Labor Day menu lets you party hearty and healthy
Summer may not be officially over until Sept. 21, but Labor Day sets us on the path to acknowledging that vacations are behind us, school is in session and we’d better throw one last great outdoor send-off.
With the exception of yummy Frosted Lemonade — a bit of an indulgence — these recipes are not only delicious, but healthy. Preparation is a mixed bag: Some for the grill, others made ahead of time, one frozen.
You’ll find lots of fresh vegetables and fruit, plus a good T-bone steak and excellent roasted potatoes.
Fingers crossed for good weather. Don’t forget to check the propane level on your grill tank. And, you may want to go to a parade if there’s one in your town.
Frosted Lemonade
This frozen lemonade recipe is a refreshing spring and summertime treat. Tangy and sweet, the flavor will remind you of lemon meringue pie. If you like Chick-Fil-A's frosted lemonade, you'll love this make-at-home version.
1 can lemonade frozen concentrate
1 cup milk
1/2 can (7 ounces) sweetened condensed milk (or more or less to taste)
2-3 cups crushed ice
Grated lemon zest
Whipped cream
In a blender, combine lemonade concentrate, milk and enough ice to reach a creamy, thick frozen consistency.
Add sweetened condensed milk, to taste, and blend until incorporated. Use less for a tart drink and add more for a sweeter drink.
Pour into a frosted glass and garnish with whipped cream and grated lemon zest. Makes 6-8 servings.
Rainbow Veggie Kebabs
BLUE, INDIGO AND VIOLET VEGETABLES:
Purple peppers, purple baby carrots, purple cauliflower, black or kalamata olives
GREEN VEGETABLES:
Green peppers bell pepper (cut in chunks), broccoli florets, cucumbers and/or zucchini (cut into rounds or chunky, triangular wedges), snow peas, sugar snap peas
YELLOW VEGETABLES:
Yellow cherry tomatoes, yellow peppers (whole mini peppers or large bell peppers cut in chunks), yellow summer squash (cut into rounds or chunky, triangular wedges), yellow baby carrots
ORANGE VEGETABLES:
Orange cherry tomatoes, orange peppers (whole mini peppers or large bell peppers cut in chunks), baby carrots or carrot coins
RED VEGETABLES:
Red cherry or grape tomatoes, red peppers (whole mini peppers or large bell peppers cut in chunks)
1. Choose your favorite veggies from each color group.
2. For each veggie kebab, start by threading one or two blue/indigo/violet veggies onto the skewer, pushing them part way down.
Next, thread on green, yellow, orange, and red veggies, in that order — ending with red veggies at the top).
For serving, as desired: your favorite healthy veggie dip or hummus.
Make-ahead tips: You can pre-wash and cut your veggies a few hours or up to a day or two in advance, storing them in separate containers in the refrigerator. Note, though, that tomatoes taste their best when stored at room temperature, so you may want to save washing and prepping the tomatoes until closer to serving. You can also completely assemble your veggie kebabs a few hours in advance, laying them on a platter and wrapping or covering them and then refrigerating until serving.
twohealthykitchens.com
Mustard Aioli Grilled Potatoes with Herbs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic, smashed to a paste
1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 heaping tablespoon whole grain mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 1/2 pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
Whisk together mayonnaise, garlic, and both mustards in a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Cover aioli and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.
Meanwhile, put potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water by 2 inches, and add 2 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil and cook 15 to 20 minutes (a skewer inserted into a potato should meet some resistance). Drain and let cool slightly.
Heat grill to medium for direct grilling. (Gas grill: Turn on all burners. Charcoal grill: Rake coals into an even layer.)
Put potatoes in a large bowl, toss with aioli, and season with salt. Grill until golden brown on all sides, about 8 minutes.
Transfer potatoes to a platter, sprinkle with herbs, and season with salt and pepper.
Serves 4-6. Per serving of 6: 300 calories, 36 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams protein, 15 grams fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 530 mg sodium, 2 gram fiber
“Bobby Flay’s Barbecue Addiction”
Grilled T-Bone Steak with Easy Barbecue Sauce
2 tablespoon chili sauce, or ketchup
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar, dark-variety
1 clove garlic, minced (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoon mustard, course-grain recommended
1 teaspoon ginger root, fresh, minced (or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger)
1 pound uncooked lean and trimmed T-bone beef steak, cut 1 1/2-inches thick
Preheat grill to high.
In a small bowl, combine chili sauce (or ketchup), sugar, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and ginger; brush sauce all over steak. Grill, flipping once, brushing steak with any leftover barbecue sauce while steak cooks, about 6 to 7 minutes per side, or until desired degree of doneness.
Remove steak to a cutting board, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing against the grain. Yields about 3 ounces steak per serving.
Note: Change the flavor of the sauce by adding a dash of hot sauce or cayenne pepper.
Weightwatchers.com
Sliced Tomatoes with Corn and Feta
3 cups fresh corn kernels
2 cups baby arugula
4 ounces feta crumbled
2 tablespoons Chopped fresh oregano
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds tomatoes, sliced
Combine corn, arugula, feta, oregano, oil and vinegar in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve tomatoes topped with corn mixture.
Countryliving.com
Peach-Berry Frozen Dessert
8 ounces fat-free cream cheese, softened
2 (6-ounce) cartons peach fat-free yogurt with artificial sweetener
4 ounces (half a container) frozen light whipped dessert topping, thawed
1 cup chopped, peeled fresh peaches; frozen unsweetened peach slices, thawed, drained, and chopped; or one 8.25-ounce can peach slices (juice pack), drained and chopped
1 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened blueberries, raspberries, and/or strawberries, thawed and drained if frozen
Fresh mint leaves (optional)
Fresh berries (optional)
In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and yogurt. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Fold in the whipped topping, peaches and the 1 cup berries.
Pour into a 2-quart square baking dish. Cover with foil and freeze about 8 hours or until firm.
To serve, let stand at room temperature about 45 minutes to thaw slightly. Cut into squares. If desired, garnish with mint leaves and additional berries.
Makes 9 servings, each with 89 calories, 2 grams fat, 3 mg cholesterol, 159 mg sodium,12 grams cabohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 6 grams protein. Diabetic exchanges: 1 lean meat, 1 other carb.
Make ahead tip: Prepare dessert as directed through Step 2. Cover and freeze for up to 1 week.
diabeticlivingonline.com
This story was originally published August 29, 2016 at 9:17 AM with the headline "Labor Day menu lets you party hearty and healthy."