YOUR PERFECT OUTDOOR SUMMER PICNIC
Indulge in nature's bounty: Nourishing and delicious recipes for healthy outoor eating.
Caprese sandwich
- Rye bread
- 1 fresh mozzarella ball, sliced
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
- Pickled onions, optional
- Basil leaves
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
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Assemble the sandwiches on the rye bread with the basil, mozzarella, and tomato slices. Add a few pickled onions, if desired.
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Top with a drizzle of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
Avocado summer rolls
Basil coconut sauce
- ½ cup coconut milk
- 1 Tbsp cashew butter
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
- 1 jalapeño, optional
- ½ clove garlic
- ½ tsp fresh ginger
- ¼ tsp sea salt
For the summer rolls:
- 6 x 28cm spring roll rice wrappers
- 113g extra-firm tofu, sliced into strips
- 1 ripe avocado, sliced
- 2 ripe peaches
- Fresh basil, Thai basil, and/or mint
- Scatterings of nuts, according to preference
- Tamari (wheat-free soy sauce) and sriracha, optional for serving
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Make the coconut sauce: In a food processor, combine the coconut milk, cashew butter, lime juice, chillis, garlic, ginger, and salt. Pulse until well combined. Season to taste.
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Assemble the summer rolls: Fill a shallow glass baking dish with warm water. Submerge one rice paper in the warm water for 7 seconds and then lay the softened wrapper on a clean, damp kitchen towel.
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Place desired fillings into the centre of the wrapper. Fold the bottom of the wrapper over the filling and gently tuck the filling under the wrapper. Fold the sides over the filling. Then continue rolling and tucking the rice paper to form a summer roll.
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Repeat with the remaining rice papers.
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Serve with the coconut sauce for dipping.
Orzo salad
- 1½ cups dry orzo pasta
- Greek salad dressing
- 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp oregano
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 2 Persian cucumbers, halved vertically, and sliced 0.5cm thick
- 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas, drained, and rinsed
- 133g feta cheese
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced red onion
- ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives
- Freshly ground black pepper
Boil a generous pot of salted water. Cook the pasta until just past al dente per package instructions. Drain the orzo, toss with a touch of olive oil to prevent sticking, and spread it on a baking sheet to cool.
For the Greek salad dressing, combine red wine vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, and sea salt. In a large bowl, mix the orzo, cucumbers, tomatoes, chickpeas, feta, red onion, and olives.
Pour the dressing over the salad, add half the herbs, season with freshly ground black pepper, and toss. Finish by garnishing with the remaining herbs before serving.
Ultimate crudité platter
Marinated feta
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 200g feta, cubed
- 2 garlic cloves
- 8 peppercorns
- 1¼ cups extra-virgin olive oil
Herby white bean dip:
- 1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp torn fresh basil leaves
- 2 tsp fresh rosemary leaves
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup water
For serving:
- 1½ cups blanched snap peas
- Carrots
- 2 heirloom tomatoes
- 1 baguette, thinly sliced
- Prepare the marinated feta by layering thyme, feta, garlic and peppercorns in a jar. Ensure the ingredients are submerged by topping them with enough olive oil. Chill until ready to use, and if the olive oil thickens in the fridge, let it return to a liquid state at room temperature.
- For the herby white bean dip, pulse cannellini beans, olive oil, basil, thyme, rosemary, lemon juice and zest, salt, and pepper in a food processor until well combined. With the processor running, gradually add water and process until the mixture is smooth. Transfer the dip to a serving bowl.
- Arrange the cucumbers, snap peas, carrots, tomatoes, baguette, marinated feta, and herby white bean dip on a platter.
