Remember that picnic essentials board I put together a few weeks back? Well here’s the real life incarnation of it! There are a few minor changes, but it’s close and just as tasty as I imagined it would be! After the jump I’ve got details on all that we ate, including a recipe for a lentil salad that is TO DIE FOR. Happy Spring picnic-ing everyone!
This post is sponsored by San Pellegrino. Practice the Art of Fine Food, every time you can.
Here are the components of this picnic: a baguette with roasted garlic hummus, a lentil salad, sweet potato gnocchi with pesto, an arugula salad with preserved lemons, dried fruits, nuts and San Pellegrino sparkling water. Simple, delicious, wholesome food that tastes even better when eaten outdoors! We packed it all in these amazing bento boxes and loaded it all into this darling picnic basket. I opted to bring these enamel plates instead of the compostable plates for an even more planet friendly picnic!
This lentil salad ended up stealing the show! With cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, mint and parsley it’s fresh and light and perfect for Spring. It’s also the kind of salad that just gets better every minute that it sits, so it’s fantastic to make in advance and bring along to a picnic or party. The recipe is down at the very bottom, and I promise you’re going to love it!
No picnic is complete, in my book, without some sweet treats. Some may enjoy them after the meal, some (ME) may enjoy them before! To keep it extra healthy and light we brought grapes, dried fruit and some nuts to enjoy for dessert. Presentation makes everything 1000% times more delicious so we packed in this hexagon serving board along with that beautiful brass handled board given to us by our dear friend Aileen (she is the genius behind all of A House in the Hills design)!
I hope this inspires you to pack it up and get outside with your lunch while the sun is shining! I swear fresh air and a little bit of sunshine on your shoulders makes everything taste better! xx- Sarah
Ingredients
- 3/4 cups brown lentils
- 1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup peeled and chopped cucumber
- 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint
- 1/4 cup minced red onion
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- juice of 1 large lemon
- 1 clove of garlic, crushed
- 3 tablespoons high quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/8 cup white wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, fresh cracked pepper, Maldon salt
Instructions
- Rinse lentils and discard any debris. Add lentils to a heavy bottomed pot with water, covering up to 2 inches above lentils. Bring water to a boil.
- Cook at a boil for 2 minutes and then reduce heat to a very low simmer, for approximately 20 minutes or until lentils are tender.
- Drain lentils and set aside to cool.
- In a large serving bowl combine tomatoes, cucumber, onion, mint, parsley and cooled lentils.
- In a small mixing bowl combine dijon mustard, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, white wine vinegar and a hearty pinch of salt. Mix well.
- Dress lentil salad to your preference, add a 1/4 teaspoon of salt and fresh cracked pepper to the salad and mix well.
- Refrigerate salad until serving. I recommend at least a couple of hours of cooling time to allow the flavors to develop. Add extra dressing right before serving if you'd like and finish with Maldon salt.
what a gorgeous ad yummy looking picnic!
ladies in navy
Thank you Kelsey! <3
I love doing picnic dates with my husband. We haven’t done one in a while but now that the weather is warmer we’ll have to plan one!
YES!!! picnic dates are the best!
Lovely! It’s not picnic weather quite yet in Toronto, Canada, but I can’t wait for it to be. Lentil and bean dishes are the best when it comes to picnic packing. I usually make a black bean, mango salad, but I’m going to have to try this spring lentil salad when we finally get out.
mmmm, mango black bean salad sounds good too! But yes, give the lentil a shot, it’s pretty tasty!
My husband and I love doing picnic dates on our farm. Food always somehow tastes better when you are sitting on a blanket outside! Love this post and all of that delicious food!
Oh, picnic dates on a farm sound even better! You’re living my secret dream life!
i was just wondering what to make for a birthday picnic i’m attending this week and this sounds perfect!
i am also intrigued by the sweet potato gnocchi- did you make them or buy pre-made?
Yay! As for the sweet potato gnocchi I bought them pre-made. They were only so-so. Which means I will have to work on a recipe myself! Stay tuned….
oh yes! the sweet potato gnocchi look & sound good, i’d love to see your recipe once you perfect one.
Great collection of recipes and very inspiring pictures! My birthday is in June, which is in my opinion the most picnic friendly month, so for a couple of years in a row I have celebrated that special day by inviting my friends for a picnic. There are usually some more activities like badminton and board games. Now I feel the urge to start planning this year’s picnic party.
Thanks Karina! Oh that is such a fun birthday tradition, I bet your friends look forward to it every year! Have so much fun!!! xx
Oh YAY you guys used the board!!
What a perfect opportunity to whip it out! This picnic spread makes me so excited for summer!!!
where is that blanket from?! so cute
Hi Melissa- you can find the blanket here: http://shoppe.amberinteriordesign.com/collections/moroccan-collection/products/king-blanket-orange
Looks like the perfect spot to enjoy some fresh air. And I am LOVING that blanket. Where is it from??