Life
For most people, summer is synonymous with barbecues and cookouts by the pool. If you're vegan, that usually means you have to bring your own food — after all, nobody can subsist on fruit salad and potato chips alone. Luckily, there are plenty of vegan patriotic recipes out there to bring to the table this Fourth of July. With a little preparation, you, too, can participate in the great American tradition of eating and drinking until you regret all the choices leading up to this very moment. It's what the Founding Fathers would have wanted, right?
There have been some growing pains along the way, but in 2017, the United States will commemorate 241 years of independence from British rule. On Jun. 11, 1776, the second Continental Congress gathered in Philadelphia to write what turned out to be one of the most important break-up letters in recent history: the Declaration of Independence. After a few weeks of deliberation and numerous drafts, the document was officially adopted on Jul. 4. In the following years, Americans marked the anniversary of their independence with noisemakers and fireworks — and it's been a tradition ever since.
Whether or not you're particularly enthused about the current state of American politics, the Fourth of July is worth celebrating — preferably, with tons of food. Here are some vegan recipes to bring to this year's Independence Day festivities.
1
Strawberry Cheesecake Bites
These "cheesecake" treats from Oh She Glows are totally dairy-free, and if you add blueberries, they're as patriotic as it gets.
2
Chickpea Flour Pancakes
These chickpea flour pancakes from Oatmeal with a Fork are meat-, dairy-, and sugar-free.
3
Quinoa Almond Berry Salad
This high protein fruit salad will be the healthiest, most colorful dish at your Independence Day table. You can find the recipe at Oh She Glows.
4
Crown Ruby Fruit Salad
As always, you can mix in some blackberries or blueberries to make Taste and Tell's Crown Ruby fruit salad fit for the Fourth of July.
5
Red, White, And Blue Layered Drinks
Brown Eyed Baker's patriotic concoction contains no alcohol, so it's safe for kids and adults to enjoy.
6
Watermelon Peach Spritzer
It may be missing a pop of blue, but is there anything as patriotic as watermelon on the Fourth of July? I think not. You can find the recipe for these watermelon peach spritzers at What's Cooking Love.
7
Strawberry Shortcake Stacked Pancakes
Add blueberries or blackberries to make these pancakes a patriotic, delicious breakfast. You can find the recipe at Oh She Glows.
8
Vanilla Almond Flour Cake
To make this recipe for vanilla almond flour cake vegan, just use nondairy whipped cream; the cake itself doesn't have any eggs or dairy. You can find the recipe at Making Thyme for Health.
9
Strawberry Banana Cake
This strawberry banana cake from Averie Cooks may look like something from a traditional bakery, but it's totally vegan.
10
Firecracker Berry Margarita Floats
These red, white, and blue margarita floats can be made vegan by adding nondairy ice cream. Check out the recipe at Half Baked Harvest.
11
Herbed Red Potato Salad
Potato salad is an American staple. While it usually has mayonnaise, Cookie and Kate's recipe is totally meat- and dairy-free.
12
Strawberry Pie
This recipe from Making Thyme for Health relies on store-bought vegan options for the whipped cream and gelatin, making it perfect for people in a hurry.
13
Patriotic Popcorn
This colorful snack from Dessert Now, Dinner Later is super easy — just check to make sure your food coloring is vegan.
14
Fourth of July Fruit Flag
For those of us who never learned to cook, the Kitchn's recipe for a Fourth of July fruit "flag" is a godsend. All you have to do is layer bananas, strawberries, and blueberries on some skewers, and voila! You have a patriotic, vegan contribution to the Independence Day table.
