We are creeping up on the 4th of July Weekend and I couldn’t be more excited. We are headed up to Idaho to spend time with Thomas’ family. In addition to fishing, hiking and exploring we can’t wait to soak up some sun and relax in the backyard with a cocktail in hand and food on the grill. I thought I’d round up the 5 recipes I’m most excited to try this weekend.

Watermelon Mojito– I thought I would start off this list with a light summer cocktail. Normally, my go to summer drink is either my absolute favorite, Peach Bellini (since peaches are in season) or Sangria. I can’t imagine a 4th of July without Watermelon making it’s way onto our menu so we decided to add it to Thomas’ Mojito recipe that he’s perfected over time. The recipe still stays true to the refreshing combination of mint and lime while having a subtle hint of Watermelon. The recipe is pretty long, so if you are interested you can scroll to the bottom of the post for the whole recipe.

Grillable Veggie Burgers– We recently did a round up of our favorite sources for recipe inspiration. Minimalist Baker was high on that list. She has a Grillable Veggie Burger that we’ve been dying to try for awhile now but we don’t have a grill. That all changes this weekend when we fire up the Big Green Egg.

Grilled Veggies with Tahini Dressing– One of the simplest things you can do is cut up veggies, add some oil, salt and pepper and throw them on the grill. My favorite veggies on the grill are corn, sweet potatoes, bell pepper, zucchini and red onion. If you are new to grilling veggies this is a super helpful cheat sheet. They should be flavorful enough on their own but if you want, drizzle a simple dressing of 4 parts tahini, 2 parts lemon juice, 1 part sugar (I like honey or maple syrup) and 1 part water over the top or served to dip into on the side. Make sure to taste the dressing first and check the consistency, you can always cut it with some water if it’s too intense or too thick.

Grilled Fish Tacos– Thomas and I love fish tacos. We’ve tried them around the world and have found the best fish tacos start with a grilled fish like Mahi-Mahi or Halibut, topped with a Citrusy Slaw, Salsa and Guacamole served in a small to medium sized flour tortilla. Store bought Salsa is always easier and often pretty good but we strongly advise against store bought guacamole. It’s super easy to mash up avocados and combine with your favorite salsa to make guacamole.

Grilled Peaches with Homemade Vegan Blackberry Ice Cream– Two weeks back we went to a berry farm for this post. We had so many extra blackberries that we threw them in the freezer to be saved for future smoothies or homemade ice cream. While trying to figure out what to do with the extra blackberries I found the most delicious looking Blackberry Ice Cream recipe. It would be perfectly accompanied by some grilled peaches which you can throw onto the still-warm grill for a couple of minutes as your finishing up your dinner.

Watermelon Mojito Recipe for a Group

For the Pitcher (64 oz pitcher)

3 oz Lime Juice

3 oz Simple Syrup

3 oz Watermelon Juice (chop up some watermelon and blend it)

12 oz White Rum (Bacardi is fine but premium makes a big difference, we’ve had good luck with SelvaRey)

12 oz Club Soda

4 cups of Ice

45 Mint Leaves

1 Lime cut into 1/8 pieces

A few slices of Watermelon

For each Glass (8-10 oz glass)

5 Mint Leaves

2 1/8 slices of lime

5-8 cubes of ice

Instructions

For the Pitcher

1. Add Mint, Lime Pieces and Simple Syrup into the Pitcher and Muddle. Muddling the mint with the Lime and Simple Syrup helps pull out more of the flavor from the mint.
2. Add Watermelon slices, Rum, Watermelon Juice, Ice Cubes and Club Soda. Mix with a long spoon.
3. You can serve immediately or place in the refrigerator so the ice doesn’t melt too quickly.

For each Glass

1. Add Mint and Lime Pieces and muddle. Add Ice Cubes.
2. Pour from the pitcher. Leaving a bit of room at the top.
3. Splash a bit of Club Soda and mix with a straw.
4. Garnish with a sprig of Mint and a small Watermelon wedge