Red, ripe & blueberry

I just love fireworks. They are my favorite part of the Fourth of July holiday.

Last night, we (Jacob, Paw Paw and myself) were lucky to get a sneak preview, since the beach where we live shoots them off on July 3rd. We're able to enjoy the sights and sounds without having to camp out early to ensure a good spot.

You would think I'd outgrown my fondness for the bright bursts of color in the night sky, accompanied by the explosive background noises and cheers from the kids (as well as the young at heart). But, my youthful spirit and the joy I see on my son's face keep me coming back for more (I still step outside our house when the nearby marina sets theirs off during the warm weather weekends).

My excitement was still present today, as I tossed together this quick confetti coleslaw. The sprinkling of hues reminded me of our view last night.

It's so simple to make (I didn't want anything too complex for my day off). I just grabbed a few handfuls of coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrot), broccoli slaw, spiral sliced yellow squash and some more carrot shreds, and dressed it all in a combination of apple cider vinegar, EVOO (I apologize for the Rachael Ray abbreviation), garlic, sea salt, pepper, mustard and agave.

I don't know why, but I always crave coleslaw on the Fourth of July.

On the other side of the spectrum, I also find that this holiday is not complete without a frozen treat. So, today, I whipped up a quick banana-based split, I'd like to call my Red, Ripe & Blueberry Split.

Quite some time ago, I posted my easy banana split recipe on the Gone Raw site. This patriotic version consists of the same banilla and strawberry flavors, as well as a blueberry enhanced scoop of chocolate. I also skipped the sauce toppings in favor of fresh fruit.

I was inspired to make this dessert this morning after drinking my red, white and blue in disguise green smoothie. The greens conceal the true colors of the strawberries, banana and blueberries inside (I'm sensing a fruit theme). I also added some raw cocoa butter for richness.

Tonight, I'll be breaking away from tradition by taking part in a lasagna dinner at my parent's house (I'll be bringing my spiral slicer for those who would rather have zucchini pasta). We'll be celebrating my dad's birthday (it was July 2nd), and since he does the grilling, we opted for something besides the usual cookout. Happy birthday, dad!