Suns out, guns out.
A long 4th of July weekend means plenty of time spent in the sand, the sun and the backyard Barbecues.
The thing is, if or when you have “gut issues,” sometimes the chips and dip, or homemade vanilla bean ice cream don’t sit super well in your system—until now.
Check out what’s on my menu for the 4th, and perhaps, wine and dine your friends and family:
- Watermelon + Avocado Salad
- Lemon Rosemary Shrimp Bites
- Grilled Hawaiian Bison Burgers
- Crispy Carrot Fries & Zucchini Chips + Aioli
- Vanilla Ice Cream
Watermelon + Avocado Salad
Ingredients
2 avocados, pitted and cubed
1 seedless watermelon, cubed
2 cucumbers, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup freshly chopped cilantro
sea salt, to taste
Directions
In a bowl add avocado and drizzle with lime juice and oil. Stir to coat. In a separate large bowl, toss watermelon and cucumber together. Add avocado mix on top of the watermelon and cucumbers. Sprinkle with cilantro and season with salt to taste.
Lemon Rosemary Shrimp Skewers
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, minced
sea salt & pepper, to taste
1 lemon, juiced
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss the shrimp with the melted oil, minced garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Spread the shrimp out on a cookie sheet and place in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, until shrimp are pink and cooked through. Season with squeezed lemon juice + fresh cilantro. Serve warmed or chilled.
Grilled Hawaiian Burgers with Terryaki Sauce
Ingredients
2 lbs. grass-fed bison
2 cloves garlic minced
sea salt & pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp. Coconut Aminos
8 slices of pineapple (from can pineapple slices or fresh pineapple, in juice only)
For Sauce
½ cup coconut aminos
¼ cup water
1 tbsp. raw honey
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
½ tsp. ginger powder
½ tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. arrowroot flour
Directions
For burgers:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix with hands and form into 8 patties. Grill to desired doneness on grill or cast iron skillet. Grill pineapples during same time. Drizzle with Terryaki sauce and serve in lettuce wrap or atop a sliced pineapple.
For sauce:
In a saucepan, off heat, whisk together all of the ingredients. Set the pan over medium-high heat and cook, whisking constantly, about 2 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and let cool before transferring to a jar.
Carrot Fries
Ingredients
1-2 lbs. Rainbow Carrots, sliced into strips
3-4 Zucchini, Sliced
2 Tbsp. Avocado Oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt & Pepper, to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Wash, peel and slice carrots into french fry shaped pieces (about ½” x ½” x 3”) and zucchini into chips. Toss veggies with oil, salt and pepper.
Arrange carrots in a single layer on parchment lined baking sheet and zucchini chips on a separate baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes then flip fries and chips. Continue to bake until fully cooked and slightly crispy, about an additional 10 minutes. (Carrots may take longer than the zucchini chips). Monitor accordingly.
For Garlic Aioli Sauce*
1⁄2 cup coconut milk (canned) slightly warmed
1⁄2 cup warm filtered water
1⁄4 cup avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp sea salt
Directions
Place the coconut milk, warm water, oil, garlic cloves and sea salt in a blender and blend on high for 2 minutes, until sauce thickens. Let cool in room, then place in a jar and store in fridge until ready to consume.
*Alternative: 3/4 cup Use Primal Kitchen’s Paleo Avocado Mayo + 1/4 cup warm water + 3 gloves of garlic + 1/4 tsp sea salt and blend.
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Ingredients
2 cans full fat Coconut Milk
2 Tbsp raw honey or 1/2 tsp. Stevia Extract
½ tsp vanilla extract or 1/2 TSP vanilla powder for strict AIP
Optional: Chocolate Chips, Mint, Raspberries, Blueberries, or any other add-ins you prefer
Directions
Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and warm-up over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for about five minutes. Taste and add sweetener if needed.
Allow the mix to cool down completely, then pour into the ice-cream machine and churn following the machine instructions. Enjoy right away as a soft serve, or freeze for a couple of hour before serving. When frozen, allow the ice cream to thaw at room temperature for about 30
If you don’t have an ice-cream maker, freeze the coconut milk (or cream), then slightly thaw out, then blend with the rest of ingredients (apart from the chocolate chips).