This is one of those long weekends of summer that I truly look forward to. The county I live in has a fantastic fireworks show (the second largest display in our state, in fact). Plus it's just a great time to get together with family and friends. If you've got a 4th of July party to go to this weekend, consider bringing along a healthy and festive dish to pass. Some ideas:

• Blue corn chips and fresh salsa.
• A red, white, and blue veggie tray -- radishes, cauliflower, red pepper, purple pepper (it's close to blue anyway), cherry tomatoes, and so forth.
• Blueberries, strawberries, and star fruit make an all-American fruit salad
• Wrap turkey, tomato slices, low-fat cheese, and sprouts in blue corn tortillas -- cut them into small wedges for a tasty appetizer.

Lifescript has more ideas for healthy 4th of July foods.

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Tomorrow is the Fourth of July and chances are you'll be celebrating with family, friends and a big ole' plate of food. But Independence Day doesn't have to mean diet disaster!

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We Canadians just finished celebrating our country's birth on July first, and you folks in the USA will be doing the same this coming July 4th. And chances are you'll be celebrating by spending time with friends and family at a barbecue, where you'll enjoy plenty of goodies and maybe even a few adult beverages. Now, there's nothing wrong with indulging every now and then, but if you're watching what you eat, it's a good idea to get informed and know how many calories you're ingesting.

What foods will you be enjoying at your 4th of July barbecue? One item that's a staple at many of the events I've been to is hot dogs. Juicy, covered in ketchup and served on a fresh bun, few things say 'barbecue' like a dog. But my Spidey senses tell me they're not the best nutritional value out there. What do you think?

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My husband loves energy drinks. More specifically, he loves the jolt he gets from an energy drink. While I could never picture him trying to mix an energy drink with alcohol (that would defeat the purpose after all), I can see where someone else might give it a try. But the folks over at CNN tell us that mixing energy drinks and alcohol is a bad idea. The combination stresses the nervous system and can lead to heart palpitations and difficulty breathing.

And since it's nearly the Fourth and we're talking about alcohol, studies have also found that when alcohol is mixed with diet soda, it enters the bloodstream at a much faster rate than when mixed with a regular soft drink. So if you're going to have a drink or two this weekend, you might want to splurge on the extra calories in a regular soda and have a snack as well. The sugar and extra food will slow down the rate the alcohol leaves your stomach.

For more tidbits on what foods work well together and what don't, check out Real Simple's article on food pairings.

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Happy fourth of July everyone! Frequent readers of That's Fit probably know that I'm not American, but that doesn't mean I can't wish my neighbours to the south a very happy independence day. Plus Canada's version of independence day (Canada Day) was just a few days ago (July 1) so I'm still a bit high on the national-pride kick.

When I think of independence day, I think of fireworks, parades and outdoor barbecues -- complete with burgers topped off with little flags, plenty of cold beer, yummy treats and ... potato salad. Seriously, potato salad seems to be a fixture of summer barbecues. I don't think I ever been to a barbecue where someone didn't bring some potato salad, so in honour of Fourth if July Picnics, I ask you: How many calories and fat in a serving (one cup) of homemade potato salad?

A) 120 cal, 10 g of fat
B) 256 cal, 18g of fat
C) 358 cal, 21 g of fat
D) 567 cal, 36 g of fat

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Fourth of July makes us think of outdoor barbecues and fireworks - usually complete with a high-calorie, high fat meal. This simple menu takes some holiday favorites and lightens them up enough that you can enjoy yourself and not break your diet at the same time. Add some watermelon and s

Cheeseburgers

3/4 pound lean ground beef
3/4 pound lean ground turkey
1/4 cup barbecue sauce - preferably low sodium
6 multi-grain buns, split & toasted
6 red leaf lettuce leaves
6 tomato slices -- 1/2 inch thick
6 slices low-fat cheddar cheese

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill.

Mix together beef, turkey and barbecue sauce and form into six 1/4 pound patties. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and grill for approximately 7-8 minutes on each side, for medium to medium well burgers. Just before the burgers are done, top with a slice of cheese.

Place the lettuce and tomato on top of one half of the buns and place the burger on top. Cover with the other half of the bun. Serve with condiments such as pickles and ketchup, if desired.

Rehab Rundown

• Lean ground turkey was substituted for half the beef, and lean ground beef was substituted for the regular ground beef, cutting fat and calories
• Barbecue sauce was added to keep the burgers moist without adding significant calories
• Serving size - an important fact to remember - was cut down to 1/4 pound.
• Multigrain rolls were used instead of white rolls, adding fiber
• Low-fat cheese was used instead of regular.

Guilt-Free Potato Salad
1 1/2 pounds red skinned potatoes potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 ounce bacon -- cooked, fat drained and crumbled
3 egg whites, boiled and coarsely chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
2 dill pickles, chopped
1 cup fat-free plain yogurt
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
salt to taste
fresh ground pepper to taste

In large saucepan, place potatoes in enough water to cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Drain and place in a large bowl.

Add all remaining ingredients while potatoes are still warm and gently mix together. Refrigerate 1-2 hours to allow flavors to blend.

Rehab Rundown

• Bacon was reduced from 2 to 1 ounce
• Egg whites were used in place of whole eggs
• Fat-free yogurt was substituted for sour cream, still giving a tangy flavor without the fat
• Low-fat mayonnaise was substituted for mayonnaise and the amount was reduced by half

Easy Strawberry Shortcake

1 storebought angel food cake
2 quarts strawberries
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
24 tablespoons fat free whipped topping

Slice strawberries and sprinkle sugar on top. Let sit for at least fifteen minutes.

Cut cake in 12 slices. Set a slice of cake on a plate, top with 1/12 of the strawberry mixture and two tablespoons of whipped topping. Serve immediately.

Rehab Rundown

• Sugar in the strawberry topping was reduced to 1 tablespoon. Since strawberries are still in season, their natural sweetness will come through
• Fat free whipped topping was substituted for whipped cream.

Rehab Reveal

For the total meal - one serving of each recipe:

	Original	Adapted
Calories	1663 (approx 70% from fat)	864 (approx 30% from fat)
Fat	113g	35g
Saturated Fat	29g	16g
Protein	64g	43g
Carbohydrate	103g	84g
Fiber	4g	5g