If you're like me and you are a huge fan of having a picnic where you can eat outside and enjoy nature, check out some easy recipes that you can pack right up and take with you to the park, beach, etc! No fuss and lots of fun

Quinoa Salad With Kale And Corn



Sara Deseran and Tacolicious’ chef Telmo Faria devised this ultimate picnic dish: a healthy, but delicious salad that’s better at room temperature than it is cold.

Ingredients:
Apple cider cumin vinaigrette
½ shallot, peeled and chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon ground cumin
½ tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salad
4 cups finely shredded lacinato kale
4 cups finely shredded Napa cabbage
2 cups cooked and cooled quinoa
¾ cup shredded carrots
¾ cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
¾ cup fresh, raw corn kernels
½ cup thinly sliced radishes
1 cup salted, roasted almonds
Kosher salt to taste
Ground pepper to taste

To make the dressing, place all of the dressing ingredients, except the olive oil, in a blender and blend on high until smooth. On a low speed, add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Once the olive oil is incorporated, blend on high for an additional 15 seconds.

To assemble the salad, place all of the ingredients, except the almonds, in a large bowl. Toss with the dressing and season with salt and pepper. Top with the almonds and serve. Serves 4 to 6 people.

Recipe courtesy of Tacolicious

Photographed by Anna-Alexia Basile

Hibiscus Margarita



Deseran’s favorite gulp on a hot day is a tea made of dried hibiscus flowers, a traditional ingredient in Mexico, which locals can find at Mexican markets and specialty stores like Rainbow Grocery. “They impart a mild tartness and make a cocktail light and thirst-quenching,” she says. “If you're being an upstanding citizen and not serving alcohol due to park regulations, just eliminate the tequila." Temper the sweetness with water, either flat or sparkling.

Ingredients:
1 ounce hibiscus tea*
2 ounces blanco tequila
1 ½ ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
1 ounce agave nectar

Wet the rim of a glass and dip it in kosher salt. Add ice. Place all ingredients in a shaker and shake well. Strain into a glass and serve.

*To make 4 cups of hibiscus tea, boil ½ cup of dried hibiscus flowers with 4 cups of water for 30 minutes. Strain the flowers and add 2 tablespoons of sugar. Let cool. Serves 1.

Recipe courtesy of Tacolicious

Photographed by Anna-Alexia Basile

Quick Summertime Gazpacho



This is a cinch to make, assuming you have a blender. Tomatoes with a bit of acidity work best, says Deseran, who loves Early Girls and Brandywines. Keep the gazpacho chilled, she suggests, by transporting it in a thermos.

Ingredients:
4 large tomatoes (about 1 ½ pounds)
1 ½ cups peeled and chopped English cucumber
1 cup chopped red onion
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Tabasco sauce

Core tomatoes. Using a sharp peeler, peel off skin. Roughly chop.

Place tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olive oil, vinegar, and garlic in the blender. Blend until pureed. Season with salt, pepper, and Tabasco. Refrigerate for 1 hour or as long as overnight. Serves 4.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Picnics: Delicious Recipes for Outdoor Entertaining

Cold Slow-Roasted Salmon With Cucumber-Cumin Raita



We like a sammie as much as the next girl, but this recipe requires so little effort and gives so much in return. Deseran puts the fish in at a low temperature and takes it out while it's still super moist. And, voilá, you have yourself a decadent main course. Treat your guests while the fishing is good, as “local, wild salmon is more available this year than it has been in ages," says Deseran.

Ingredients:
1 filleted side of salmon, skin on, 2 to 3 pounds and about 1 ½ inches thick in the center, bones removed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 English cucumbers, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups plain whole milk yogurt
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
Sprinkle of cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 275°. Rub both sides of salmon with olive oil. Place salmon skin-side down in a roasting pan. Generously sprinkle salt and pepper over the flesh side. Roast uncovered 25 to 35 minutes. The salmon will look undercooked on top, but if it flakes when gently pulled apart with a fork, it’s done. Remove and serve at room temperature.

To make the raita: Place the cumin seeds in a large dry skillet over medium heat. Stir for 2 minutes until fragrant. Remove to a plate and cool. Place in a spice grinder or clean coffee grinder and grind well.

In a medium bowl, combine cucumbers and salt; mix well and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes, then drain any accumulated liquid. Add the ground cumin seeds, yogurt, lemon juice, and garlic, and mix to combine. Sprinkle with cayenne. Let sit for 10 minutes. Chill until ready to serve. Serves 4 to 6.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Picnics: Delicious Recipes for Outdoor Entertaining


Bon Appetite!