I don’t know about you, but I equate long weekends with a time to celebrate awesome food and drink with friends! The weather is sunny and HOT, so we hope to be outside as much as we can and also keep our meals fresh and light.
Here are some recipes that I recommend for Canada Day, the Fourth of July, or any summer gathering. The theme is light, easy, refreshing, and best of all, energizing!
1) Raw Triple Berry Crisp
Who wants to turn on the oven when it’s already scorching? This triple berry crisp is beautiful on the eyes (and in the belly!), nutritious, and quick to throw together.
2) Weekend Glow Kale Salad
This is the best kale salad I’ve ever tried! It could convert even the biggest kale hater into a glowing fan. Energy in a bowl!
3) Maple Baked Beans
A classic Canadian favorite, these maple baked beans are sweet, savoury, and amazing packed into a fluffy roll spread with pure maple butter. It’s slow-cooker friendly too!
4) Canada Day Vegan Overnight Oats
A festive way to enjoy your Vegan Overnight Oats for breakfast!
5) High Protein Almond Berry Quinoa Salad
A healthy, yet indulgent tasting, side dish or dessert perfect for a BBQ. This dish is a crowd pleaser! Just be careful…it vanishes quickly so you might want to make a double batch.
6) Canada Day Strawberry Cheesecake Bites (with blueberry fourth of July option)
Patriotic finger food that is a snap to whip up.
7) Almond Butter Rice Crisp Treats
You’ll never go back to the classic version when you taste how good these are! They also hold together well at room temperature when using brown rice syrup.
8.) Chilled Strawberry Almond Butter Soup
Have a ton of fresh strawberries to use up? This is a perfect recipe for it.
9) Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls
The perfect finger-friendly food for cookie dough lovers. If you are feeling extra crazy you can make Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Blizzard!
10) Maple Grilled Peaches in a buttery caramel glaze with vegan ice cream
(making this tonight!!)
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11) Asparagus and Potato Salad
Love, love, love this salad. Great for a potluck or BBQ.
12) Gazpacho
I used to be afraid of chilled soups…until I tried this easy Gazpacho! I’m now a fan and will enjoy this recipe all summer long.
13) Lightened Up Protein Power Goddess Bowl
One of my fav. salads of all time. Very filling, yet light enough for summer.
14) Salt and Vinegar Chips and Green Beans
I first made homemade S & V chips last summer and we just fell in love with them. They would probably work great on a BBQ too.
15) Back on Track Wheatberry Salad
This salad will NEVER get old…one of the most popular on the blog to date!
16) Apple Cupcakes
An idea from Martha, these cute apple cupcakes are so fun and versatile. You can dress them up any way you like! I love them with nut butter and granola sprinkled on top.
Now where is that chef fairy when you need one? I better finish prepping as our friends will be arriving soon. Happy Canada Day and long weekend =)
Mmm I think I just might have to make your potato and asparagus salad and bring it to the BBQ! Looks great!
I made your weekend kale glow salad today! I put it into a hearty lavash wrap for dinner, and it was amazing. And you’re right about energy in a bowl…an hour and a half later I went for a long run and felt fabulous the entire time. I see leftovers in my future for lunch tomorrow :)
yay!
Ugh. I think I just died of deliciousness!
My mouth is watering from all of these delicious recipes.
Some of our friends (who are from Canada) are celebrating with Poutine and nanaimo bars! Do you have a recipe for either of these? Ive had poutine once (It was SO good), but I’ve never tried nanaimo bars!
Your dishes all look incredible, as always!
Happy Canada Day!
I’ve never made Poutine (vegan would be a challenge!) but I do have Nanaimo bars which I made for PFB last year: http://ohsheglows.com/2010/12/16/vegan-nanaimo-bars/
How do you find time to cook so much?
Those apple cupcakes are amazing!! I need to have them, now! :)
And I love all the other recipes as well :)
Yu-ummmm!! Too funny, our Whole Foods had a big event celebrating Canada Day today. It was so random! They had stuff set up outside + inside! Flags everywhere…totally thought of you :)
haha really, in the US? That is funny!
Thanks for the great round-up Angela. It’s not a long weekend for me here in Ireland but I hope that my American and Canadian friends enjoy theirs :)
OMG – I’ll take one of each!
I love grilled peaches. Grilled anything, really. Have you ever tried grilled watermelon? So good!
No I havent but something tells me that would be amazing!
wow- this is one amazing post! i want to make just about everything you posted! happy canada day to you!
It’s a good job I’ve got about a bazillion strawberries in my fridge because these look great!! The triple berry crisp has already got me salivating! And I can now attest to the kale salad being absolutely delicious… I’m about to head off grocery shopping and kale is at the top of my list! :)
Those apple cupcakes are incredibly adorable! I think they are my favorite of them all :) And all of the Canadian themed desserts are so lovely, as well.
Happy Canada Day, Angela! Have a great weekend! :-)
That’s a lot of cooking!
But it all looks and sounds amazingly good ;)
I actually made the Almond Butter Rice Crisp Treats yesterday for a get together with friends. They were a hit! Delicious!
Have bunches of fun!!
It’s super cold and rainy on this side of BC :( So I might make soup instead!
WOWZERS! This is my type of recipe round up! I must get crackin and I must find a Chef Fairy asap if I want to bring it!
I think I am going to make your Grilled Peaches Recipe. Your almond butter rice crispies caught my eye for sure too but I already have my own rice crispies recipe that I just made yesterday..people LOVE em.
:) Happy Cananda Day weekend, woohoo!
I would say that you are the chef fairy for putting together this wonderful list! I can’t wait to make the fruit quinoa salad. :-)
Angela, you would be the ultimate chef fairy!
Happy Canada Day!