4th of July Recipes

Happy (almost) 4th of July! Today I’ve got 3 4th of July recipes for you – the main dish, a delicious drink, and yummy ice cream!

Firstly, the pineapple shrimp skewers recipe is so tasty and is the perfect finger food for an independence day celebration! They’re also full of nutritious ingredients. Shrimp is a great source of selenium, which is great for improving heart health and reduces the risk of diabetes. Selenium is also proven to reduce the risk of osteoporosis, which is the loss of bone density. Selenium is a great nutrient for those suffering from PCOS.

For the teriyaki sauce, I’ve switched out the soy sauce for coconut aminos as it is gluten-free, soy-free, and has much less sodium than regular soy sauce. Also, using real maple syrup is key here as it is the most natural, organic source of sweetener you can use in this sauce!

Secondly, we have a delicious virgin piña colada. This 4th of July recipe is a fantastic alternative for anyone trying to cut down their drinking or for the kids to feel like part of the fun! Pineapple is a fantastic fruit for your health (which is why it’s in this drink and in the skewers!). They have tons of vitamin C, which is an incredible antioxidant. Pineapples also have manganese, which helps manage free radicals. They also have tons of other nutrients like potassium, folate, and copper, all of which are important for a healthy heart rate and healthy blood pressure levels. Pineapples also have vitamin A, which is another antioxidant that protects eyesight. Pineapples have also been proven to discourage arthritis inflammation, indigestion, and cancer.

The last one of the 4th of July recipes is a banana nice-cream. This is a great recipe because you are enjoying a refreshing, creamy dessert without all the sugar highs and crashes! Decorate with raspberries and blueberries for a 4th of July theme! Using bananas is great because they are a fantastic source of potassium, which is important for regulating blood pressure, which lowers your risk for heart disease and stroke. Bananas also have tons of fiber, which is important for your gut health and overall digestion. They also have magnesium, which we need for muscle contractions, heart health, and brain function. Bananas contain manganese too, which is important for helping our overall metabolism, as well as folate, which is particularly important for pregnancy. Bananas have a number of antioxidants, as well as vitamin C and B6.

If you recreate these recipes, be sure to post them on Instagram and tag us @lorrainekearneynutrition; we love to see you eating delicious, nutritious foods!

---

Teriyaki Pineapple Shrimp Skewers

Cook time: 15 mins

Total Time: 20 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients

Teriyaki sauce

• 2 ½ tbsp water
• 1 tbsp coconut aminos
• 1 tbsp real maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp garlic, grated
• 1/2 tsp ginger, grated

Shrimp

• 1/2 pound jumbo shrimp
• 1/4 fresh pineapple, cut into 1½ inch pieces
• Fresh cilantro, parsley or sesame seeds for topping

Directions

1. Add all the teriyaki sauce ingredients into a small pot and boil on medium-high, then reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for 10 mins
2. Arrange pineapple and shrimp on skewers, and grill for 2-3 mins per side
3. Turn grill heat to low and brush teriyaki sauce on all sides of the skewers
4. Serve with cilantro, parsley or sesame seeds

---

Virgin Piña Colada

Total Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

• 1½ cups fresh pineapple chunks
• Juice of ½ lime
• 2 oz coconut cream/milk
• Ice
• 5 oz seltzer water
• Pineapple wedge for garnish

Directions

1. Add all ingredients except seltzer into a blender and mix on high until incorporated.
2. Add seltzer in after blended and mix with a spoon
3. Pour into 2 separate glasses and serve with a pineapple chunk on the glass. Enjoy!

---

Banana (N)iceCream

Ingredients

• 4 bananas, cut into small chunks and frozen
• Splash of milk
• Raspberries/strawberries & blueberries/grapes for 4th of July topping!

Directions

1. Add bananas into a high-power blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add a splash of milk if necessary to help blend
2. Serve straight away for soft-serve style, or freeze for a few hours for harder ice cream!

Remember, eating healthy doesn’t have to look boring!