The 4th of July is always an exciting holiday. It’s usually full of the 5 F’s: fun, family, friends, food, and fireworks. Of course, in the midst of all of the barbecue, there’s going to be tons of snacks, of many varieties. Are they usually healthy snacks? Probably not, but most people aren’t checking for healthy snacks. Since they’re not, you should be. Especially if you have a way to sneak in healthy snacks without them realizing. We searched the web, and we found them. Here are 3 Healthy 4th of July Snacks:
Patriotic Popcorn
Ingredients
1 Tbsp canola or vegetable oil
3 to 4 Tbsp white sugar
approximately 1/8 tsp gel food coloring
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
salt to taste
Directions
1. In a 5qt pot that has a lid, heat the oil on medium-high heat until hot.
2. Add the sugar, food coloring, and popcorn kernels. give it a quick stir with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon and place the lid on the pot. wait until the kernels start to pop and then, using hot pads, shake the pot vigorously, back and forth, until most of the kernels are popped. if you leave it on too long, the sugar will burn.
3. Remove kettle corn from heat, and pour the popcorn into a large heat-proof bowl. add salt while it’s still hot until desired saltiness.
4. Wash out the pot, dry it well, and repeat the process for the other colors.
Jell-O Firecrackers
Ingredients
1.33 c. boiling water
1 package JELL-O Berry Blue Flavor Gelatin
1 package JELL-O Cherry Flavor Gelatin
1 envelope KNOX Unflavored Gelatine
1 c. milk
3 tbsp. sugar
0.50 tsp. vanilla
20 Maraschino cherries with stems
Directions
1. Add 2/3 cup boiling water to berry gelatin mix in small bowl; stir 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Repeat with cherry gelatin mix. Cool.
2. Meanwhile, sprinkle unflavored gelatine over 1/4 cup milk in medium bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Bring remaining milk to boil in saucepan. Remove from heat; stir in sugar and vanilla. Add to plain gelatine mixture; stir until gelatine is completely dissolved. Cool 10 minutes.
3. Spoon berry gelatin into 20 (1 ounce each) plastic shot glasses sprayed lightly with cooking spray, adding about 2 teaspoons to each. Refrigerate 15 minutes, or until set but not firm.
4. Top with unflavored gelatine mixture, adding about 2 teaspoons to each cup. Refrigerate 10 minutes. Insert cherry, stem end up, into white gelatine layer in each cup. Refrigerate 2 minutes.
5. Cover with cherry gelatin, adding about 2 teaspoons to each cup. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm. Remove from cups before serving.
Red, White, & Blue Popsicles
Ingredients
2 cups plain Greek yogurt OR honey flavored Greek yogurt (I love The Greek Gods Yogurt)
2 tablespoons honey (only if using plain and NOT honey flavored)
2 cups fresh blueberries, or thawed frozen blueberries
2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled
Directions
1. If using plain yogurt, mix with honey until blended.
2. Scoop out two measures of 1 tablespoon each from the yogurt. Set these aside. (You will add one tablespoon to blueberries and one tablespoon to strawberries before adding to molds.)
3. Spoon the remaining yogurt into the popsicle molds, dividing between the number of cups you are using. Fill approximately ? way. Lift mold and shake to help yogurt fall to ends of cups.
4. Puree’ blueberries in food processor or blender until nearly smooth.
5. Add 1 tablespoon yogurt to blueberries and mix well.
6. Now, spoon blueberries into molds, dividing equally between the number of molds you have. Leave 2 inches at top for strawberries.
7. Blend or process strawberries in same manner and add remaining 1 tablespoon yogurt to strawberries and stir well. Fill strawberries to the top of the molds.
8. Give one last good shake to help all air pockets rise to the top.
9. Using one of the popsicle sticks, stir ingredients in molds just a bit to swirl.
10. Add your popsicle sticks and freeze for at least 4 hours.
11. Cook’s note: My preferred method is to not layer the ingredients, but after the blueberries and strawberries have been blended (separately), stir together with yogurt and then fill molds.