Declare your independence from boring (and not-so-kind) slabs of meat, and try out some fresh new (and oh-so-kind) red, white, and blue vegan recipes that will have your Fourth of July soire shining bright like a sparkler.

If youre asked to bring cookies, you could go for classic chocolate chipor you could make The Veg Lifes show-stopping Independence Day Tri-Color Cookies, which will guarantee that youll be taking home an empty dish.

For a fresh take on salsa, toss some tofu on the grill and serve it with Fatfree Vegan Kitchens tangy, sweet, and fiery Blueberry-Peach Salsa.

And classic fruit is made cute with Sweet Simple Vegans watermelon pizza.

Chili cook-off on the agenda? Vegan Insanity has your ace-in-the-bowl: Smoky Barbecue Chili with Vegan Sour Cream and blue corn chips.

Win the official grill master title with red-and-blue burgers. VegKitchens Beet and Brown Rice Burgers deliver fun on a bun.

No pool at the party? Cool off with Blueberry Coconut Popsicles from our friends at Beaming Baker

or with Patriotic Fruit Pops from Sweet Simple Vegan.

For easy-peasy kid-friendly snacks, steal this idea for patriotic Grilled Granola from The Big Mans World (try it with the new I Cant Believe Its Not Butter spread, Its Vegan)

or this one for berry and cashew-cream parfaits in mason jars from Vegan Insanity.

And get the kids involved in meal prep by letting them help make fun, simple desserts such as PETAs Red, White, and Blue Rice Crispy Treats

or Four-Ingredient Berry Tarts.

Surprise your friends and family by saying that youll bring the pulled-pork sandwiches. And surprise them again with these beauties from Minimalist Baker, which get their stringy texture courtesy of lentils and shredded carrots and their flavor from barbecue sauce and a sprinkle of spices. (We may have cheated a little on the red, white, and blue theme with this one, but the taste makes up for the quasi-blueness.)

If youre the lucky duck who draws the easiest cookout dish assignment everthe vegetable platemake it one to remember (quasi-blueness aside). Five-Minute Macadamia Cheese is the star of Minimalist Bakers Vegan Cruditand you may even win over the I cant live without cheese crowd.

See more great cookout ideas for a four-star Fourth of July, and raise your forks to liberty and justice for all.

If these recipes look great to you, why not make a pledge to go vegan? Already vegan? Order a free vegan starter kit for a friend today.

Order a Vegan Starter Kit for a Friend!

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Red, White, and Blue-tiful: Pretty Vegan Dishes Fit for the Fourth - PETA (blog) (press release)