Juneteenth Gets Summer Off to a Great Start!
What are you doing for Juneteenth? In the early years of Juneteenth, people celebrated by holding political rallies to teach freed African Americans about their voting rights and citizenship responsibilities. These gatherings soon evolved into community activities, parades, festivals and family reunions.
Since Juneteenth began in Galveston, Texas, it should come as no surprise that it has been a Texas state holiday since 1980. Juneteenth is recognized in 30 states plus Washington, D.C.
Juneteenth began as an African-American holiday, but in modern years has transformed into a celebration of freedom for all people, and a time to reflect on the changes our country has experienced. It’s a time to promote unity and build self-esteem through reflection, education and acknowledgement of achievements of all races, nationalities and ethnicities.
If you’re planning a Juneteenth picnic, one of the great things to keep in mind is that this holiday originally came about during very difficult times. Money was scarce, so the ingredients had to be cheap. As a result, many Juneteenth recipes are very economical. And because it’s 2007, these recipes have been adapted slightly to make them a bit healthier as well.
Check our other Juneteenth features and our recipe page for other great summertime meal ideas!
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 Tbs sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbs light margarine
1 cup canned sweet potato
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup skim milk
2 Tbs egg substitute (such as Egg Beaters)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400° F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
Use an electric mixer to blend the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and margarine. Mix in the sweet potatoes, cinnamon, nutmeg and milk. Add the egg substitute.
Roll out the dough into a 1/2-inch thickness on a lightly floured board. Use a biscuit cutter to make 2-inch circles. Place biscuits 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake about 25 minutes, or until firm in the center.
Makes 14
Nutritional Information:
Calories Per Serving: 100, Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 290 mg, Carbohydrates: 20 g, Fiber: 1 g
From the Black Family Dinner Quilt Cookbook
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup mashed banana
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla
6 egg whites
1/2 cup no-sugar-added raspberry preserves
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a 10-inch bundt pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the sugar and bananas with an electric mixer. Slowly stir in the flour, baking powder and vanilla. Mix in the egg whites, one at a time.
Pour the batter into the 10-inch pan. Bake about an hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes on a wire rack. Remove cake from the pan and continue to cool.
Place the raspberry preserves in a microwave-safe bowl and heat until melted enough to pour. Drizzle the preserves over the cake and serve.
Serves 12
Nutritional Information:
Calories Per Serving: 210, Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 57 mg, Carbohydrates: 47 g, Fiber: 1 g
From The New Soul Food Cookbook for People with Diabetes
Ingredients:
6 cups boiling water
3 regular-sized teabags
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup orange juice
2 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
Directions:
Pour the boiling water over the tea and cinnamon. Steep for 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients; serve hot or cold.
Serves 8
Nutritional Information:
Calories Per Serving: 63, Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 0 mg, Carbohydrates: 16 g, Fiber: 0 g
Ingredients:
2 (12 oz) cans red beans
1 onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
3 bay leaves
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 Tbs chopped parsley
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried chili powder
1 tsp black pepper
Directions:
In a crock pot or large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Cover and cook until well heated, 30 minutes for a saucepan, and 4 hours for a crock pot. Remove bay leaves. Serve over hot cooked brown rice.
Serves 8
Nutritional Information:
Calories Per Serving (without rice): 171, Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol:0 mg, Sodium: 285 mg, Carbohydrates: 32 g, Fiber: 7 g
From The New Soul Food Cookbook for People with Diabetes
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup light margarine
3 eggs, separated
1 (12 oz) can evaporated fat-free milk
1 Tbs cornstarch
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup fresh key lime juice
3 drops green food color
1/4 cup sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Combine graham crackers and margarine in a medium bowl and mix. Press into a 9-inch pie pan and bake 7 to 10 minutes.
Combine the egg yolks, milk, cornstarch and 1/3 cup sugar in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, bringing the mixture to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the lime juice and food coloring. Pour the mixture into the crust.
Beat the egg whites with a mixer until peaks form. Add 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff.
Spoon the meringue over the filling, taking care to spread the meringue to the edges of the crust. Bake until the edges are lightly brown, about 3 minutes. Cool completely.
Serves 8
Nutritional Information:
Calories Per Serving: 222, Fat: 6 g (2 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol: 82 mg, Sodium: 224 mg, Carbohydrates: 35 g, Fiber: 1 g
© 2007, Brookshire Grocery Co. Nutrient counts are rounded to the nearest whole number. All dietary and lifestyle changes should be supervised by a physician.
Published 05/17/07
