Red, white & blue foods to get patriotic on your plate this July 4th weekend

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — The July 4 holiday is a great time to show your American pride, even with your menu!

Hy-Vee Corporate Registered Dietitian Melissa Jaeger stopped by KARE 11 Saturday to talk about the health benefits of certain red, white and blue foods, and showed us how to make them part of patriotic dishes for the holiday weekend.

For the red portion of the menu, Jaeger recommends tart cherries and strawberries, which are high in vitamin C and can help support the immune system.

For blue: blueberries, which are full of healthy antioxidants that can protect against heart disease, cancer and aging.

The white food on the menu is Greek yogurt, packed with protein, calcium and vitamin D.

Hy-Vee stores provide in-person consultations with dietitians, as well as a new virtual nutrition service platform on the Hy-Vee website to help with menu planning and weight loss goals.

AMERICAN FLAG PARFAITS

• 1 (5.3-oz.) container Hy-Vee vanilla Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 2 tsp Hy-Vee honey
• 1 ¼ cup strawberries, sliced
• 2 tbsp blueberries

1. Combine yogurt, chia seeds and honey in a small bowl, mixing to combine. Allow to stand at room temperature for 5 minutes.
2. Place a layer of sliced strawberries at the bottom of a glass pint jar. Add a layer of chia seed pudding, repeat layers once.
3. After the second layer of chia seed pudding, add half of the blueberries on one side of the jar and fill the other half with sliced strawberries. Top with chia seed pudding and repeat with remaining blueberries and strawberries.

TART CHERRY SORBET

• 4 cups Hy-Vee frozen unsweetened tart cherries, divided
• 2 frozen bananas, peeled and cut up, divided
• 2 cups vanilla Greek yogurt, divided
• ½ cup pomegranate juice, divided

1. Place half of the frozen cherries, banana, Greek yogurt, and pomegranate juice in a blender. Cover and blend until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Pour mixture into an 8x4-inch loaf pan.
2. Repeat process of blending the remaining half of ingredients; add to mixture in loaf pan. Cover and freeze at least 4 hours or until firm. Let stand 30 minutes before serving.