
PICNIC ESSENTIALS FOR SPRING
Spring Summer and picnics go hand in hand right? It’s a time to celebrate the outdoors and take beautiful food with you to do it too. Breakfast or let’s say brunch picnics are my absolute favourite because it’s such a special part of the day and just seems to set the weekend up really well. That said, leading into the festive period, it may well be one of those heavenly holiday weekdays that you can get out and enjoy the picnic vibe too!
A few essentials are packed in our picnic basket to make the experience seamless, delicious, healthy and fun…
BASICS:
- Towels and picnic blanket – of course!
- Wooden cutlery and paper napkins or paper towel (wet ones if you’re a parent!)
- Travel knife, spoon and fork – picnic ready.
- Bottle opener – there’s generally someone keen to pop a bottle even if it’s brunch but often a bottle opener is missing
FOOD AND DRINKS:
- Smoothie or juice jars
- Bottles of water
- Simple fruit box – watermelon, whole peaches, punnets of strawberries are perfect for the season. Avoid the fuss of cutting a fruit salad and stick to items that stay whole or larger to prevent mess
- Good loaf of bread, whole avocados, sea salt and delicious butter – if anything works it’s simplicity. We tend to pack our buckwheat seed bread with Pepe Saya Butter and a few avocados which we cut when we get there.
- You might love the Rye and Spelt Soda Bread or Sweet Potato Loaf
- For brunch picnics GREEN PEA PANCAKES are nothing short of AWESOME for the picnic basket. They’re easy to transport and can be made in advance to enjoy and change up the picnic experience. These work a treat with boiled eggs, smoky tomato sauce and some feta – YUM!!!!
- Seed snaps and a couple of dips / condiments
- Beetroot dip is always a winner with us
- Sunflower seed pesto great to spread over bread, eggs, fritters, dollop on salad or smoked salmon etc too!
A word on condiments…The great thing about making your own condiments is that you can control exactly what goes into them and tweak the flavours until they are perfect for your specific tastes — meaning you get the experience of a gourmet sauce, but much cheaper and most importantly more nutritious! This sauce couldn’t be easier to make: simmer for a few minutes then blitz. Easy! It is sensational with the green pea pancakes, in a bacon and egg roll, with barbecued chicken or beef … anything you like, really.
What are your favourite picnic pack goodies? Share with us in the comments below!
In the meantime – feast on these delicious Green Pea Pancakes and Smoky Tomato Sauce – a recipe from Seasons to Share.
GREEN PEA PANCAKES WITH SMOKY TOMATO SAUCE
Serves 4
Pancakes:
280 g (10 oz/2 cups) frozen peas, blanched
a red onion, roughly chopped
juice and finely grated zest of a lime
3 tablespoons coconut flour
1 tablespoon coconut oil, plus extra for frying
5 eggs, beaten
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
To serve:
100 g (3 oz) feta or goat cheese (optional)
a small handful of coriander (cilantro) leaves
a small handful of basil leaves
1 tablespoon finely chopped dill
lemon wedges
Homemade tomato sauce or fresh tomatoes
Warm the oven to 150°C (300°F). Place 250 g (9 oz/1¾ cups) of the peas and the rest of the pancake ingredients in a food processor and blitz to create a pea batter. Transfer to a bowl, then stir through the remaining peas. Warm a large frying pan on a medium–low heat and melt ½ a teaspoon of coconut oil at a time to cook the pancakes. I like to make small pancakes, which generally hold together best. To make these, drop 1 heaped tablespoon of the pea batter into the pan and press down lightly so the pancakes remain about 1–1.5 cm (½– inch) thick. Cook the pancakes for 3–4 minutes on each side, or until golden, being careful not to flip them too soon on the first side as they may fall apart. Once cooked, place on a platter, cover with foil and keep them warm in the oven while you cook the rest. Pack these up in a little container to carry to the beach and keep the sauce separate. Once you’re there, simply sprinkle with feta (if using), herbs and a squeeze of lemon, then serve with some homemade tomato sauce and eat.
SMOKY TOMATO SAUCE
YOU’LL NEED:
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 red onion, finely diced
400 g (14 oz) tomatoes, blanched, seeds removed, and diced, or 1 x 400 g (14 oz) tin of organic chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon maple syrup
In a small saucepan, melt the coconut oil over a low heat then add the onion and sauté for approximately 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, smoked paprika and a good pinch of salt and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the sauce is slightly reduced. Add the maple syrup and continue to cook for a further minute. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a food processor and blitz to create a smooth sauce. This can be served cold or warmed up a little. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Want to download and print this awesome recipe? Epic recipe card awaits you, click the link below!