June signals the launch of the summer picnic season. All over the country, people are eager to fire up the grill . Why not make this the year you gently start to steer family and friends away from barbecued meat, and towards the delicious and healthy difference of fresh veggies, nuts, seeds and fruits?
If you’re hosting the picnic, include hearty vegan dishes that will delight vegetarians and carnivores alike. While the Optimum Health Institute (OHI) healing detoxification diet calls for raw food, know that grilled vegetables are a “better than” substitution for grilled meat. Portabella mushrooms, artichokes, corn, sliced eggplant, asparagus and squash grilled to tender perfection can help even the most enthusiastic burger lover reconsider.
Appetizers and sides dishes are the perfect opportunity to bring more raw foods to the table. Fresh veggie sticks with spiced seed cheese and guacamole will have everyone dipping and crunching. Try introducing some vegetables many of your guests might not have tried yet, like jicama, rutabaga or parsnips. All have a nice sweetness, and are delicious and satisfying served raw.
Make a hearty main dish salad from dark greens and shredded carrots, cabbage, zucchini, sunflower greens, finely chopped green onions and diced avocado. Top with garbanzo medallions.
Garbanzo Medallions
¾ cup garbanzo, soaked 2 days
½ cup alfalfa sprouts
1/3 cup parsley leaves
1 medium carrot, finely shredded
¼ cup soaked pumpkin seeds
¼ cup flax seed meal
½ tsp. celery or poppy seed
2-4 tbls. water or carrot juice
Mix all together except flaxseed meal and water. Put in food processor or blender. Add flaxseed meal and water, mix well and form into four patties. Place one patty in center of each salad and serve with additional dressing on side. Serves: 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
(From Optimum Health Institute of San Diego Optimal Living Recipes: Cleansing and Transitional Recipes for Vibrant Healthful Living , by Mary Helon Nees, Nedra Carroll & Diane Louise Gallina. Available at the Optimum Health Store at OHI San Diego and OHI Austin, Texas.)
Instead of serving soda or sweet tea, whip out the Vitamix blender and transform spinach, cucumber, beets and raw ginger into a filling and energizing veggie smoothie. Replace chips or other fried snacks with bowls of raw nuts and pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
The day before your event, scout out the freshest fruits at the local farmer’s market, peel them and cut into cubes, then freeze them. When it’s time for dessert, put the fruit, and just enough pure water to process, into the blender to create a creamy and delicious instant sorbet.
When you serve up healthy and delicious alternatives at your summer picnics, you’re also serving up the opportunity for year-round positive change.
Come savor healthy changes for your body, mind and spirit at OHI missions in San Diego and Austin, Texas. Our caring team can help you achieve your mental, physical, emotional and spiritual goals for optimal health. Visit our website at www.optimumhealth.org , and call us at (800) 993-4325 to make your reservation.