Vegetarian Picnic Recipes

Whether you and your guests are vegetarians, or you simply want a couple of meat-free options at your next picnic, there are many ways to incorporate fruits and vegetables to create inspired vegetarian dishes. The default vegetarian dish for most picnics is either a fruit or pasta salad. Yes, these can be quite tasty, but there are many other creative ways to use the bounty of summer produce.

Two unexpected and delicious vegetarian dishes that you might want to consider for your next picnic are papaya salsa and jicama slaw. Both papayas and jicamas are staples in Mexican and Central American cuisines, but most Americans are still somewhat reluctant to use them in cooking. This is a shame because they are extremely versatile and flavorful. The recipe below for papaya salsa can be prepared in less than 15 minutes and can be served with grilled vegetables and black beans or simply as a snack with tortilla chips. You’ll be amazed by the vibrant colors of the salsa and the tantalizing juxtaposition between the sweet fruit and the robust garlic. In about 30 minutes, you can prepare the jicama slaw. Like the salsa, it can be perfectly served with grilled vegetables or used as a filling for flour or corn tortillas to make vegetarian tacos.

Papaya Salsa
Makes about 4 cups

2 llbs papaya (peeled, seeded, and diced into ¼ inch cubes)
½ small fresh pineapple (cut into ¼ inch cubes)
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Place all ingredients into large bowl. Stir together. Serve chilled.

Jicama Slaw
Serves 6-8

1 medium red onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 lb jicama, peeled and cut into thin, matchstick size strips (about 9 or 10 cups)
1/3 cup fresh, chopped cilantro

Whisk together lime juice, oil, sugar, pepper, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add onion, jicama, cilantro, and toss well. Add additional salt and pepper to taste if needed.

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