Hey, picnic lovers! I’m sure, like me, you’re looking forward to warmer weather – picnics, swimming, and outdoor fun are all around the corner. One thing I’m really excited about is trying some out some new picnic recipes. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been making a lot of the same picnic recipes for years, and I think it’s about time to change it up. I’m also going to be trying some new BBQ recipes, which will give my husband a chance to use those new barbeque tools I got him.
My collection of picnic recipes has grown over the years to include lots of kid friendly options, vegetarian dishes, and items for every occasion. We love to BBQ, so most of my picnic recipes are for side dishes. One of my favorite side dishes is a 3-bean salad with quinoa. I tried it out for dinner last week, and it was a hit, so I can’t wait to debut it for picnic season. Here’s the recipe:
3-Bean Salad with Quinoa
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces, cooked and rinsed in cold water
- 1 1/2 cups frozen 365 Everyday Value Shelled Edamame, thawed
- 1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
- 1 (15-ounce) can 365 Everyday Value Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/4 cup 365 Everyday Value Organic Italian Dressing
- 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
Method
Rinse quinoa under cold running water and drain. Bring 1 3/4 cups water to a boil in a small pot. Stir quinoa and a pinch of salt into water. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until tender and liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover and let cool. Put cooled quinoa, green beans, edamame, peppers, kidney beans, dressing, tarragon, salt and pepper into a large bowl and toss well. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
We’ll also be doing a lot of BBQ, so I’m going to mix things up a little this year – I’ve got some fun BBQ sauces that I’m looking forward to incorporating into picnic recipes, like Peach Barbeque Sauce. Here’s the recipe:
Peach Barbeque Sauce
Ingredients
- 32 ounces canned peaches
- 1 1/2 cup vinegar
- 1 cup cooking oil
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Method
Puree peaches in a blender. Dissolve cornstarch in a little water. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Allow to cool.
I know my husband is looking forward to using his barbeque tools. Along with his Barbeque Apron with Chef’s Hat, I got him an 18-Piece BBQ Set, with all the barbeque tools he’ll ever need.
Are you trying out some new picnic recipes this year, or new BBQ recipes?