Independence Day

The fourth of July is by far one of my favorite holidays. A chance to celebrate our countries’ independence, and honor those who have fought to preserve our freedom. Tomorrow I will be faced with my own fight, how to maintain healthy eating habits and still enjoy a holiday that is commonly celebrated by consuming barbecued foods and alcoholic beverages. In the past I have consumed exorbitant amounts of barbecued and fried foods, you might say overindulging was a fourth of July tradition of mine.

This Fourth of July however will be quite different; I’ve already planned out my Independence Day meal and am happy to say that it is free of many of the unhealthy foods of years past. Instead of potato chips and dip, I am planning on packing up some fresh cut veggies accompanied by some Galeos Caesar Salad dressing as my dip. This change in snack food should satisfy my desire for the crunchy texture of potato chips and also provide me with a healthy dip alternative.

Now on to the main course. You can’t celebrate the fourth without eating something off the grill, my plan is to grill up a chicken breast seasoned with some olive oil, garlic powder, rosemary, and pepper. I will pair up my grilled chicken breast with some corn on the cob, minus the butter and salt, and some grilled asparagus marinated in balsamic vinegar.

Last, but not least, dessert- a parfait which will consist of fresh strawberries and blueberries, granola, Fage yogurt, which I will lightly sweeten with Xylitol, an all-natural sweetener that you can find at any Whole Foods and or health food market.

As for beverages I will be sticking with water most of the night. However, I will allow myself to have one light beer as I sit back and enjoy the glow of fireworks and celebrate my victory over food dependence!