Labor Day Recipes for a Healthier Holiday

131 Labor Day Recipes for a Healthy Holiday

Getting ready for Labor Day and wondering what you can serve to stay on track? Look no further. Our healthy Labor Day recipes cover all the bases: entree, dessert, beverage and side. We understand that holidays present certain challenges for your diet. Temptations arise that aren’t always around. Friends and family might pressure you into eating and drinking. You might be aching to make something for a crowd that’s just plain delicious. For all those reasons, we created a bunch of Labor Day recipe options. You want to feel normal, right? Like you’re not restricted, or ON A DIET. You want to fit in seamlessly into every social situation. That’s possible with the 131 Method. Once you know how your body works, and how foods (particularly inflammatory ones) affect you, it’s easier to make good decisions that serve your body well.

The Recipes

Low Carb Fruit Pizza

We start with dessert first, because, well, why the heck not!? YOLO! Our low carb fruit pizza begins with what tastes like a soft sugar cookie with subtle hints of lemon. You get to decide on the “sauce” portion. If you’re going to eat it right away, spoon a layer of CoCo Whip on top (it’s basically a healthier Cool Whip). Or, try an unsweetened vanilla nondairy yogurt made from coconut, almonds or cashews. We opted for a thin layer of coconut butter because it’s naturally sweet and provides the perfect covering to pair with the cookie and fruit.

Bacon Wrapped Mini Meatloaf

Next up in our Labor Day recipes: bacon+meatloaf. YUM! We add a little liquid smoke to the meat for that “made outside” flavor that pairs well with our low carb BBQ sauce topping. The bacon not only looks cute and makes each portion feel individual, but moisture locks inside. Plus, it’s easy to make a whole bunch at once. They also work well on an outdoor grill!

Grilled Zucchini With Kale & Hemp Pesto

For all you veggie fans, we created a beautiful vegan side dish packed full of nutrients. The hemp provides protein and healthy fat, while the kale gives it a super-food boost. The zucchini can be grilled outside on a BBQ, or inside in batches on a grill pan. You won’t believe how much flavor is in this stunning green dish!

Sparkling Peach Raspberry Mocktail

Feel like part of the crowd by holding this oh-so-chic drink. Most Labor Day recipes assume there’s a lot of booze going on. But you know how too much alcohol affects your weight loss efforts. (You’re a smart 131’er now!) The occasional alcoholic drink is okay. Ya gotta live, right?! So feel free to make this with champagne, if desired. We think it tastes pretty darned good alcohol-free! Check out our Lavender Lemon Limeade recipe here. Or try our favorite Infused Water recipes here.

Low Carb Fruit Pizza

Yield: 10 servings

Serving Size: 1 slice

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• ¼ cup Lakanto syrup
• 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 drops liquid stevia (optional)
• 2 cups blanched almond flour
• ½ cup coconut flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch sea salt

Topping:

• ⅓ cup softened coconut butter (or coconut yogurt or CoCo Whip)*
• ½ medium peach, sliced
• ¾ cup raspberries
• ½ cup blackberries, sliced in half
• ¼ cup blueberries

Method:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Combine the egg, syrup, oil, vanilla, lemon juice, lemon zest and stevia in a bowl. In a second bowl, combine the flours, baking powder and salt. Add the dry to wet and stir to combine. (Using your hands might be easier to create a dough ball.
2. Coat a 9-inch tart pan with cooking spray and press the dough inside. Prick the top with a fork in 3 places. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove to cool.
3. Spread the top with coconut butter. *You can also spread with a dairy-free yogurt or CoCo Whip.
4. Decorate the top with fruit, cut into 10 slices, and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 204| Protein: 7g | Fat: 20g | Carbs: 14g | Fiber: 5g | Net Carbs: 9g

Bacon Wrapped Mini Meatloaf

Yield: 8 servings

Serving Size: 1 mini meatloaf

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 25 min

Ingredients:

• 1½ pounds grass-finished ground beef
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup almond meal
• 3 tablespoons low carb BBQ sauce
• 1 green onion, minced
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon sea sat
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
• 8 slices bacon

Topping:

• 3 tablespoons low carb BBQ sauce

Method:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Combine the beef through cayenne in a medium bowl. Form into 8 small round mini meat loaves (about the size of baseballs). Wrap one slice of bacon around each, trimming any excess. Secure with a toothpick, if desired. The bacon usually stays perfectly in place.
2. Bake for 20 minutes. Divide remaining BBQ sauce across the top of each and return to oven for 5-7 minutes, or until cooked through.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 265| Protein: 21g | Fat: 19g | Carbs: 2.5g | Fiber: .3g | Net Carbs: 2.2g

Grilled Zucchini With Kale & Hemp Pesto

Yield: 6 servings

Serving Size: 1/6^th recipe

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 10 min

Ingredients:

Zucchini:

• 3 large zucchinis, sliced into quarter-inch rounds
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Pesto:

• 2½ cups loose kale leaves, stems removed
• 1 cup basil leaves
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup hemp seeds
• 2 cloves garlic
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• Pinch sea salt

Method:

1. Combine zucchini, oil, lemon juice, garlic and salt in a large bowl or sealable bag. Marinate for 4 hours to overnight.
2. Heat outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to high heat. Use tongs to place slices on the grill or pan (working in batches, of needed).  Cook 2-4 minutes per side, until grill marks appear, and the zucchini is tender. Length of time depends on zucchini thickness and temperature of grill.
3. While grilling, add all pesto ingredients to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Drizzle over the top and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 174| Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Carbs: 7g | Fiber: 2.5g | Net Carbs: 4.5g

Sparkling Peach Raspberry Mocktail

Yield: 4 servings

Serving Size: 1/4^th recipe

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 10 min

Ingredients:

• 2 peaches
• 1¼ cups raspberries, divided
• 1 tablespoon Lakanto or Swerve sweetener
• ½ cup water
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 32 ounces sparkling water
• Stevia, to taste (optional)
• Ice cubes

Method:

1. Chop one peach and slice the other. Add sliced peaches to a pitcher with ¼-cup raspberries. Add the chopped peaches, 1-cup raspberries and sweetener to a small pot with ½ cup water. Bring to a low boil, stirring for 10 minutes. Cool completely.
2. Using a fine mesh sieve, press mixture through the sieve using the back of a spoon into the pitcher. You’ll end up with about ¼ cup of pink peach raspberry syrup. Squeeze in lemon juice and pour sparkling water over the mixture. Stir well. Add stevia, if using.
3. Add ice cubes to each glass and fill with sparking water.
4. Macros are low, but difficult to calculate. If you consume the fruit, simply track the fruit in your app.

We love it when you make our recipes and tag us! Comment below on how you make it through the holidays! And keep tagging us on Facebook and Instagram: @131method, #131method, #131recipes.

XOXO