Category Archives: Picnic Basket Foods

Easy , quick recipes for outdoor Concerts in the Park, Hollywood Bowl concerts, or camping at Malibu Creek – or anywhere you like to eat outdoors!

Spicy Japanese Edamame

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My daughter is obsessed with anything Japanese. She adores Anime Cartoons and lucky for her, she inherited her Great Uncles’ ( Tom and Charlie Byrne ) animation skills and wants to be an animator and game designer one day. Hence, I can convince her to eat anything Japanese (Sushi and even Sashimi).In the South Bay of Los Angeles where we live, we frequent Sushi restaurants in the area and most serve Edamame (whole soy beans) either just with coarse salt or in a spicy, simple broth that is such an easy recipe to recreate at home. It’s also a great after-school snack. Many soybean products now have GMOs but you can find non-GMO soybeans in markets like Whole Foods.

Spicy Edamame - One of my daughter's favorites. So easy to recreate at home!

Spicy Edamame – One of my daughter’s favorites. So easy to recreate at home!

  • 1 package Fresh or frozen Edamame (non-GMO brand Wildwood at Whole Foods).
  • 1-2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce (or Tamari which is gluten free).
  • 1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
  • Pinch to 1 teaspoon Chili Flakes
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Salt (or fresh, chopped Garlic).

 

If frozen, rinse Edamame in cool water in a colander until defrosted.

 

Place Edamame in a tossing bowl, add the additional ingredients and toss.

 

Serve chilled or if you’d like, heat the ingredients in the microwave for 10 seconds, toss and serve a little warm.

 easy edamame restaurant style spicy recipe Japanese side dish kids snack

Cookie Dough Truffles

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Truffles are easy. But these are easier. Love cookie dough? Who doesn’t? But, because most cookie dough contains raw egg, it’s not a good idea to eat raw cookie dough. Enter “pasteurized eggs”. Pasteurization heats the eggs up to a temperature that kills whatever bacteria might be on the egg or inside (like salmonella which is unfortunately somewhat common on eggs). I’ve read that one can pasteurize eggs at home by merely heating water up to 140 degrees Fahreinheit and leaving the eggs in the water for 5 minutes. I have not tried this myself because it’s much easier to just buy pasteurized egg product at the store. Plus, I don’t have to break any eggs. Bonus!

Make cookie dough with pasteurized eggs to eat it safely before baking!

Make cookie dough with pasteurized eggs to eat it safely before rolling in cocoa powder, or other topping to make party  “truffles”. So easy….

Your kids will LOVE making these!

 

Make your favorite cookie recipe with pasteurized eggs. 

 

With clean hands, roll “truffles” in your hand to form little circles (any size you like).

 

Then, roll your “truffles” in sweetened cocoa powder, or confectioner’s sugar, chocolate jimmies, mini white chocolate chips, nuts, coconut or even chili powder! Super fun. Super easy. A great party dessert recipe!

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Thai Cashew and Coconut Snack

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This is a classic snack served on the streets of Thailand. You can also put it on a salad for an International Flair. If you like spicy and sweet food, it is addicting.

 

  • 1 Tablespoon Peanut Oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Honey
  • 2 Cups Cashews
  • 1 Cup Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
  • 1 Thai Red Chili or alternatively Pinch (or more if you want serious heat) Chili Flakes

 

Melt honey in the heated oil.  Add nuts and toss. Add coconut and chili flakes and toss. Serve in paper cups or cones.

 

Quinoa Salad

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Quinoa, a grain, has a lot of protein in it. It is so easy to prepare and add whatever raw vegetables you like to it. This is one of my favorite ways to make it.

 

  • 1 Cup Quinoa cooked per package directions 
  • 1/2 Cup Bite sized pieces of Broccoli Florets (just break them off or cut them off)
  • 1/2 Cup Bite sized pieces of Red and Yellow Bell Peppers
  • 1 Tablespoon Fresh chopped Basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon of Lemon Zest
  • Juice of 1 Lemon
  • Splash of Red Wine Vinegar
  • Splash of Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

 

Mix and eat warm right away. Or chill. Works well for picnics.

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