it’s feeling more like summer here lately, temperature wise at least. so we broke out our little blowup pool, and it’s simultaneously been entertainment (for us all), while also tuckering the kids out which means a bit of peace and quiet when nap time rolls around. joey, our youngest at just over 9 months is now sitting, crawling, pulling himself up on all the things. he loves the water -he could probably sit all day splashing and playing with amesy, it’s probably one of my favorite things to watch.
Read Morepicnic
A Spring Picnic & My Easy Peasy Go-To Menu /
frank and i started dating in doldrums of winter. we had plenty of dates in warm, cozy coffee shops in the east village, heated movie theaters, or long walks through central park bundled up in hats and scarves. as soon as spring hit we would drive north of manhattan to where i grew up, where we would take walks along the hudson river, breath fresh air (while also having sneezing fits from all the pollen), and lay in the grass with sunshine on our faces. getting out of the city and into a more natural world is something i crave this time of year. so when we had a free weekend and the weather was nice we made our way up to one of our favorite spots. the area where we usually park was closed so we took a new adventure through an overgrown path, down a hill, and into the most beautiful pasture that led us to a gravel road. it was lined with the most beautiful mossy stone walls, tall grasses, and wispy wild flowers - slice.of.heaven.
not that i'm a pro picnic-er or anything, but i've learned some tips and tricks along the way to packing a super fun and totally functional picnic meal:
first - i prefer parchment paper to plastic bags for sandwiches. yes, parchment could certainly be better for the environment, but it also doubles as a plate/placemat which is an awesome thing when you're out in the wild (er, at a park).
second - snack packing is a must! especially for me. no one (and i'm really just talking about myself here) should get hangry in a beautiful walk/hike situation. i reach for snack, or light energy bars in the car, as we're walking, or in some cases as dessert. i'm digging kashi's new plant-based GOLEAN bars, especially the salted dark chocolate with nuts! it's packed with plant-y protein, and there's no laundry list of ingredients you've never heard of or can't pronounce. they're a new favorite, for sure!
third - when deciding what salad to bring, lose the greens. salads that don't wilt are my go-to, usually a grain or bean salad, or a chopped israeli salad.
fourth - fresh fruit preferably packed in some sort of jar to avoid any unwanted mushiness, along with a small cutting board and some sort of pocket knife for cutting, although that's not totally necessary, and totally depends on what fruit you're packing.
fifth - i prefer using cloth napkins. not because i'm too good for paper, but they act as really efficient padding when i'm packing the picnic bag. they also don't blow away as easy as paper, and they're reusable (i wrapped my cutting board in one at the end of the picnic so i didn't get the inside of my bag all messy - 2 thumbs way up!).
and lastly - beverages. we happened to pick up an insanely delicious raspberry and tomato (!!!) smoothie that was awesome, but we also had plenty of water to keep up hydrated as well.
picnic menu
avocado asparagus sandwiches (*recipe below)
mixed nuts
fresh strawberries (or whatever fresh fruit is at its peak)
grain or bean salad
energy/snack bars (like these)
add ons
cloth napkins
water or beverage of choice
pocket knife
small cutting board
plates - disposable or enamel
fresh picked wild flowers, picked along the way (totally optional)
* this post was created in partnership with kashi. all opinions, as always, are my own. thank you for supporting dolly and oatmeals's sponsors!
sautéed asparagus and dijon avocado sandwich | gf (vegan option)
sandwiches like these are my favorite - fresh, simple, and wholesome. i love the sandwich as is, but i could see a splash of balsamic adding even more delicious flavor.
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise or veganaise
- 2 tablespoons good dijon mustard
- 1-2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- half a bunch of asparagus, ends trimmed
- fine sea salt & fresh pepper
- 1 ripe avocado, sliced thin
- handful of baby greens
- 4 slices toasted whole grain gluten free bread (or bread of choice)
method
- whisk together the mayo (or veganaise) and the dijon. set aside.
- heat a skillet over medium heat. once the pan is hot add enough oil to lightly cover the bottom. add the asparagus, a couple pinches of salt, and a few cracks of pepper. cook asparagus, shaking the pan every few minutes, until tender and lightly browned. remove from heat and let cool.
- top each slice of bread with the dijon mayo, then add some greens, avocado slices a few pinches of salt and pepper, and as many asparagus spears will fit (depending on what bread you use).
- wrap the sandwiches in parchment paper.
similar recipes:
balsamic roasted asparagus salad w/ fried capers + 7-minute eggs
spicy sweet potato chip sammie
autumn at stone barns
roasted fingerling potato salad w/ romesco + herby black quinoa /
some things that i'm into:
- my mom's saturday csa box from blue hill at stone barns
- FermUp
- this new-to-me store
- each and every one of these images
- Pure Green Magazine's #PGMinseason project is still underway, check out my homegirls claire and laura's inspiring and beautiful posts!
speaking of said csa box, my mom is not so into peppers. she has given me a total of probably 3 pounds of them in the past 2 weeks. shy of just giving them away to pepper-hungry neighborhood folk, i've made a lot of romesco sauce, and i've got this harissa, and this muhammara on a serious to-make list. i'm also wondering if bell peppers can be frozen for a later date...? i'm assuming so, but i would love if anyone had any helpful tips here :)
so, because of the monumental amounts of peppers in my possession, and because my husband went shopping at the farmers' market and bought double the amount of potatoes, we have this potato + romesco salad (of sorts) today! most times throughout the year i'm a sweet potato girl, but these couple of yummy spud-filled months have my heart (and tummy), and therefore potato salad. as i've mentioned in the past, this summer tater salad is delicious and has been on serious rotation; and as hard as it was not making it this time around, i knew romesco was necessary! i used basically what i had on hand, which included hazelnuts in place of blanched almonds, and an herby quinoa toss for texture and a bit of protein. definitely a respectable meal on its own, but also an awesome picnic-y side!
happy september, lovely people! xo
roasted fingerling potato salad w/ romesco + herby black quinoa (v + gf)
| serves 4 |
you can definitely substitute larger potatoes, just cut them into quarters or eighths and roast from there. you can also sub the hazelnuts for blanched almonds, or maybe pine nuts? and the black quinoa can totally be replaced with whatever grain you have on hand.
ingredients
- 1 pound fingerling potatoes, scrubbed and dried
- 1 clove garlic, smashed
- large grain sea salt
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 cup black quinoa, rinsed
- big pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (plus more for garnishing)
- 1/4 cup romesco sauce
romesco sauce
- 2 small-medium bell peppers, roasted, skins removed and seeded
- 1 large clove garlic
- 2 tablespoons toasted hazelnuts, skins removed (plus more chopped hazelnuts for garnishing)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- coarse sea salt
- pinch of cayenne pepper (or freshly ground pepper to taste)
instructions
romesco sauce
- in a food processor, combine roasted red peppers, garlic, hazelnuts, olive oil, vinegar, a couple pinches of salt, and a pinch of cayenne. blend ingredients stopping every few seconds to scrape down sides and checking for seasoning until creamy. place in an air tight container in the refrigerator until ready to use
roasted potatoes
- preheat oven to 375° and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper
- in a large mixing bowl, combine potatoes, olive oil, garlic, salt + pepper; spread evenly onto baking sheet. place in the center of your oven for 40-45 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes for even roasting. remove from oven and set aside
herby quinoa
- while potatoes are roasting, make the quinoa. combine quinoa with 1/2 cup water and a big pinch of salt; cook for about 15-17 minutes. once water has absorbed, remove from heat and set aside. in a serving bowl, mix the quinoa and the chopped parsley. add the potatoes and the romesco sauce; check for seasoning and garnish with more chopped parsley and chopped hazelnuts
serve + enjoy!