Mother's Day Picnic Recipes- "Make Yo Mama Lunch"

This week's recipes should put a smile on your face. They are the first of many spring and summer inspired recipes. As Mother's Day, Memorial Day, Graduations, and Picnic Season, come upon us, we are hopeful that you will take back a glass of water, juice or smoothie and enjoy these sandwich and salad recipes!  

Grilled Veggie Sandwich with Artichoke Spread Recipe

Ingredients:(Organic Ingredients are always preferred)

4-6 Sprouted Grain or Whole Grain Hoagie Rolls

1 Red Pepper (1 x 3 in. strips)

1 Yellow Squash (1/4 in strips cut lengthwise)

1 Zucchini (1/4 in strips cut lengthwise)

1 Egg Plant (1/4 in strips cut lengthwise)

2 RomaTomatoes (sliced)

4 Portabella Mushrooms (sliced)

1/2 C Spinach 

6 Artichokes Hearts

1/4 C Fresh Basil Leaves

2 Cloves minced garlic

4 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil (divided)

1T Balsamic Vinegar

Sea Salt

Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Directions:

This sandwich has been designed to be made on an open flame grill. If this is not available, a range top grill plate will do.

Prep all of the veggies by cutting into recommended lengths. Place red pepper, yellow squash, zucchini, egg plant and mushrooms in large mixing bowl and lightly coat with 2 T olive oil, 1 clove minced garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Heat grill to medium heat and brush grill with 1 T olive oil. Place veggies from the mixing bowl onto the grill turning once and cooking for 3 minutes per side.  For the last minute of cooking, slice and place the rolls or buns onto the grill to lightly toast them. Remove the veggies and buns from the grill when lightly browned. Place the veggies back into the bowl and stir in balsamic vinegar. 

In a blender or food processor toss in artichoke hearts, fresh basil, 1 T olive oil, and garlic. Pulse blender until a paste is created. Spread the paste onto the buns, grab a tongs and cover the buns with grilled veggies, top with spinach and tomato slices. 

Grilled Fruit and Fresh Greens Salad Recipe

Serve with side salad of fresh  greens, grilled apple and pear slices, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries and an olive oil/balsamic vinegar dressing.    

 The Crazy Raw Delicious Veggie Sandwich Recipe

Raw Sun-Dried Tomato Bread

Ingredients:

2 cups of sprouted buckwheat(or your favorite sprouted grains. I’ve made this recipe with sprouted wheat berries and raw soaked oats as well.

1 cup of sunflower seeds

1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked for about 2 hours

2 garlic cloves

2 T olive oil

2 t sea salt ½ cup fresh herbs(a combination of rosemary, basil and oregano is my favorite)

1 large tomato

3 T ground flax

Directions:

Blend all of the ingredients in a food processor until it has the consistency of bread dough. Spread onto teflex sheets or unbleached parchment paper, ¼-1/2 inch thick and score into squares, rectangles or your favorite sandwich shape. Dehydrate for about 4 hours, flip over and dehydrate for about 8 more hours. This bread is delicious! Enjoy!

For the sandwich toppings:

Avocado Spread

Ingredients:

2 ripe avocados

2 cloves of garlic

½ t sea salt

½ t black pepper

1 T lime juice

Directions:

Mash all of the ingredients together until spreadable.

-Thinly sliced portabella mushrooms marinated in tamari or nama shoyu for about 15 minutes.

-Sliced zucchini

-Sliced cucumber

-sliced tomato

-Red onion

-Sunflower sprouts

Liberally slather the avocado spread on the sun-dried tomato bread. Then pile on your marinated portabella mushrooms, zucchini, cucumber, tomato, and sunflower sprouts. Devour!

Pear and Avocado salad with Japanese Ginger Dressing

Salad Ingredients: 

-Spinach

-Pea Sprouts

-Mixed Spring Sreens

-Ribbon sliced Kale

-1/2 of a ripe pear(pick your favorite variety. Bartlet pears are always delicious. This salad tastes best when pears are in season.) cut into thick slices.

-1/2 of a ripe avocado cut into large slices.

Directions:

Mix all of the greens together and top with the pear and avocado.

Dressing Ingredients:

3 Medium carrots

¼ cup chopped ginger root
¼ cup chopped white onion

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

1 T nama shoyu or tamari

¼ cup sesame seeds

1/8 t sea salt

½ unrefined sesame oil

¼ cup water

Directions:

Blend all of the ingredients together in a blender and cover your salad with it. Enjoy!