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!!)

[source]
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 =)
Let's get social! Follow Angela on Instagram @ohsheglows, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest
{ 68 comments… read them below or add one }
As if these weren’t mouth watering enough in their own individual posts, all combined I’m drooling!
Happy Canada Day!
Chef fairy is that you??! ;)
I’m salivating. I WANT EVERYTHING! It all looks so delicious!!!!
I was actually planning on making the back on track wheatberry salad for a get together we are going to this weekend — it looks so delicious!
Ohhhhhmmmmyyyygodddd.
This: Maple Grilled Peaches in a buttery caramel glaze with vegan ice cream
I made dark rum caramel sauce (blogged about it) earlier in the week and showed it with apples but since then have been dipping peaches in it. So.Good.
And I was thinking about grilling some fruit, too! I love grilled or baked fruit. And with maple. To die for!
Happy Canada Day and LOVE this whole spread, Angela! Wow!!
Oh yes rum will be added to the sauce!
Oh my!!! The baked beans look PERFECT! I need to make a side dish for a BBQ this weekend, and that looks like it was satisfy vegans and meat eaters alike! I’m sure there won’t be too many veggie dishes there (and especially not vegan) so I must come prepared! Looks awesome!
The wheatberry salad really is a winner…I’ve made it TWICE in the last two weeks! :D
these are all great! I love the maple baked beans recipe so so much :)
It all looks lovely!
I’m looking into making my diet more vegan-based (it already is quite a bit!) because I just found out I have high glucose levels and high cholesterol!! I’m shocked because I eat a largely plant-based diet and I exercise very regularly. I’m in great shape from the outside, but I guess my insides didn’t get the message. :(
Sorry to hear that! Goodluck with your changes :)
Great recipe roundup! Thanks! :D
This all looks so amazing! It can be a headache to figure out what to give/bring to people on holiday weekends, especially when you care about those people and want to bring them wholesome food that makes sure they can still fit into their pants. ;) Keep em’ coming, Angela!
Grilled peaches are on my menu for the weekend!
Wow It’s like you’ve just meal planned for me for 2 weeks! It all looks so delish : ) Fingers crossed that there will still be strawberries at the market tomorrow.
Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, about this post looks delicious and wonderful and man am I hungry now! Seriously.
Happy Canada day and weekend Angela!~The breakfasts look so good in particular!
Amazing list of recipes! And I love the Canada pride :-)
those rice krispies are CALLING MY NAMEEEEEEEEEE!
Evvvverything looks to die for!
Oh wow, those grilled peaches look absolutely amazing! I’ve had those maple baked beans on my ‘to make’ recipe list for a while now, they’re moving to the top of the list! I unfortunately will be spending my long weekend studying for my GRE, but once that’s over on Tuesday, I will be sure to celebrate with some of these recipes!
Oh man I remember the GRE studying days! Goodluck…you will have to celebrate when it’s all over!
Thanks Angela! I will most definitely be celebrating on Tuesday… with a LONG nap! Then a trip home to Riverview to celebrate my birthday and my freedom from the GRE with my family!
Apple. Cupcakes. I think I can die now.
And as I regain consciousness, let me just say that I love the photo of the maple beans, with the sunlight glinting off the bowl. Magnifique, Miss Artiste!
Thank you! :) Sunset is the best time for photos.
Mmmm…those peaches…can’t wait to hear about them!
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!
Thanks for the great suggestions, Angela! I just hope my peaches and nectarines hold up long enough to be grilled! They are begging to be used asap! Of course I’m going to have to incorporate some red, white, and blue in the spread somehow, so maybe I will try one of your berry recipes :)
All of those recipes look fantastic! What a delicious meal!!
Everything you make looks so delicious. I need to get around to actually making some. Hope you had a lovely canada day!
Made the Quinoa Fruit Salad. Sadly, strawberries are out of season in Florida and the cherries are too expensive, so I made it with blueberries and Mangoes. Yummy!!
I think I just fell back in love again with all of these recipes. Thanks for reminding me of the deliciousness that occurs here :-)
Those Maple Baked Beans might be my favorite thing I’ve made from this blog. Happy Canada Day weekend!
Hmmmmm looks like I’ve got a tasty Sunday cut out for me!! Time to BAKE
I love how colorful and festive all your foods are! Everything looks divine!
I’ve been making your maple baked beans for a year now and LOVE THEM. Thank you.
Also, I think you’ve finally inspired me to try kale in more ways…I WILL one day love it just as much as the beans :)
I legitimately started this list making a mental note of the recipes I wanted to try before realizing I wanted to try over half of them!! Why must your pictures be so enticing :P Especially the kale salad, I’ll probably have that for lunch today :)
Wow! Everything on this post is to. die. for.!! Thank you :) writing down recipes to try as I type :)
I’ve followed you on twitter but just now found your blog. Absolutely love it!
thank you Robin :)
I made the kale salad last night and LOVED it! Next up, the protein power goddess bowl. Thanks for such delicious vegan recipes to add to my repertoire!
WOWEEEE! I made the weekend glow kale salad last night for my boyfriend and me. Can I just say that’s it’s amazing and it makes wonderful leftovers because the kale does not wilt.
I improvised on the dressing, using roasted red pepper hummus instead of tahini along with a few other tweaks, but it still turned out fabulous!
I served the Glo Salad at a party (of mostly carnivores) and got rave reviews, thanks! The Canada Day strawberry cookies were also a huge hit. A trick for baked beans: a tbsp or so of unsweetened cocoa. So yummy! Thanks for the recipes, I look forward to them….
Im so glad to hear that! :)
I made the Maple Baked Beans and the Almond Butter Rice Crisp Treats for the weekend. My grocery store didn’t have canned white beans so I had to use dried and soak them. I put everything in the slow cooker but wasn’t sure how much water to add, so I just guessed and the beans were, we’ll say, al dente, but not crunchy, so they weren’t a total loss. The flavor was amazing, though! Husband loves the rice crisp treats!
Maple Grilled Peaches! Just what I’m looking for only I don’t see the recipe for it. Help!:-)