6 | Summer Lovin' Picnic

1 |   Main Dish

"That Quinoa Salad"

My sister is a picky eater. When a friend brought this salad to share at a barbecue, my sister wasn’t about to taste it. I convinced her. Now, she loves it and often asks me to make “That quinoa salad.” If you’ve never had quinoa, this is a great recipe to try. The dressing is aromatic, which makes the quinoa even more delicious.

3 |   Side

"Fritter Away Time"

Leeks are a cousin to the onion without the overpowering flavor. This recipe utilizes this underrated vegetable and elevates the common potato and carrot. In this meal plan, the fritters are a side dish, but they are substantial enough to be eaten on their own. If you don’t devour them during your picnic dinner, save them for breakfast as a replacement for hash browns.

2 |   Salad

Summer Shenanigan Salad

Light and refreshing salads are indicative of picnics. This is sort of a instant pickled salad. Vinegar both livens and preserves the vegetables. Cucumbers, tomatoes, basil, and onions are a classic combination, and that’s why it works. Add the secret ingredient, capers, and you’ve got yourself a summer delicacy. It’s a simple salad, but it’s so tasty you’ll be hooked.

4 |   Dessert

Orange and Cranberry Saucy Muffins

I still have cans of jellied cranberry sauce left over from the holidays. They’re taking up space. This is a perfect way to tidy up your pantry and make something vacation worthy. No need to pull out the jam for these muffins; they already have it baked inside. These also work for a quick breakfast or can be frozen for later consumption.

1 1/2 cups quinoa (about 4 cups cooked)

2 bay leaves

3 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon salt

2 ears of corn, kernels cut from cob (or one cup of frozen sweet corn)

juice of one lime

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 medium garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 scallions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves

2 ripe medium tomatoes, chopped

1 ripe avocado, pitted and thinly sliced

1 package of spring lettuce mix

1 lime, cut in wedges

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? This salad is already both dairy and gluten-free!

Make ahead option– The quinoa and corn combination can be cooked and stored for up to 5 days in a sealed container in the fridge. OR Follow the Simple Steps 1-4 and store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week. This is even more delicious when the dressing has time to soak into the quinoa.

The Simple Steps...

1. Cook the quinoa.

• My Method: Place quinoa in a strainer, rinse well under cold water, and drain. Put the quinoa into a medium saucepan with 2 3/4 cups water, the garlic cloves cut in half, the bay leaves, and salt. Bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat and cover the pan. Allow it to simmer for about 15-16 minutes.
• It's done when all the water is absorbed into the quinoa.

2. Turn off the heat, place the corn kernels on top of quinoa, cover the pan, and let it stand for 5 minutes. Stir the corn into the quinoa with a fork. Remove the bay leaves and garlic then spread the quinoa out onto a large baking tray to help it cool while you prepare the rest of the salad. Click here to watch my quick tip video on cutting corn off the cob.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, cumin, chili powder, garlic, oil, and salt. Set this dressing aside.

4. Place cooled quinoa and corn, scallions, and cilantro into a large bowl. Add the dressing and mix until everything is combined. Taste the mixture again to see if you need more salt. If you enjoy a little more salt, add it a 1/4 teaspoon at a time. 

5. Place the lettuce leaves on a large serving platter. Mound the quinoa salad into the center.

6. Place tomato and avocado around and on top of the quinoa and lettuce. Squeeze the lime over top of the quinoa. Here’s a quick tip video on cutting avocados. The salad is ready to enjoy!

1 red onion

1 english cucumber

1 package cherry or grape tomatoes

2 tablespoons capers, rinsed

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar or white vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup Kalamata olives (optional)

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? Tonight it’s easy; this salad is ready to go! It’s already gluten and dairy-free.

Make ahead option– Add all the ingredients together except the tomato and basil. This mixture will keep for a week in a sealed container in the refrigerator. When you are ready to serve this side just add the tomatoes and chopped basil.

The Simple Steps...

1. Rinse veggies to clean them. Finely slice the onion and place in a medium bowl.

2. Cut the cucumber down the middle lengthwise twice so that it is in four long quartered sections. Then cut the sections into small pieces and place in the same bowl.

3. Slice the tomatoes in half and add them to the bowl.

4. Toss the capers in with the other vegetables. This secret ingredient adds saltiness and a pop of flavor that really brings everything together.

5. Pour the oil and vinegar over the vegetables and toss to coat them.

6. Top with the chopped basil.

    •    My Method: Stack the basil leaves flat on top of each other. Then, roll them tightly into a bundle. Slice finely with a knife to make fine strips.

    •    Watch this video to see how.

7. Add the salt and pepper and mix throughly. Toss in the optional olives now too.

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 medium potatoes

1 leek

1 carrot

Dill Yogurt Dipping Sauce:
1 cup greek yogurt

1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free?  This recipe is already gluten-free. To make it dairy-free, substitute 3 tablespoons chickpea flour mixed with 3 tablespoons water for the egg and leave out the milk. For the dipping sauce, just use your favorite dairy-free sour cream, like Tofutti Sour Supreme, instead of the yogurt.

Make ahead option– Shredded potatoes can last for up to four days in the refrigerator. Simply place them in a bowl, cover them with cold water, put a lid on it, and refrigerate. When you are ready to cook the fritters, just rinse the potatoes and dry them throughly.

The Simple Steps...

1. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg, milk, salt, and pepper together.

2. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/4” of vegetable oil to the pan.

3. Clean, peel, and shred the carrots and potatoes. Rinse the shredded potatoes under cold water until the water runs clear, drain them, and dry them as well as possible. Rinsing the potatoes washes away extra starch and helps them to crisp better when frying.

4. Mix the carrots and potatoes into the egg mixture.

5. Spoon about two tablespoons of the batter into the large skillet. Fry each fritter for 4 minutes then flip them and fry for another 3 minutes.

6. Have a large plate lined with paper towels ready to lay the fritters on to absorb extra oil. Wrap the them in aluminum foil to keep warm for the picnic.

7. This makes 12 fritters. You may want to double this recipe when you taste how scrumptious they are.

Dill Yogurt Dipping Sauce:
1. In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients together.

2. Make this sauce before you start with the fritters to allow the flavors to permeate the yogurt.

3 medium oranges

1 egg

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 can jellied cranberry sauce

1 cup powdered sugar

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free?  For a great dairy-free option, use 1/4 cup applesauce instead of the egg and take 2 tablespoons of orange juice out of the 3/4 cup measurement. To make this gluten-free, use your favorite gluten-free flour instead of the flour or combine 1 1/2 cups rice flour, 1/3 cup potato starch, and 1 teaspoon xathum gum to make your own flour. Also, increase the amount of baking powder to 2 teaspoons and make sure your baking powder is gluten-free like Clabber Girl Baking Powder.

Make ahead option–  These freeze wonderfully and can be stored in a sealed container in the freezer for a month. When you’re craving a sweet, tart treat, just put them on the counter to let them thaw at room temperature.

The Simple Steps...

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F and lightly grease muffin tins. This makes about 18 muffins.

2. Zest two oranges and reserve the zest in a small bowl.

3. Juice all three oranges. Measure 3/4 cup of the juice and reserve the rest for the glaze.

4. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the 3/4 cup orange juice, 1 teaspoon orange zest, the egg, and the oil.

5. Using a fine strainer, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into the medium mixing bowl with the juice mixture. Stir it all together just until moistened. Resist the urge to continue mixing. The muffins will be tough if they are over mixed.

6. Cut the jellied cranberry sauce into 1/2 cubes and measure 1 cup. Gently fold the jellied chunks into the batter.

7. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins only 2/3 full.

8. Bake for 18 minutes or until golden brown and the center springs back up when pressed lightly.

Orange Glaze:
1. In a small bowl, stir together the 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon orange juice, and 1 teaspoon orange zest.

2. Lightly pour a tablespoon of the glaze over each freshly baked muffin. Enjoy!