4th of July Feast! How to eat like our Founding Fathers
Every year on the 4th of July we honor our nation’s independence by donning red, white and blue, spending time with friends and family, and firing up the grill. But while we like to eat hamburgers and ribs, our Founding Fathers shared a very different spread back in 1776. Here are a few of our Founding Fathers’ favorite foods, and how you can incorporate them into your modern day 4th of July!
Cornmeal Hoecakes: A staple food of the early colonial days, cornmeal hoecakes, similar to a pancake, were found on almost every table. Also, did you know that George Washington wore dentures and thus preferred soft foods? Cornmeal hoecakes were one of his favorites! At the Original Pancake House in Denver, we have a whole assortment of pancakes that would surely please our first President!
Cherries: We’ve all heard the myth about George Washington and the cherry tree. Did you know that both Thomas Jefferson and George Washington had cherry orchards on their farms? If you want to incorporate cherries into your 4th of July, be sure to try our Cherry Kijafa Crepes!
Oysters: Since many of our Founding Fathers lived near the coast, seafood was almost always part of their daily menu. Oysters were a particular favorite food and Martha Washington included several recipes for oysters in her First Lady’s cookbook.
Apples: A staple part of the colonial harvest, apples appear in many early American recipes. Abigail Adams, John Adams wife, tended their farm and crops while he was busy creating a new nation. She often made apple pandowdy, a sort of cobbler, with their fresh apple harvest. If you are in the mood to eat like President Adams, you won’t want to miss our oven baked Apple Pancake!
Whatever you eat this 4th of July, we hope you enjoy the holiday with family and friends! And from everyone at the Original Pancake House in Denver, we wish you a happy birthday, America!
Healthy Summer Breakfast Ideas & Recipes
At The Original Pancake House in Denver, we often associate summer with relaxed mornings and leisurely summer breakfasts. In reality, some summer days are quite rushed, scooting the kids off to camp, or getting up early to hit the trails before it gets too hot. For those days, we have collected a few of our favorite make-at-home, easy-breezy healthy summer breakfast recipes.
Here are our favorite healthy summer breakfast ideas!
No-Bake Chocolate Energy Bites: We love these because they make a delicious and easy breakfast, or snack on the go! Freeze them and save them for a day when you are short on time!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup no stir almond butter or creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- Up to 4 tsp warm water , as needed
- 1 cup old fashioned oats (raw)
- 3/4 cup toasted or raw coconut
- 1/2 cup flaxseed meal
- 6 Tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions:
- In a mixing bowl, stir together almond butter, honey, vanilla and cocoa powder. If mixture seems too thick stir in 2 tsp warm water to thin. Add oats, coconut, flaxseed meal and chocolate chips and stir until evenly coated. At this point if mixture still doesn't stick well, stir in up to 2 tsp water as needed. Transfer mixture to refrigerator or freezer and chill until nearly set and easier to handle.
- Remove from refrigerator and shape into 1-inch balls. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container.
Strawberry Watermelon Smoothie - this healthy summer breakfast recipe wins points for being super easy (all you need is a blender!), and for using up the inevitable watermelon leftovers you’ll have after buying a whole melon.
Simply combine the following ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth:
- 1 1/2 cups fresh watermelon, cubed (black seeds removed)
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- 1/2 ripe banana previously peeled, chopped and frozen
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 Tbsp chia or hemp seeds (optional)
Overnight Blueberry Cobbler Oatmeal: Make this one the night before and it’s ready to eat for a morning on the run!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 plus cup plus 2 tablespoons quick-cooking oats
- 1/2 cup milk, I used almond but any milk will do
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar (I use 2 if I drizzle on extra honey)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
- pecans, optional
- honey, optional
Instructions:
- In a medium bowl, stir together oats, milk, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Fold in blueberries.
- Divide evenly between 2 small bowls and cover to refrigerate. Leave in the fridge for at least 5 hours or overnight. Enjoy with a drizzle of honey and your favorite nuts, if desired.
And for those days that you do have time for a leisurely summer breakfast, come in and join us at The Original Pancake House for breakfast in Denver! We’ll take good care of you and your belly! Happy Summer!