Memorial Day BBQ Reinvented

By: Devon Kroesche, RD to Be

I don't know about you, but with everything going on lately I almost forgot about the upcoming holiday weekend. That being said, there is a good chance your Memorial Day Weekend is going to look a little different than past years. We may not be able to crowd outside to enjoy a red white & blue parade, and maybe your beach vacation got cancelled or postponed. Luckily, pandemic or not, summertime is just around the corner.

Whether you're having friends and family over for some backyard burgers and brews, or just relaxing with your immediate household, we've got some all-American recipes for you to enjoy. So fire up the grill and let's get cookin'!

Watermelon Feta Salad

What You'll Need

• 3 cups watermelon cubed
• 6-8 cups dark leafy greens
• 1/2 cup feta cheese
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp water
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• salt to taste

What to Do:

• Make dressing: Whisk together lemon juice, honey, water, olive oil, and a pinch of salt
• Toss together watermelon, greens, and feta. Drizzle dressing overtop.
• Enjoy!

Grilled Portobello ShroomBurger

What You'll Need:

• 4 portobello mushrooms
• 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• dash of black pepper
• dash of cayenne pepper

What to Do:

• Remove stems from mushrooms and wipe down with a wet paper towel (do NOT run mushrooms under water)
• Whisk together balsamic vinegar, olive oil, soy sauce, garlic powder, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Brush mushrooms with mixture.
• Grill for 2-3 minutes on both sides. Serve.
• Pictured: grilled portobello mushrooms with spring greens, tomato, and avocado on whole grain Ezekiel bread. Also pairs well with Swiss cheese!

Kickin' Street Corn

What You'll Need:

• 4 ears of corn, with silk removed but husks still on
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• cayenne pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp light sour cream
• 1/4 cup cotija cheese
• 2 limes
• 2 Tbsp melted butter
• garlic salt to taste

What to Do:

• Peel husks back and remove silks only. Let corn (with husks still on) sit in a saltwater bath for 10 minutes.
• Place corn still in husks on the grill for 10-12 minutes or until husks are lightly charred
• Melt butter and once husks are removed from corn, brush each ear with butter. Sprinkle with garlic salt.
• Brush one side of ears of corn with light sour cream, and sprinkle cotija cheese and cayenne pepper. Add chopped cilantro and squeeze half one lime's worth of juice over top.

Frozen Red White & Blue Fruit Kabobs

What You'll Need:

• carton strawberries, rinsed and sliced in half
• 1/2 carton blueberries, rinsed
• 2 bananas, peeled
• metal or wooden skewers

What to Do:

• Once fruit is rinsed and chopped, simply stick on skewers in desired pattern.
• Freeze at least 1-2 hours and enjoy!