Beach Cleanup

When planning an act of volunteering like a beach cleanup, make sure your picnic is eco-friendly as well. Pack the asparagus salad in reusable plastic containers, wrap the sandwiches in recycled parchment paper, and place the granola bars in a cardboard box. Fill a lidded jug with the tarragon lemonade and pass out clear plastic glasses at the beach. Spread a durable blanket on the sand and give each guest a different-colored cloth napkin. To make the cleanup smooth and easy, set out recycling bags.

Nothing says picnic more than lemonade, and for an Earth Day themed beach cleanup I'm packing an icebox filled with the citrus cooler. Tarragon is an unexpected flavoring agent that makes this lemonade recipe special. It takes the nostalgic childhood pitcher drink to a whole new gourmet level. It also provides a subtle herbaceous quality to the refreshing beverage. The syrup needs time to steep and cool, so get started on this concoction the day before your picnic. Look at the easy recipe when you read more

This weekend, why not celebrate Earth Day by doing something good for your community? I'm heading to the beach for a local cleanup organized by a friend, and I plan on surprising the other volunteers with a picnic lunch. Hearty turkey sandwiches and healthy asparagus and mushroom salad are on the menu. To keep up with the figure-friendly theme, I"ll offer homemade chocolate chip granola bars for dessert. They're low in fat, but thanks to honey and vanilla extract, high in flavor. The addition of chocolate chips makes them just a little decadent. These bars are great for any picnic or school lunch, so check out the recipe now.

My friend's birthday is this weekend, and instead of having a party, she's asked all of her loved ones to spend an afternoon volunteering and helping to clean up a local beach.

Because it's almost Earth Day and I'm getting in the spirit of things, I've offered to pack a hearty and healthful lunch for the volunteers.

On the menu? Asparagus salad with mushrooms, shallots, and peas. It's delicious at room temperature, so I'll simply store in individual serving containers in a picnic basket. Then I'll wrap halves of smoked turkey, blue cheese, and red onion sandwiches in parchment paper. People can enjoy as many halves as they'd like. These easy, make-ahead recipes are great for any sort of picnic, so check them out after the break.