the perfect picnic salad….

Tis the season for salads! I do love a good salad, especially in summertime, and I feel that they are the perfect thing for a picnic. They can perfectly balance out the heaviness of any burger or dog, and they add color and nutrition to any spread. My favorite salad for a picnic is a hearty mix of spinach, arugula, and cabbage tossed with frozen corn and peas, shredded carrots, diced onions and a sprinkling of cheese. I like to mix up the dressing depending on my mood, and sometimes I take the easy way out and opt for a store bought version.

What I love most about this salad is that the frozen veggies do a great job of keeping the salad cold for transport so that if you opt for a mayonnaise based dressing, you don’t have to worry about it spoiling before you can get to your destination!

The Perfect Picnic Salad

5 oz. baby arugula

5 oz. baby spinach

5 oz. shredded cabbage

5 oz. shredded carrots (or opt for a bag of slaw mix instead of cabbage and carrots separately)

1 cup frozen corn

1 cup frozen peas

1/2 sweet onion, diced (or 1 bunch of green onions, thinly sliced)

1 cup shredded cheese (any kind works just fine, but I like sharp cheddar or a crumbled feta; something with a little bite to it)

salt and pepper, to taste

Combine spinach and arugula in a large bowl and chop using kitchen shears. Add remaining ingredients and toss until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.

Now, let’s talk dressing….This salad is so flavorful that it really does well with a good dose of extra virgin olive oil and a hearty squeeze of lemon juice, or you can make a simple sesame honey mustard by combining equal parts sesame oil and spicy mustard and adding a couple of tablespoons of honey, a small handful of garlic powder, and a few dashes of salt and pepper. Or, as I ofter do, just toss it with your favorite store bought dressing. I absolutely swear by the refrigerated options from Trader Joe’s!