Happy 4th of July everyone! Hope you are sipping, grilling, munching and crunching all your fave festive, healthy foods this holiday weekend. Beach-side, pool-side, park-side or city-side - take a few deep breaths today and celebrate with your favorite people and furry friends.
Hot Holiday! What's the weather like where you are celebrating? Here in NYC the heat is intense. It's hot! Any hopes of a Picnic in Central Park better lend themselves to find some serious shade. So aside from jumping into a big pool of ice cubes, here are my seven festive ways to chill out and cool off this holiday. Happy, healthy, chill-out 4th...
Seven Ways to Cool Off this 4th of July!!
1. Smoothies!
Blend up a fresh, fruity, healthy, happy smoothie with your friends and family today! And nix the same-old, same-old flavors. Try new vegan smoothie recipes like Calm Chamomile, Super Sinus, Razzle Dazzle Me, Triple Threat Acai, Strawberry Lemonade and Strawberry Short Cup! All these smoothie recipes are available on my Smoothies! IPhone App - recently launched. Buy it.
Or you can whip up this super festive Red, White and Blueberry Smoothie. Recipe here.
Red White Blueberry Smoothie:
Peruse my 100% vegan smoothie recipes in my drinks index as well.
2. Hot Cold Water Therapy.
One of my fave wellness tips is Hot/Cold Water therapy. It awakens your body and gets your blood flowing. Such a refreshing way to end or start a busy day. But today, I'd do a lot less of the hot water, and more of the cold. Read all about Hot/Cold Water therapy here.
3. Coconut Water Ice Cubes.
In your bevie glass or in your smoothie - coconut water ice cubes are a healthy way to stay hydrated and cool! You'll get a nice boost of hydration-helping electrolytes like potassium. Staying hydrated is important when you are outdoors in the heat, huffing, puffing and sweating on an active holiday. Coconut Water Ice Cubes info here.
4. Vegan Ice Cream!
Frozen Desserts for all this 4th! Even if you can't enjoy frozen treats from awesome NYC/LA joints like NYC's Lula's, STOGO or LA's Nice Cream - you can easily find a delicious vegan ice cream in a freezer section near you. Try Whole foods or another natural foods store for the best selection. Here are my fave vegan ice cream store brands:
Turtle Mountain So Delicious and Soy Delicious
fave flavors: Chocolate Peanut Butter and Purely Decadent Cookie Dough
Living Harvest Tempt
fave flavor: Chocolate Fudge
Coconut Bliss
fave flavor: Vanilla Island
...go for a banana split today, topped off with some rice or soy whip and vegan chocolate sprinkles. Happy 4th indeed!!
5. Don't Cook.
Turning on the stove in my NYC apartment is the best way to heat up and wilt away. Who wants a long drawn out battle between the oven and the AC? Not me! So I stick to a vast repertoire of no-cook classics. my fave no-cook meal? Sandwiches and Salads. Sandwiches are also perfect for a holiday picnic. A few of my vegan sandwich recipe faves for a hot day:
Bullseye Spiral Roasted Red Pepper Wraps
Vegan Club Sandwich - Fit for Two!
California Avo-Cheese Sourdough Sandwich
Mango Cream Crusty
Hummus Radish Pea Shoot Tartine
Cool Cucumber Mint Tea Sandwiches
Fire and Ice Panini
Pink Salt Cool Cucumber PB&J
Tarragon Chickenless Salad Sandwich
Tu-nut Sandwich
Sunny-licious Pesto Mango Pitas
See my entire index of vegan sandwich recipes here.
6. Beach-y Keen.
My favorite memories of the 4th of July are of walking down to the Santa Cruz California beach at dusk, cuddling myself under a squishy sweatshirt, plopping down on the cool sand to watch fireworks over the pier and roast smores with friends. A beach-filled 4th is still my favorite kind. And no, the beach isn't always the coolest place to park yourself during the day - but at night you can relax with a calming salty-wave of fresh sea breeze air. The sand will cool off and your toes can shed their shoes. If you can find a beach on the 4th - grab your spot on the sand - picnic in hand.
Vegan Smores Recipe - with Sweet and Sara Marshmallows.
Dandies Vegan Marshmallows - Review.
If you can get to the Hamptons NYC-ers, go for it! Hamptons Bliss. Hamptons Guide.
7. Cool off with Fresh Fruit!
Fresh fruit on a hot day can be a blessing to your body. Fresh fruit is rich in enzymes, vitamins, electrolytes, fiber, energizing calories - plus it has a high water content compared to dehydrating salty snacks like chips and pretzels. Go for chilled fruit for the best cool-off experience. Here are a few of my cool-you-off fruit faves:
Flag Fruit Plate
Melon Bowl Bliss
Paradise Found Fruit Plate
Lime Papaya Bowl - Chilled
Frozen Grapes
Flag Fruit Plate:
Healthy Happy Summer. Need more summertime eats ideas? check out my Healthy Makeover Summer Series! Featuring vegan recipes for your fave summer classics like hot dogs, giant pretzels, nachos, beachy pizzas and more!
Happy, Healthy (Chill) 4th Everyone!
ps - keep your furry friends away from fireworks...
My Smoothies! IPhone App: More info/Get it!
