Make the most of the sunshine and D.C. views with these picnic recipes.
Quinoa Salad
1 cup quinoa, cooked and cooled
1/4 cup (about 10) Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
2 cups cucumber, peeled and diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1/2 to 3/4 lemon, squeezed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup crumbled feta
Add olives, cucumber, tomatoes and red onion to the cooled quinoa, and squeeze 1/2 lemon over mixture. Add salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste. Drizzle the olive oil over the quinoa, add feta and toss well.
Nutella Brownies
1 cup Nutella
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together the Nutella and eggs. Add the flour and whisk until blended. Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin pan (about 1/2 full for regular pan and 3/4 full for mini pan) and sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, just until the tops have set and cracked around the edges. A toothpick in the center should come out wet and fudgy. Let cool completely.
Malibu Sunset
Ice cubes
3 to 4 ounces pineapple-orange juice (use a pre-blended juice)
2 ounces Malibu Coconut Rum
1 teaspoon grenadine
2 maraschino cherries
Pineapple and/or orange slices, to garnish
Place ice cubes in a small thermos or water bottle. Top with pineapple-orange juice, rum, grenadine and cherries. Garnish with pineapple or orange slices if desired.
Berry Beer
1 can frozen raspberry lemonade concentrate
4 (12-ounce) bottles of Corona beer
1/2 cup raspberry-flavored vodka
1 cup fresh raspberries, rinsed and drained
Add the frozen concentrate into a large pitcher or thermos. Add beer and vodka and stir until frozen concentrate is completely dissolved. Pour mixture in individual glasses and top with fresh raspberries. Garnish if desired with lemon wedges or additional raspberries.