Kale and Quinoa Tabbouli

Kale and Quinoa Tabbouli, loaded with crisp, cool vegetables and a minty lemon-apple cider vinaigrette is perfect for picnicking!

Let’s go on a picnic! The theme of this week’s Sunday Supper is one of my very favorites. For as long as I can remember, picnics have been a huge part of my summers. When I was a kid, we packed a picnic every week and went to free concerts on the lawn of some of the old mansions along the Hudson River. It was always one of the highlights of my week.

One of my most memorable Fourth of July’s was when I was living in DC. We  headed away from the crowds on the Mall and brought a picnic to Wolf Trap, where we listened to the NSO and watched fireworks. It was fantastic.

Now, we try to make it out the Tanglewood to listen to the BSO at least a few times every summer. And yes, we always pack a picnic. It’s just the thing to do.

The tabbouli salad is one of my favorite things to bring along. It holds up well (it doesn’t get soggy like green salads) and it tastes even better at room temperature than it does chilled. It’s full of ingredients that always taste great when you’re out in the hot sun, like cucumbers, tomatoes, mint, and lemons. Scattered throughout the salad are marcona almonds – one of the most delicious nuts I’ve ever come across. They’re pricy, but well worth the splurge (I’ve found that most stores have them, but they’re not by the other nuts so they can be tricky to find – look for them by the “fancy” cheeses or near the olive bar.)

Kale and Quinoa Tabbouli works on it’s own as the main component of your meal, but it’s also great served on the side of falafel (shown above, recipe to come soon) or even with a sandwich.

Basically, it’s perfect.