We are so fortunate to have so many beautiful picnic spots in Washington, DC and the surrounding region. Whether you choose to visit a National Park, the Mall, or just enjoy your own backyard, hosting a picnic is a lovely way to enjoy some sunshine.

Everyone has their favorite picnic staples, and here at Iona, we’re no different! Our registered dietitian nutritionist Rose Clifford often shares these two recipes with staff and program participants because they are easy to prepare, delicious, and chock-full of nutrients.

If you’re looking to try a new recipe for your next picnic or potluck, take a look at Rose’s favorite summer recipes below:

Black-Eyed Pea Salsa

Ingredients:

2 cans of rinsed and drained black-eyed peas
1 cup frozen sweet white corn
1 large grated carrot
Half a large green pepper, seeded & diced
Half a large red pepper, seeded & diced
Two small diced tomatoes
Half of a medium red onion, diced
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp or large pinch red pepper flakes
Zest and juice of two limes
¼ cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
Cilantro, chopped
Avocado (optional)

Steps:

Mix all of the ingredients together and enjoy! We like to serve this dip with tortilla scoop chips.

Veggie Hummus Wrap

Easy to assemble, these tasty wraps made their Iona debut at a recent Take Charge/Age Well Academy class. They make a great lunch, dinner, or snack (and are perfect to bring to a picnic!)

Ingredients:

Whole grain wrap
Hummus (your favorite flavor)
Salad greens (we like to use an arugula/spinach mix, but anything will work)
Red & yellow pepper, sliced
Cucumber, sliced
Carrots, grated
Tomato, diced
Feta cheese, crumbled (or your favorite cheese)
Sunflower seeds (or your favorite chopped nut)
Your favorite salad dressing (we like to use a lemon vinaigrette)
Black pepper (optional)

Steps:

1. Spread a layer of hummus down the middle of the wrap.
2. Top with salad greens and other raw sliced or chopped veggies of your choice.
3. Sprinkle sunflower seed kernels (or other chopped nuts) over the veggies.
4. Sprinkle crumbled feta (or other crumbled or grated cheese) over the veggies/seeds.
5. Drizzle with lemon vinaigrette (or your favorite dressing). You can also just drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and squeeze fresh lemon over the filling.
6. Sprinkle with black pepper for a bit of heat (optional).
7. Fold over the ends, and roll up to make a wrap. Cut into slices, if desired, for sharing or ease of eating.

Planning to participate in National Picnic Month? Tell us what foods will be in your picnic basket! And, if you try out one of Rose’s recipes, we’d love to know! Let us what you think in the comments.