4th of July BBQ Recipes: Mouthwatering and Powell-Approved!

For us, 4th of July celebrations officially kick off summer celebrations and BBQs. I’m sure you’ll agree—there’s just something about spending time outside with your favorite people and eating yummy food that just says “S-U-M-M-E-R”! While some BBQ delicacies can definitely put a cramp in your transformation goals, I’m sharing some super yummy—and totally healthy—recipes that will win over even those die-hard, anti-healthy eaters! Every single one of these is straight from the pages of our new book, Extreme Transformation, and many can either be found in our Transform app or definitely receive the Transform stamp of approval. Now, while they are written to feed one, if you’d like to share, multiply as needed! 😉

Let’s get cooking! First up…our Spinach Artichoke Dip for an appetizer…

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Spinach Artichoke Dip with Pita Chips

Ingredients:

1 cup spinach, finely chopped
5 ounces canned artichoke hearts, chopped
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup mozzarella cheese
2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
½ teaspoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt-free seasoning blend
12 Stacy’s Pita Chips

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Mix the spinach, artichokes, Parmesan, and mozzarella in a medium sized bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, and seasonings. Add the yogurt mixture to the cheese and spinach mixture. Mix well.
  3. When sharing, pour the mixture into a 8×8 baking pan that’s been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese is golden around the edges.
  4. Sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese when finished and enjoy with pita chips!

Makes 1 serving

Nutritional information: 511 cals; 21g fat; 35g carbs; 41g protein

And for the main course….get ready to salivate!

 

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BLT Burger and Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:

½ cup sweet potatoes
Sea salt to taste
¼ lb. beef
Dash each of salt, pepper, cumin, salt-free seasoning blend, dried minced onion
1 whole grain bun
1 slice nitrate-free turkey bacon
Lettuce
Tomato
1 tablespoon reduced-sugar barbecue sauce
½ tablespoon olive oil mayo OR homemade mayo

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Heat grill or skillet to medium-high heat.
  2. Slice ½ cup sweet potatoes into fries. Place fries in a single layer on baking sheet lined with a crinkled piece of tinfoil that’s been sprayed with cooking spray. Spray the tops with cooking spray or an olive oil misto and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake 15 minutes, flip. Bake another 15 minutes.
  3. Mix beef and seasonings together with your hands and form a patty. Grill burger and bacon or cook on skillet to desired doneness.
  4. Place burger patty on bun. Layer with bacon, lettuce, tomato, barbecue sauce, and mayo. Eat fries on the side OR try and stack them on your burger.

Makes 1 serving

Nutritional information: 590 cals; 24g fat; 57g carbs; 36g protein

And THE most incredible side dish EVER!

 

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Mac and Cheese with Bacon

Ingredients:

3 ounces brown rice pasta
2 tablespoons minced onion
½ teaspoon minced garlic
Dash of cayenne pepper
¼ cup of reserved pasta water
1/3 cup 2% cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1 slice turkey bacon, chopped
1 tablespoon whole grain bread crumbs
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cook the pasta a couple minutes using the package directions.
  2. Add a pinch of sea salt to the water. Once cooked, drain and save ¼ cup of the pasta water.
  3. Sauté the onions, garlic, and cayenne pepper in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the onions are soft, add ¼ cup of your pasta water to the pan and lower heat to low-medium. Then add the cheddar cheese and stir until melted. Turn to low heat.
  4. Return pasta back to its original pot without any heat. Add yogurt, bacon, melted cheese mixture from the frying pan, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.Pour into a small baking dish. Top with breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Makes 1 serving

Nutritional information: 505 cals; 17g fat; 69g carbs; 25g protein

And behold…the dessert…

 

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Banana Berry Ice Cream

Ingredients:

½ cup berries
½ banana
2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
1 tablespoon nut butter
½ scoop vanilla protein powder
1 cup 2% cottage cheese
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
6 ice cubes (or ¾ cup)
Natural sweetener of choice

Directions:

  1. The night before you intend to serve, blend cottage cheese, berries, banana, 2 tablespoons almond milk, nut butter, and protein powder. Pour into an ice cube tray and freeze overnight.
  2. Place frozen cubes back in blender, and blend with 1 cup almond milk, ice cubes, and natural sweeter of choice, to desired sweetness.

Makes 1 serving

Nutritional information: 500 cals; 18g fat; 44g carbs; 48g protein

And from our family to yours, Happy Summer!

Xoxo,

Heidi

Want more recipes like these? Of course you do! Then run, don’t walk, and pick up your own copy of Extreme Transformation today and download our Transform app here!

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Related reading:

Labor Day Cookout Classics
BBQ Buns and Thighs
4th of July Berry Cream Pie Parfaits!
Fun in the Sun: Healthy Summer Popsicles

14 Responses

  1. Hello Heidi ,
    I would like to know how you and Chris come up with the 3 phases of weight lose ? What determines the amount ? I am trying to figure that out for myself . just want some insight on that please .
    Thank you
    Brian

    1. Hi Brian: If you’re beginning your weight loss journey, we recommend you aim for a 10% weight loss goal for your first 3 months. I hope that helps – you can do this! 🙂

  2. Are there any rules when switching ingredients to make transform dishes vegan?? What are your thought on how much soy is okay per day? Thanks!

    1. Hi Jenn: Try and sub plant-based protein sources macro for macro for the meat-based protein sources in the app. As long as you’re close, you should be fine. As for recommended soy amounts per day, we really don’t have any recommendations except to make sure your macros are matching what’s in the app each day. 🙂

    2. Hi Jenn: You can add up the macros for each meal to get your daily totals. You’ll want to eat the recommended macros for each meal since the different types of meals (breakfast, low carb, high carb) have a specific purpose in your plan. 🙂

  3. Hi Heidi I am loving your book but I did have one question. I struggle with POTS syndrome which makes a lot of up down exercises hard and fast changes in position. I have worked to a point where I can do most exercises even running with only mild dizziness. I have been trying to the metabolic missions but many of them require fast switches from being on the ground to standing up.
    I did modify some by just alternating between the sit-up and push-ups and then just doing all of the repair of squats at the same time. Do you think this will mess up the intent of the exercise?

    1. Hi Jody: I think you’ll be fine! Just make sure you’re following the nutrition part of your cycle exactly, move as much (and as safely) as you can, and you’ll be good to go!

  4. Hi Powell Pack,

    I’ve just started on the Extreme Cycle and the High Carb days seem like so much food! Is this normal? I’m following all of the recipes, but just worried that somehow I’m eating too much. Thanks!

    1. Hi Frankie: We do hear this quite often. Who’d have thought you’d be saying this about a “diet”?! You’re doing awesome!

  5. I recently ordered your Extreme Transformation book; however, in the meantime, I had followed
    your carb cycle book using the Turbo Cycle. I had lost all of my weight (15 pds) using this method.
    I have gained some of the weight back and am back on the program. I am doing 2 Low Carb days
    and then 1 High Carb day, etc.. Your new program states 4 high carb days in a row. Is that better?
    Thanks for your reply.

  6. Hello Hedi , we love you very much , please help me , I was 65 kilos after the birth of children became 150 kg, grew in my 170 , I 31 years, I have two children they have 14 and 10 years , please please Please help me , I live in Russia in Moscow, I’m already dropped 28 kilos , well, I’m afraid that once again gathering a whole , I am your first fan , you and Chris you are angels sent from God I was difficult to write to you , I do not know the English translation is from google , do not know what will takes you online and I watered instagramma first , I can not even write to you personally if you can me to write I can only fezbook you to write , I do not understand something on sotsanalny networks , please you help people who have died the last hope, as if they were for the new born ,If it would not be my children , I would kill myself , I’m tired of all, please reply to me at least , write something ,I do not know for English PLEASE HELP ME

    1. Hi Ramila: Thank you so much for sharing a bit of your story with us. Chris and Heidi truly wish they could personally help everyone, so that?s why they?ve made all their transformation tools available for everyone to use to achieve their goals, and these tools are in this post: https://heidipowell.net/9060. You can begin your transformation journey today by taking that first step ? make and keep that small, simple promise to yourself. Then choose a carb cycle, and go! You can do this! We believe in you!

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