Note: This was written to go out yesterday but whoops! It got ‘stuck’….so hopefully you have a celebration still planned for this weekend!

The Fourth of July means summer is really, truly upon us. All of my childhood memories of this holiday involve sitting curbside along a parade route being awed by the marching bands and the firetrucks and of course fistfuls of  candy tossed to the youngest onlookers! On my grandparents’ farm, the adage was that the corn should be “knee high by the 4th of July” and it was the time when homemade strawberry ice cream made an appearance – hand churned in a wooden freezer with salt in the bottom. There were sparklers to be twirled  and fireflies to be caught and s’mores to be made late in the evening. Small town America seems to do patriotism better than anyone else; I hope you’ve found a favorite place to celebrate our freedom today…the simpler the better if you ask me! (Our annual neighborhood bike parade fits the bill.)

As you’re celebrating our nation’s birthday, here’s a little treat that’s a snap to make, but so pretty it’s worth of the occasion. I’ve used real whipped cream, but if you wanted to make this even healthier, you could substitute Greek Yogurt for the whipped cream. How fun would your kids think it was on Fourth of July morning if you served parfaits for breakfast?! Mine would love it! (PS That’s exactly what I did on Fox19 yesterday when I shared this and two more healthy treats for the 4th! Here’s the video clip.)

Happy 4th!

Berry Parfaits

serves 4

1 pint strawberries or raspberries

1 pint blueberries

1 c. heavy cream

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream and sugar with an electric mixer at high speed or an immersion blender until it forms stiff peaks. This takes just a minute or two and is the point at which when you turn off the beaters and lift them out of the whipped cream, the cream forms a “peak” and holds its shape.

2. Wash and cut strawberries into quarters. Wash blueberries.

3. In tall parfait glasses (or highball drinking glasses if you don’t have parfait glasses), layer strawberries, then a dollop of cream, then blueberries, then cream, alternating until you reach the top of the glass.

Are you melting???  I have just the thing…nothing satisfies on a hot day like a popsicle. And these homemade creamsicles take the humble popsicle to new heights.

They’ll teach you patience while they’re freezing (unless you have a Zoku)…but I promise they’re worth the wait! Stay cool, friends.

Strawberry-Watermelon Creamsicles

makes 8-10

Ingredients:

2 cups plain Greek yogurt

2 cups washed and hulled strawberries

1-2 packets pure Stevia or 1-2 tablespoons Stevia blend

juice and zest of 1 lime

2 cups – 1/2″ watermelon cubes

8-10 plastic freezer pop molds (or small paper cups with wooden popsicle sticks)

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender until well combined.

2. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze until completely frozen, at least 6 hours.

My husband teases me that I think the epitome of a summer lunch is chicken salad in a tomato cup served al fresco. This started when we took one of our first road trips to Savannah, GA and I ordered exactly that at an outdoor cafe on a perfect summer’s day. These days I’m hesitant to order chicken salad since it’s usually loaded with high fat mayonnaise (and rarely made with organic chicken).

This recipe solves the problem beautifully. Poached chicken (organic if you can!) is shredded and mixed with light mayo and just a teaspoon of olive oil for richness. You can certainly serve this as a sandwich, but if you’re looking to recreate buy Savannah lunch, get some fresh tomatoes, split them into quarters, leaving the very bottoms intact so they open like flower petals, and add a scoop of this salad to the middle. Place that on some butter lettuce leaves. Add a tall glass of iced tea or a chilled glass of rose and you have the perfect summer lunch indeed…

Healthier Classic Chicken Salad

adapted from The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

serves

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt and pepper

2 teaspoons canola oil

1/3 cup light mayonnaise (Hellmann’s is the best)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

2 ribs celery finely chopped (optional – I’m not a fan of celery in my chicken salad)

2 scallions, minced

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley or tarragon

Directions:

1. Pat the chicken breasts dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet and the canola oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook on one side until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Turn chicken over and add 2/3 cup of water. Cover and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer another 6-8 minutes longer until cooked through. Remove from skillet and let cool slightly. Shred or chop as desired. (This can be done ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.) A great tip I just learned is to run the slightly cooled chicken through your stand mixer with the beater attachment (e.g. Kitchen Aid) – it shreds the chicken for you perfectly!

2. In a large bowl whisk the mayonnaise, lemon juice, olive oil, celery seed, and 1/4 teaspoon each, salt & pepper, until smooth.

3. Stir in the chicken, celery, scallions, and parsley or tarragon until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste and let sit at least 15 minutes until the flavors have blended.