Grilled Romaine Hearts


1 romaine heart per person 1 Tbsp olive oil Sea salt to taste Fresh ground black pepper Parmesan cheese or another hard, aged cheese


Prepare the grill for direct heat.


Fruta Picada Yields: 8 to 10 servings


A combination of fresh fruit, lime juice and chili seasoning, fruta picada is served at markets and roadsides throughout Mexico. Te combination of spice and salt partnered with sweet fruit is guaranteed to take the edge off of a blistering summer’s day.


Spice Blend 3 Tbsp chipotle powder 3 Tbsp smoky paprika 1 Tbsp plus 2 tsp sea salt 1 Tbsp cumin seeds 1½ tsp celery seeds


Fruit 1 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into spears


½ watermelon, peeled, cut into spears and seeded


1 large jicama, peeled and cut into spears 1 large papaya, peeled, seeded and cut into spears


Juice from 2 limes


Grind all of the spice blend ingredients together in a spice grinder or food processor or with a mortar and pestle until finely powdered. Transfer to a lidded container with a shaker screen.


Place all of the fruit spears onto a serving platter. Squeeze the fresh lime juice evenly across. Let guests serve themselves as much fruit as they’d like, and then sprinkle with the spice blend.


From A Year of Picnics: Recipes for Dining Well In the Great Outdoors, by Ashley English. Photo by Jen Altman. Reprinted in arrangement with Roost Books, an imprint of Shambhala Publications, Inc.


22 Central Florida www.NACFL.com


Rinse/dry the romaine hearts, drizzle with olive oil, sea salt and pepper.


Grill the romaine hearts on direct heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until char marks form and the lettuce begins to wilt.


Remove the hearts from the grill, grate a generous amount of the cheese on the hearts and add a little more olive oil.


For a crowd, chop the hearts up and put them in a bowl to serve as a large salad on the side of the main course.


Recipe and photo courtesy of Robyn Lindars, GrillGirl.com.


Kalamata Olive Hummus-Cucumber Picnic Sandwiches


Pita pocket bread, sourdough or other bread of choice


1 can organic chickpeas/garbanzos with original water drained off just a bit


½ cup organic sesame seeds or 2 Tbsp of tahini (½ cup organic, raw, unsalted sunflower seeds can be used in a pinch)


1 tsp cold-pressed virgin olive oil (optional) 1 minced garlic clove ½ cup kalamata olives (whole or halved, drained)


Conventional or English cucumber, thinly sliced


Organic lemon thinly slivered with skin intact


In a blender or Vitamix, add chickpeas with original water, sesame seeds/ tahini and a slice of lemon to make the hummus. Blend until smooth, but don’t over-blend until too thin. Pour into bowl, stir in olives and drizzle with olive oil. Lastly, sprinkle the minced garlic on the top of the hummus and chill for a few hours or overnight.


Generously spoon hummus onto bread or into pita pockets and gently layer thinly, freshly sliced cucumbers and thin slivers of lemon. Optional additions: fresh herbs like oregano, thyme, lemon thyme or mint to add last between the slices of bread or tucked into a pita pocket. Keep in a cooler for picnics.


Recipe and photo courtesy of Marlaina Donato, AutumnEmbers.com.


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