss damage control for a sec. How about you try:

  • Use sugar free Jello
  • Use reduced fat Cool Whip
  • Use strawberries in their natural form, or choose natural sweeteners (Stevia, Truvia) instead of straight-up sugar

July has SO many fantastic National Food Days. As I highlight some of my favorites, I will give a tidbit of information about them. So, let’s fill up our picnic baskets and have a Julygasbord!

The main dish in our baskets has got to be the famous hot dog (National Hot Dog Day, July 22nd). The first hot dogs, originally called “dachshund sausages,” were believed to have been sold out of a food cart in New York in the 1860’s by a German immigrant. Ten years later, a vendor in St. Louis, who had given white gloves to his customers to hold their hot sausages, ran out of gloves, and began giving them out in a white bun instead. It seems like anything and everything can be put on a hot dog, so why not avocado? National Avocado Day (July 31) should grab the attention of avocado lovers around the globe. In a world of “fat is BAD,” avocados defy the rumor and bring the “healthy fats” to the forefront. Avocados boost your HDLs, or your “good fats”, the ones that help rid your body of the bad ones. They also offer quite a number of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to the human body.

On July 13th and July 14th, we celebrate back-to-back, literally, the best side dishes ever created. Put National French Fry Day and National Mac & Cheese Day on your calendars, ladies and gents! French fries originated in Belgium and were introduced to American soldiers in World War I. Many dieters have avoided this pile of greasy goodness, but there is good news. With the invention of the air fryer, calories of a serving of french fries can be cut by 70-80%, and they have a lot less fat. Mac & Cheese is one of the all-time comfort foods, but it is one that you REALLY have to watch out for. It is extremely calorie dense, meaning a very small portion is packed with a large number of calories. Here are a couple of tips with mac & cheese:

  • Put one small scoop on your plate. “Crowd out”—or, in other words, eat your proteins and your veggies first. Limit yourself to one serving.
  • Store bought mac & cheese is loaded with sodium and calories. You are better off making your own.
  • The internet is your friend! There are tons of reduced calorie mac & cheese recipes on the internet. You can make it healthier by replacing some of the cheese with yogurt or pureed butternut squash, adding some greens, or using whole wheat pasta. Get creative!

Your picnic basket cannot be complete without some dessert. July 30th is screaming at you to make a cheesecake! The Greeks made the earliest known cheesecake, but their version sounds disgusting.  Haha. Arnold Reuben is credited with what we know today as the New York Cheesecake. There are SO many different versions of this; I believe The Cheesecake Factory restaurant is nation-wide, and they have like 157 thousand different types of cheesecake. People have put their own spin on original ingredients and crusts and whatever pizzazz they can think of to make one of the most common and loved desserts fresh and new. There are easy recipes out there, there are more complex ones. You can purchase one at a reasonable price, and then there are those that charge 10 bucks a slice. There are low calorie versions too—ones that can be sweetened with a side of whatever fruit is in season. A compliment to any picnic basket!

P.S. July 19th is National Ice Cream Day. I am a member of the Hard Ice Cream Lovers Club (AKA Break the Spoon Brigade, Soft is for Softies Sisters, Grocery Store to Freezer Speeders, or the Upside-Down Milkshake Organization.) So, I don’t even tote a cooler with the picnic basket for this. Enjoy your ice cream at home, in the AC, where it belongs. And you can replace it with frozen yogurt if you want. But this health nut says everything in moderation, and—don’t mess with perfection.

Please don’t let my sarcasm fool you. It is because of the freedoms allowed in this great country that I can even express myself in a blog like this. I am a true patriot at heart, and I honor the RW & B with more than just knickknacks, jello, and picnic baskets. But since this IS a free country, fill your baskets with those things that will allow you to…

Be well!

 

 


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