4 Must Try Recipes for the 4th!

Happy 4th of July everyone! I wanted to give you some of my favorite recipes from the Conscious Nutrition Recipe book to support your summer cravings.

To honor my trip back to the Midwest I have 2 meat/protein recipes for the grill, and 2 veggie recipes which are best to combine with Protein Meals and for my vegetarian clients.

Drink plenty of water between meals and sip with meals to keep your body hydrated from all the festivities.

Bison Burger

Buffalo is a great alternative for beef with more iron, vitamin B, Omega 3’s and less saturated fat.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground bison (buffalo)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
• 1-1/2 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. Sauté the onions in the olive oil over low-medium heat until translucent. Turn off the heat and let it cool.
2. When the onions are cool enough to touch, gently mix them in with the bison burger meat, and add everything else.
3. Do not overwork the meat, it will result in a tough burger. Just gently fold it until the onions, sage, sea salt and pepper are well mixed in.
4. Form patties with the meat, using about 1/4 to 1/3 of a pound of meat per patty. Here’s a tip on making the patty: if you press a slight indentation in the center of each patty it will help keep the burgers in a nice disk shape when cooking. Otherwise the burger will start to get a little egg-shaped as the edges contract from cooking.
5. Grill or fry the burgers on medium heat, about 6-7 minutes per side, less or more depending on the thickness of the burger and the heat of the pan/grill, or until the internal temperature is 140° F for medium rare, or 160° F for well done.

Tri-Tip with Grilled Veggies

Seaside Market in Cardiff, CA is known for their Tri-Tip. We love to grab this hunk of meat for a summer gathering.

Ingredients

• 4 pounds tri-tip roast
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and very thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup sea salt
• 1/3 cup black pepper
• 1/4 cup garlic salt
• 1 onion
• 1 cup of mushrooms
• 2 cups brussels sprouts
• 1/2 red pepper

Directions

1. Using a sharp knife, cut small slits into the top of the roast. Stuff the slits with slices of garlic.
2. Mix together salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Rub entire mixture all over the tri-tip. Refrigerate at least an hour and up to all day. Take the meat out of the refrigerator about 20 minutes before grilling.
3. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat. Place the meat directly above the flame for 5 to 10 minutes per side (depending on thickness) to sear the meat and lock in the juices.
4. Turn the grill down to medium heat and continue to cook for another 25 to 30 minutes, trying not to flip it too much.
5. Check for doneness with a meat thermometer. Thermometer should read at least 145° F (63° C) for medium-rare.
6. Let stand, covered loosely with aluminum foil, for 5 minutes before slicing.
7. Place cut veggies in tin foil or roaster: Onion, mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, red peppers, drizzle with olive oil.

Pea Salad

This is a wonderful side dish or a great light lunch.

Ingredients

• 2 cups peas
• 2 red peppers
• 1 white onion
• 2 cucumbers
• 1 handful of fresh parsley
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• Dash of sea salt and pepper

Directions

1. Finely chop the onion, red peppers, zucchini, and cucumbers into pieces large enough to poke with a fork but not that much bigger than the pea itself.
2. Stem and roughly chop the parsley.
3. Rinse and drain the peas to make about 2 cups and place in a medium bowl.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lemon, oil, and mustard.
5. Toss all ingredients together until evenly combined.
6. Serve and enjoy!

Shredded Carrot Salad

I crave this side dish. Trader Joe’s has broccoli and carrot shredded in a to go bag for more convenience.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 small clove garlic, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1-1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 1 tablespoon chopped scallion

Directions

1. Whisk lemon juice, oil, garlic, sea salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl.
2. Add carrots, dill and scallion.
3. Toss to coat.

Have a wonderful & nutritious holiday,

Heather Fleming