A Clean-Eating, Eco-Friendly Picnic
The grass is green, the sun is shining, and eating outside in May is quite possibly my favorite thing to do. Whether it’s going to a local park, packing up for a road trip, or simply lounging in your backyard, it’s so easy to go zero waste. Who wants to be lugging all of that trash around afterward anyway?
Picnics are always my top lunch choice on nice days, not only because I can be outside, but because I can customize a healthy meal. And don’t worry, I’m not talking about a boring salad here. I’m talking about gluten and dairy-free turkey pesto sandwiches, and that’s just getting started!
What’s Goin’ in the Picnic Basket?
- Turkey + Pesto Sandwiches
- Almond Ricotta, Lemon + Fennel Dip
- Fresh veggies
- Lemon Balm, Nettle + Marshmallow Root Infusions
The Recipes
Turkey + Pesto Sandwiches
- Turkey breast–my favorite is organic roasted black pepper
- Heirloom tomatoes
- Pesto– my recipe OR Trader Joe’s Vegan Kale Pesto
- Sourdough– I chose a gluten-free loaf from Shär
Stack everything together and pop ‘em in your sandwich size stasher bags!
The Sandwich Pesto
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- About 10 large basil leaves
- 2 handfuls of spinach or kale
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- 1⁄2 lemon juiced
- 2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender. Pulse a couple times, push sides down, blend on medium-high for a couple more seconds until the consistency is gritty and not quite pureed. Spread on the sammies!
Almond Ricotta, Lemon + Fennel Dip
- 1/2 container kite hill almond ricotta
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. fennel seeds
- a dash of freshly cracked black pepper
Add all ingredients to a snack size stasher bag, zip, and mash bag with hands until a consistent texture is formed. Hooray for no cleanup! Enjoy this Mediterranean inspired dip with fresh veggies, tortilla chips, or your favorite crackers.
Pro tip for your kite hill products — place the entire container in a stasher bag while in the fridge for prolonged freshness! This step staves off mold well past the average shelf-life.
Veggies
- carrots
- cucumbers
- anything else your heart desires!
Rinse and dice veggies. Toss them in your reusable bag and you’re ready to go!
Lemon Balm, Nettle + Marshmallow Root Infusions
This will be my go-to drink this summer for so many reasons! You can let this infusion steep overnight in cold water, no boiling necessary–which is always nice on those hot days. This blend is essential for gut-health, reducing inflammation, calming the skin, cleansing the kidneys, and can help balance blood sugar!
- 1 oz lemon balm
- 1 oz nettle
- 1 oz marshmallow root
Add all of the herbs to a large mason jar. Fill the jar the rest of the way up with filtered water. Place a cloth and rubber band on top and let steep overnight. Strain in the morning and enjoy it chilled on your picnic!
These recipes were developed Mara Davanzati, the goddess of energy food and holistic wellness over at nourishsankalpa.com. Connect Mara on Instagram at @nourish.sankalpa!
