THE DISH

perk up your (DEPT HEAD)

The Dish (HEAD)

Perk Up Your Picnic

By Sidney Fry, MS, RD (DEK)

Grab your gingham napkins, ditch the dining room and fetch your friends — we have a healthy lineup of make-ahead picnic recipes that are not only hasslefree but pretty enough for pictures too! These pressed sandwiches, pesto potatoes and creamy chickpea salad recipes are simple and fast and certain to delight a small crowd of hungry outdoor diners. Plus, everything tastes better when served with sides of sunshine and fresh air.

So, make a plan to get outside with this make-ahead, moveable feast that you can take anywhere, anytime.

PICNIC

Grab your gingham napkins, ditch the dining room and fetch your friends—we have a healthy lineup of make-ahead picnic recipes that are not only hassle-free but pretty enough for pictures too! These pressed sandwiches, pesto potatoes and creamy chickpea salad recipes are simple and fast and certain to delight a small crowd of hungry outdoor diners. Plus, everything tastes better when served with sides of sunshine and fresh air. So, make a plan to get outside with this make-ahead, moveable feast that you can take anywhere, anytime.

BY SIDNEY FRY, MS, RD

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BIG DREAMZ CREATIVE

SIDNEY SAYS:

This salad is also versatile. Need a dip? Serve with a side of pita chips. Prefer a hearty toast? Smear over crusty whole grain bread. Looking for a colorful crunch? Tuck it into butter lettuce leaves or pile over a bed of baby spring mix.

Chickpea & Walnut Salad

INGREDIENTS: 2 garlic cloves, grated or minced 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest 1 tablespoon tahini 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 2 (15.5 oz) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained 1/4 cup 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt 1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped 1/4 cup fresh dill 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved 1/2 cup feta cheese 1/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Combine garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, tahini, oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl, stirring well with a fork or whisk. Add one can of chickpeas; mash with the back of a spoon. Add remaining can of whole chickpeas, yogurt, dill and parsley, tossing well to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Before serving, sprinkle with tomatoes, cheese and walnuts; toss gently. Chickpeas dress up well when tossed with a little feta cheese, sweet grape tomatoes, fragrant herbs and crisp-toasted walnuts. This salad is creamy, crunchy, hearty and bright, much like chicken salad but healthier and more affordable. Plus, it comes together in a snap. The yogurt and tahini-based dressing makes a creamy, nutty base that’s lighter than a classic mayo-based spread. Bonus: Chickpeas lend a fiber and protein-packed punch to the whole dish.

I like to hollow out the baguette. It not only shaves off a few carbs and calories but also creates a nice cavity for all the sandwich’s ingredients to mingle and marinate.

Not your average picnic sandwich, this Pan Bagnat is as delightful and interesting as it sounds, a zesty upgrade from your classic Ziploc-packed picnic sandwiches. It’s the perfect pack-and-go parcel for so many reasons: Not only is it stunningly colorful and wildly tasty, but it’s also best made a day ahead so that its bold, bright flavors have time to meld together; they grow bigger and better the longer they sit.

The Pan Bagnat is like a portable salad niçoise stacked between crusty multigrain baguette. It’s heavy with heart-healthy tuna, crisp cucumbers, proteinpacked eggs, peppery arugula, vitamin E-rich olives, crunchy bell peppers and pickled radishes, all bathed in a tangy balsamic vinaigrette. Not a tuna fan? Simply sub in shredded chicken.

The best part? There’s nothing to cook! Prep is so simple and easy. You can load up a set of twin baguettes in about 20 minutes; simply let them sit overnight. Tote to the park, on a boat, to the beach, in a bike, on a hike, up a mountain or to a tailgate.

Overnight- Pressed Pan Bagnat

INGREDIENTS: 4 large radishes, very thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup) 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup water 1 teaspoon sugar Dash of salt 2 small garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated 2 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion 1 cup mixed olives (such as nicoise, kalamata, or green), coarsely chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup thinly sliced basil 2 (5-ounce) cans oil-packed tuna, drained 2 (12-inch) multigrain baguettes, lightly toasted 1/2 cup thinly sliced English cucumber 1/2 cup thinly sliced roasted red pepper 2 hard boiled eggs, thinly sliced (optional) 2 cups arugula

Combine radishes, ¼ cup vinegar, sugar and dash of salt in a small bowl. Add boiling water; let sit 15-20 minutes.

Mix garlic, capers, vinegar and mustard in a medium bowl. Add onion and olives; toss to combine and let sit 8 to 10 minutes. Add basil, 2 tablespoons oil and lemon juice, toss to combine.

Place tuna in a medium bowl. Add ¼ of olive mixture to tuna; toss to combine. Cut bread lengthwise, stopping just before cutting all the way through. Lightly hollow out insides of bread leaving a ½-inchthick shell. Spread olive mixture over top half of baguette. Spoon tuna mixture over bottom half of baguette. Layer cucumber, red pepper, eggs and radishes over tuna mixture. Wrap sandwiches tightly in foil and weigh down with a heavy skillet, 10 minutes.

Remove skillet and refrigerate wrapped sandwiches overnight.

Before serving, unwrap sandwiches and add arugula. Slice each sandwich into 4 equal portions.

picnic prep

A few essentials to make your picnic setting ready for fun.

A big picnic blanket or two. Ideally ones you won’t fret about if something spills.

Reusable melamine plates, unbreakable cups, real silverware plus a few cloth napkins to make things special. Colorful paper napkins can also serve as impromptu plates for nibbles and desserts.

A small knife wrapped in a thick kitchen towel, and a small cutting board. Trash bags. If you're not sure there will be a trash can onsite, practice good picnic manners and pack an extra trash or grocery bag to clean up after yourselves before you leave.

Sunscreen and bug spray. Nothing ruins a fun picnic as thoroughly as a nasty sunburn or pesky mosquitoes. Update the dressing on your potato salad with a pesto made from spring’s most popular pea. Not only does this mighty vegetable bring vibrant seasonal color to your picnic spread, it also adds another layer of protein, fiber and antioxidants to your potato. A cup of peas has 8 grams of protein and 7 grams of filling fiber, and they lend a rich, creamy depth and texture to the pesto, making it the perfect alternative to a traditional mayo-based dressing.

The pesto sauce is so easy, too, and works with both fresh and frozen peas. Everything comes together in a food processor and can be made well in advance of your outing. Just toss with the boiled potatoes the morning of your picnic, then pack up and go!

SIDNEY SAYS:

Look for baby potatoes for the Pea Pesto Potato Salad. The peel is more delicate and delicious and is where most of the nutrients and fiber are found. And adding a splash of vinegar to the water helps the potatoes hold their shape while boiling.

Pea Pesto Potato Salad

INGREDIENTS: 1 1/4 cups fresh or frozen peas (thawed if using frozen), divided 1/2 cup fresh basil 1 clove garlic, smashed 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted and divided 1 ounce grated parmesan cheese

To prepare pesto, combine 1 cup peas, basil, salt, 2 tablespoons pine nuts, cheese, lemon juice, mustard, 2 tablespoons water and olive oil in a food processor; process until smooth. If pesto is too thick, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency has been reached.

Place potatoes in a saucepan; cover with cold water to 2 inches above potatoes. Add 1 tablespoon vinegar. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain; let stand 10 minutes. Spoon pesto over potatoes; toss gently to coat. Refrigerate until ready to pack or use. When ready to serve, sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons pine nuts, remaining ¼ cup peas and additional basil.

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons water 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 pounds mixed baby potato medley 1 tablespoon vinegar (optional)

SERVES 8