Summer Picnic Recipes: 4 Colorful Dishes

Why not serve these colorful, healthy summer picnic recipes this year, instead of grabbing the usual hotdogs, chips, coleslaw, and sodas? Eat the rainbow with these delicious, nutritious, beautiful dishes, your neighbors, friends, and family will love!

The season for picnics and BBQs is here. And we recently taste-tested these recipes at my friend Nita’s house. WOW were they fantastic! So cooling and refreshing in the hot weather.

With a rainbow full of fresh ingredients like salmon, asparagus, avocado, watermelon, wild rice, artichoke hearts, blueberries, raspberries, mangos, kiwis, cilantro, basil, ginger, mint, lemon, and Kalamata olive oil—you’ll be getting a day’s worth of phytonutrients, antioxidants, and Omega 3’s in one sitting. Serious happy food! You won’t be giving up any flavors…And don’t be surprised by all the compliments you’ll receive on these four colorful recipes to help you eat the rainbow!

Ginger Grilled Salmon with Asparagus

Print Recipe

Freshly grated ginger plus TJ’s 21 Seasoning Salute really make this fish outstanding...try with other sustainably caught fish like Mahi or Halibut too, they're all good!

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Gluten-Free

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 1 whole wild caught salmon filleted into 2 halves
• 1" fresh ginger
• 1 TBSP TJ's Kalamata Olive Oil
• 1 TBSP TJ’s 21 Seasoning Salute
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 lbs asparagus

Instructions

Ginger Grilled Salmon

• Lay each fillet skin side down on a piece of foil and fold up the sides to make a foil “boat” around the fish, leaving tops open.
• Drizzle with TJ's Kalamata Olive Oil and rub into fish.
• Sprinkle fillets with black pepper and TJ’s 21 Seasoning Salute.
• Grate fresh ginger uniformly over the top of both fillets.
• Place foil “boats” on grill and grill on medium-high heat until fish is done to your desire, about 15-20-minutes.

Grilled Asperagus

• Wash and prep asparagus spears and toss in TJ's Kalamata Olive Oil.
• Place on grill with fish. Tend and turn until done, about 10 minutes.

Avocado Watermelon Salad

Print Recipe

Rich and creamy avocados pair so nicely with the watermelon, cilantro, and lime, you’ll be coming back for seconds on this one! TJ's Kalamata Olive Oil is a personal favorite, with such a zesty bite to it you'll practically be drinking it down.

Course Salad

Cuisine Gluten-Free

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 4 large ripe avocados cut in 1” cubes
• 8 cups watermelon cut in 1” cubes
• ½ cup cilantro leaves chopped
• 2 TBSP TJ's Kalamata Olive Oil
• 2 limes juiced

Instructions

• Toss the avocado and watermelon cubes with TJ's Kalamata Olive Oil and lime juice.
• Add cilantro leaves, and toss again.
• Chill until served.

Wild Rice Artichoke Salad

Print Recipe

Artichoke hearts and lemon zest brighten up this chewy-crunchy autumn-ingredient salad for summer.

Course Salad

Cuisine Gluten-Free

Servings 6

Ingredients

Salad

• 2 cups wild rice cooked
• 2 cans quartered artichoke hearts
• 1 carrot grated
• 2 celery stalks sliced
• 2-3 green onions thinly sliced
• 3 TBSP dried cranberries
• ¼ cup chopped almonds

Dressing

• 2 TBSP Avocado Oil
• 1 large lemon juiced
• ½ tsp alder smoked sea salt
• zest of 1 lemon

Instructions

• Mix together wild rice, artichoke hearts, grated carrot, celery, green onions, cranberries, and almonds.
• Mix up the dressing and toss over salad.

Kaleidoscope Fruit Salad

Print Recipe

This recipe is one of my all-time summer favorites. Sweet berries and mango tangle with sweet-tart kiwis, spicy basil, and mint leaves, making for a tasty kaleidoscope of colors!

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 2 cups organic blueberries
• 2 cups organic raspberries
• 2 cups mango cubed (or try nectarines, peaches, or tangerines depending on the season)
• 4 kiwis sliced
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves julienned
• ¼ cup fresh mint leaves julienned
• 2 limes juiced
• zest of 1 lime

Instructions

• Wash and gently toss fruit with lime juice, lime zest, basil, and mint.

Have a fun summer enjoying these summer picnic recipes. Thanks for the great inspiration Nita!

Please leave a comment to let us know which one was your favorite, or one of your favorite, healthy holiday picnic recipes.