The Fourth of July is a wonderful time to gather with family and friends. Red, white and blue foods add a festive element to any celebration!

Amy Margulies originally created her Apple and Red Cabbage Slaw as a condiment for turkey burgers, but the leftovers quickly became her favorite part.

“I love this dish for the Fourth of July, as burgers and kosher hot dogs are usually the way to go,” Margulies, RD, CDCES, LDN, NBC-HWC, nutrition expert and owner of The Rebellious RD, told The Journal. “Topping your burger with something delicious that is also healthy and kosher can be a challenge.” 

While the recipe is dairy-free, it has a delicious zing from the apple cider vinegar. “You can add sunflower seeds, peanuts, almonds, chicken or tofu to enjoy the slaw as a main dish,” she said. “It’s also perfect as a topping for burgers, chicken, fish or tofu.”

Apple and Red Cabbage Slaw

Total Time: 30 minutes

2 cups shredded purple cabbage, about one small head

1 Honeycrisp apple sliced in half and chopped into matchsticks

½ cup flat-leaf parsley chopped

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

3 Tbsp canola oil

1 Tbsp granulated sugar or sugar substitute equivalent

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Place cabbage, apples and parsley in a medium ceramic (or any heat-proof) bowl.

Place a small saucepan over high heat. Add vinegar, oil, sugar (or sugar equivalent), salt and pepper to the pan. Stir constantly to dissolve sugar.

Once dissolved, pour the mixture over the cabbage, apples and parsley. Stir well to combine.

Use as a condiment or stir in any desired additions! Enjoy.

You can put any extra slaw in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Alon Shaya’s Watermelon and Feta Salad With Harissa is great for those hot summer days when you want something easy and refreshing. 

“Feta and watermelon complement each other perfectly: Salty and sweet, creamy and crisp, briny and fresh,” Shaya, chef and co-founder of Pomegranate Hospitality, told The Journal. “The harissa is really what makes this special, bringing out the best of both and adding a whole new dimension, a darker, ruddier flavor, to the mix.”

Watermelon and Feta Salad With Harissa

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

About 4 pounds watermelon, skin on

¼ cup harissa

3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp white wine vinegar

1 ¼ cups walnut pieces, toasted, divided

3 Tbsp lightly packed fresh parsley leaves

1 ½ cups crumbled sheep’s-milk feta, preferably Bulgarian

Use a sharp knife to cut the watermelon into 1-to-2-inch slices, then trim off the rind and gently scrape away any seeds before cutting it into chunks; you want to have about 3 quarts total. Put the chopped melon in a colander to drain while you prepare the rest.

In a large salad bowl, combine the harissa with the olive oil and white wine vinegar. Finely chop ¼ cup walnuts and add them too; stir it all to combine.

Add the watermelon to the salad bowl. Roughly chop the remaining cup of walnuts and the parsley; scatter it with the feta all over the watermelon, using your hands to toss gently. Serve this right away. When it’s allowed to sit, the watermelon gives off a lot of juices that dilute all the great flavors in the dressing.

Michelle Routhenstein’s blueberry pumpkin seed yogurt bark is nutritious, tasty and designed to promote heart health. Plus, it’s ideal for staying cool during your July Fourth celebrations.  

“Featuring revitalizing mint, luscious blueberries, a touch of honey mixed with yogurt and a satisfying crunch from pumpkin seeds, this treat is as delicious as it is wholesome,“ cardiology dietitian and preventive cardiology nutritionist Routhenstein, MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, told The Journal. 

This recipe is from Routhenstein’s “Truly Easy Heart Healthy Cookbook.”

“It can also serve as an easy breakfast alternative when you need something in a pinch, due to its macronutrient balance of high-quality protein, dietary fiber and heart-healthy fats,” she said. “Be sure to eat this delicious snack in a bowl to catch the yogurt bark liquid goodness as it melts.”

Blueberry Pumpkin Seed Yogurt Bark Carrot Cake

Serves 6

Prep 5 minutes / Chill 2-4 hours

2 cups plain non-fat yogurt

1¼ cups blueberries, divided

1 Tbsp mint, roughly chopped

1 tsp honey

¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and make sure the edges are covered.

In a food processor, combine yogurt, 1 cup of blueberries, mint and honey. Blend until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Using a rubber spatula, evenly spread yogurt mixture over parchment paper.

Evenly add remaining ¼ cup blueberries and pumpkin seeds on top of the yogurt mixture.

Freeze for 2 to 4 hours, until the bark is fully frozen. The best way to check is to poke the middle of the pan with a fork to see if it has hardened. Once fully frozen, the edges should easily lift as well.

Break up into 12 pieces and freeze in an airtight container or freezer safe zipper bag for up to 1 month.

Flavor Tip: For a chocolaty edition, melt ¼ of a dark chocolate bar in the microwave in 30 second increments, until melted. Drizzle on top of the bar when adding the whole blueberries and pumpkin seeds.

Happy Fourth of July!