An Independent Breakfast
Holidays in our house are the rare occasions where you break out the recipes that only get prepared once a year. Easter entails a specially roasted ham; Thanksgiving, Grandma’s sweet potato pie; and Christmas, that 8 layer gelatin mold. Independence Day in particular, to me, calls forth images of cakes and tortes adorned with tedious American flags made out of candy bits, fruit, or carefully piped frosting. My children are certainly no strangers to the fuss over holidays, but they particularly enjoy the 4th of July. Fireworks, food, and family — what’s not to love!
This year, rather than break out the tedious multi-layer desserts and salads, we’re going with simplicity. Even the smallest details can share the joy of the holiday with a child. In our particular case, we’re starting with the simple breakfast bagel. First we will lightly toast a whole grain bagel and then top it with a low-fat pineapple cream cheese smear. Next each child will choose their red and blue fruit assortment and use them to top their white laden bagel. Strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and raspberries are all plentiful right now and make the holiday truly special for my children. There is nothing they love more than fresh fruit, and using it to say Happy Independence Day is the best way I can think of to start the holiday off right.
