Perfect Picnic Recipes

Summer is the perfect time to have a picnic.  In fact we plan to have picnics almost every day.  Being outside…no sweeping up crumbs, it’s perfect.  Here in Madison we are lucky to have so many amazing parks to enjoy picnics at that it’s almost a crime not to have as many as you can.  Here are three of my favorite recipes to pack in a picnic:

Sandwich Sushi

Ingredients:
1- 2 Slices Whole Grain Bread
1 tbsp. Cream Cheese
2 tbsp. Cucumber, cut into thin strips.
½ tsp. chopped Dill (fresh if available)

Cut each slice of bread horizontally into four equal strips.  Spread a thin layer of cream cheese on each strip.  Put a few strips of cucumber on top of the cream cheese at one end of the bread strip.  Roll the strips up with the cucumbers in the center.  Sprinkle with a little dill.  These a fun recipe to pack in lunches or even have as a snack.  Some great alternatives include spreading the bread with nut butter and carrot strips or banana.  Makes the perfect addition to any lunchbox or picnic.

Bugs on a Log 

Ingredients:
Celery (3 stalks)
¼ cup Nut/Seed Butter or Cream Cheese
Raspberries (quartered) or dried Cranberries/ Cherries for ladybugs
Blackberries, Blueberries or Raisins for ants

Clean and cut celery into 2-3 inch pieces (a grown up should do the cutting).  Fill the celery “logs” with a little nut/seed t butter or cream cheese and top with fruit to make bugs.  This makes a wonderful snack, perfect to pack on a picnic.

Lemonade Smoothie

Ingredients:
2 ripe Banana, peeled
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp lemon zest
2 Tbsp Honey
¼ Chopped Celery
½ Lemon Yogurt (or plain)

A perfect summertime smoothie!  Peel and slice the banana ahead of time and pop in the freezer for at least 20 minutes, so your smoothies will be nice and cold.  Add all of the ingredients to a blender.  Whizz it up until a creamy texture is reached. Pour into cups and serve with a straw (it’s more fun that way). This recipes makes about 10 small smoothies. To pack for a picnic store in a reusable pouch, bottle or cup.  I put them in the freezer for an hour or so before we leave so they will still be cold when it comes time to drink, even on a hot summer day!