(Zester Daily)

Summer is on the horizon, so enjoy the short-sleeve weather and spend some time eating outside.

Yes, we're talking picnics. We've got eight recipes to help you fill your basket: They can be served cold, travel well and taste best eaten on a blanket under a nice shady tree. If spring showers keep you stuck indoors, just spread out a blanket on your family-room floor.

Tarragon Chicken Salad

No more ho-hum! We spice up our chicken salad with tarragon, Dijon mustard, celery and apples. This creamy, crunchy salad can be eaten by itself, used as a sandwich or pita filling, or scooped atop a green salad.

Ingredients

4 cups to 4.5 cups shredded cooked chicken
1/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon white vinegar or fresh lemon juice
1 crisp apple, diced
1 celery ribs, diced
1 tablespoon fresh or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon

Instructions

Put the cooked chicken into the large mixing bowl.

Put the yogurt and mayonnaise into the small mixing bowl and mix them together with the spoon or fork.

Add the mustard and vinegar to the small bowl and mix together well.

Pour the ingredients from the small bowl into the large bowl and stir, stir, stir!

Add the apple, celery and fresh or dried tarragon and stir for about 10 seconds they are just combined but aren't mixed together too well.

Serve right away or cover and refrigerate overnight.



Greek Salad Kabobs

Of course these kabobs could be made as a simple salad, but eating food off a stick is so much more fun, especially for kids. Layer feta, cucumber, cherry tomatoes and black olives on a skewer for a snack or picnic appetizer. Each family member can personalize their own by adding whatever salad ingredients they like best. And, if you like, add some bell pepper.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1 small garlic clove, peeled and minced or put through a garlic press
1 8-ounce block feta cheese, cut into cubes
1 cucumber, quartered lengthwise, and cut into cubes
1 pint (2 cups) cherry tomatoes
1 cup pitted black or green olives

Instructions

Put the lemon juice and zest, olive oil, mint, and garlic in the bowl and mix well. Add the feta and gently stir. Leave it to marinate while you prepare the other ingredients.

Thread the marinated feta, cucumber, tomatoes, and olives onto the skewers, alternating and arranging them however you like. (Tip: Push the skewers slowly and gently through the cheese cubes so that they won’t be inclined to crumble.) Serve right away.



Purple Cabbage Slaw

This bright purple slaw is super crunchy and tangy. It makes a great addition to sandwiches, tacos or burgers, but it's just as good when eaten by itself as a side dish. The slaw gets even better the longer it sits, so make some for dinner the night before and plan to bring the leftovers on your picnic.

Ingredients

1 head red cabbage (or 1 bag of coleslaw mix)
2 carrots, scrubbed or peeled and grated
8 scallions, finely sliced
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Cut the cabbage in half and use a sharp knife to sliver it fine. (This is really a job for an adult.)

* Put everything in the bowl and toss well. Taste the slaw. Do you think it needs more vinegar? Salt? Pepper? If so, add it, and taste again.

* Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.



Lemony Hummus

Our Lemony Hummus is protein-packed and easy to make. Cut up some raw vegetables for dipping, and you have a great picnic snack. Hummus is super dynamic: It also goes great as a topping to crackers and pitas or on a sandwich.

Ingredients

1 16-ounce can chickpeas, drained in a colander and rinsed with cold water
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
juice and grated zest of 1 scrubbed lemon or ¼ cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons cold water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon harissa (if you like harissa)

Instructions

With the help of your adult, carefully put the steel blade in the food processor. Add the chickpeas and garlic and turn the processor on. Process until the beans start to break apart and the garlic gets chopped

Add the oil and lemon juice and zest and process again. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the hummus reaches the consistency you like. Add the salt and pepper (and harissa) and process until completely smooth.

* Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.



Rainbow Sandwich

Here's a sandwich that challenges everyone in your family to fill their own with as many healthy hues as possible. Pile on the color with everything from red peppers to green pesto to purple cabbage slaw. Then pack them up and take them along for colorful picnicking.

Ingredients

2 slices whole-wheat bread
1 slice cheese
Toppings listed below

Instructions

* Wash your hands with soap and water, then gather all your kitchen gear and ingredients and put them on a clean counter. Start with whole-wheat bread and your favorite sliced cheese, then lay on the color.

Red: tomatoes, red peppers, radishes
Orange: carrot salad
Yellow: yellow bell peppers, hummus
Green: spinach, lettuce, pesto, fresh herbs, cukes, avocado, sliced green apple
Purple: cabbage slaw



Corny Black Bean Salad

This salad is perfect for summertime, when corn is in season, but you can also use canned or frozen corn until corn is ready for harvesting. Serve it as a side, or use it as a salsa: just put it in a bowl and scoop it up with tortilla chips or pita bread.

Ingredients

2 cups fresh or frozen kernels
1 15 ounce can kidney, pinto or black beans, drained and rinsed with cold water
1 large tomato, cared and diced
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 large garlic clove, peeled and minced
pinch salt

Instructions

Put the corn kernels, beans, tomato, red onion and basil leaves into the medium bowl and mix well.

To make the dressing:
Put the olive oil, lemon or lime juice, cilantro, garlic and salt into the small bowl. With the fork or whisk mix well.

Pour the dressing over the corn salad mixture and mix well.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

Serve cold or at room temperature.



Tasty Tabbouleh

Tabbouleh is a zippy Middle Eastern salad made from cracked wheat, tomatoes, cucumbers, parley and lemon juice. It's served cold, which makes it a great food to take along for outdoor eating.

Ingredients

1/2 cup bulgar wheat
1 cup warm water
2 large ripe tomato, cored and diced (about 1.5 to 2 cups)
1 cucumber, diced
2 to 3 scallions, chopped (use both the green and white parts)
1 bunch flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or red wine vinegar
pinch of salt

Instructions

Put the bulgar into the mixing bowl.

* Pour 1 cup warm water into the bowl. Cover and let sit until the bulgar is soft, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

After the bulgar is soft, add the tomatoes, cucumber, scallions, parsley, mint if using, olive oil and lemon juice or red wine vinegar. Mix everything together with the spoon or fork.

* Cover the bowl and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to overnight.



Beet-and-Carrot Slaw Wraps

These whole-wheat tortilla wraps are filled with beets, carrots, apples and cheddar. Wraps are perfectly packable and a fun way to roll up a sandwich. Plus, the bright orange and pink colors of this wrap will match the spring flowers you'll see during your picnic.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice (from about 1/2 orange)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
5 raw beets (about 2 1/2-3 cups grated), with greens still attached
2 carrots
2 apples, cored and sliced
5 slices cheddar cheese
5 8-inch whole-wheat tortillas

Instructions

To make the dressing: Put the orange juice, oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper in the jar, screw the lid on tightly, and shake well.

* Cut the greens off the beets and pull the leaves from the stems (discard or compost the stems). Wash the leaves, then stack them and roll them. Slice the roll crosswise into thin (1/4 inch) ribbons.

Peel the beets and the carrots and shred them using the grater.

Put the beet leaves and the shredded beets and carrots in the bowl, and toss them with the dressing.

For each wrap, put 1/5 of the slaw, 1/5 of the sliced apples, and 1 slice of cheddar cheese inside a tortilla. Roll the tortilla from the bottom up, tucking in the sides as you go. Secure the wrap with a toothpick, if you like, and serve right away.

Copyright 2016 ChopChop Magazine via Zester Daily and Reuters Media Express.