Mom Loves a Picnic

The Mothers Day message read "This day is all about you."-and a picnic with my spouse is one of my favorite things.  The environment is as important as the menu, and a trip to a nearby state park provides a beautiful outside environment, with trees and the sounds of nature surrounding the picnic tables.  This park-West Virginia's Tygart Lake Park-has water to include a dam, lake and running water in public bathrooms.  The park is a 30-45 minute drive from home, so it's easy to transport cold foods in ice and after dinner coffee in a thermus.  

Many foods that we normally eat hot are equally good cold.  Today's meal, with salmon and green bean succatash is tasty served cold, and did not require a lot of prep (since I cook it the day before).  The zucchini and carrot muffins were more involved, but I cooked a batch which will last for several days.  This was a plate I'd love to see on any restaurant menu.

Seasoning for Chili Rubbed Salmon

(2 servings)

1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon cumin
Mix spices together in a medium bowl.  Pat both sides of 2 salmon fillets into the fish.  Bake at 450 F. for 15 minutes.

Honey Zucchini Carrot Muffins   

(10 muffins)

Mix flour, cinnmon, baking soda, powder, salt and coconut together in a bowl.
1 1/2 cups spelt flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup shredded coconut
Pinch of salt

Grate squash and carrots in a food processor.
1 cup grated zucchini
1 cup grated carrots

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together eggs and honey.
3 eggs
1/4 cup honey

Add vegetables to the bowl.  Alternately add dry flour mix with the olive oil vanilla mix.  Mix just until combined.
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla 

Scoop 3 tablespoons each batter into muffin tin greased with olive oil spray.  Bake at 350 F. for 20 minutes.  Cool in pan 5 minutes, then on wire rack.  Store in the refrigerator.