Elana's Pantry 10 Ways to Celebrate Your Food Independence

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Yesterday my son and I made the delicious strawberry sorbet pictured above.

As July 4th approaches, our ice cream maker has been getting a real workout. It’s hotter now so we’re always looking for good frozen treats to cool us off. When I asked my older son what he thought about the sorbet, he simply said, “yum.” That sums it up fairly well. I find it light, sweet and refreshing.

On another note, I enjoy using holidays throughout the year to pause, reflect and freshen my perspective, finding that even secular celebrations come in handy for this. With July 4th just around the corner, I’ve created a little list of independence offerings that provide new ways of doing the same old everyday things. I hope you like it and find it useful.

Red, White, Blue and Green: 10 Ways to Celebrate Your Independence

Refrain from purchasing packaged foods -to reduce trash output
Avoid processed foods -most contain trans fats, excess salt or high-fructose corn syrup.
Eat locally -your food will be fresh, full of good nutrients and delicious
Walk or ride your bike -to reduce your consumption of fossil fuels
Eat at home -food dollars go further when you prepare your own food rather than eating in a restaurant
BYOB -bring your own bag for every purchase you make, not just groceries
Avoid purchasing bottled water -I use a mason jar and fill it from my tap
Avoid plastic as much as possible -to cut down on foreign oil consumption
Grow your own garden -in a window box or your yard
Buy local products -to support your local economy

And for a wholesome, delicious dessert to go along with your independence celebration, try this sorbet. You will wow your guests with a burst of fresh fruit flavor!

Strawberry Sorbet
10 oz bag of frozen organic strawberries
2 cups water
¼ cup agave nectar

Place strawberries, water and agave in a vitamix
Blend on highest speed until smooth and creamy
Pour mixture into ice cream maker and process according to instructions
Serve

Serves 4

Happy Fourth of July! I hope all of you have a fantastic holiday weekend and enjoy good food with good friends! Feel free to leave a comment below to let me know what you will be eating doing this weekend.