 |
Each year, the whole family makes a trip to the annual plant sale held by a local non-profit group called Wasatch Community Gardens. While I contribute recipes to their monthly newsletters, focusing on seasonal produce, and am always happy to connect with the staff and see the dedicated workers in action, the real excitement lies in picking out the vegetables and herbs for our raised planters. There are the stand-bys that make an appearance in our garden each year…zucchini, yellow squash, cherry tomatoes and a wide variety of herbs. But we don’t stop there.
The fun comes when our boys set off to pick out their special vegetable to plant for the year. For the 7-year old (T), the task is a slam dunk. He heads straight to the tomato section (he would happily eat them by the bucketful) and picks out the funkiest looking heirloom tomato plant of the bunch. The 10-year old (M) takes a little more time to make his choice. Sometimes he ends up with a plant that promises to produce deep violet eggplants and other times it may be a spicy pepper (as long as I promise to make salsa).
Of course, the lesson doesn’t really lie in the specific vegetables that fill our garden. Rather, it comes in setting the plant into the soil, in tending and nurturing it and, finally, in harvesting and eating food that grew in our own backyard. It gives my husband and I joy to see them run straight into the backyard after school to check on the plants, and to see their excited faces as they run to the door with a ripe specimen in their hands.
I will admit that we are unlikely to raise chickens in our backyard or to stop buying bananas which have traveled thousand of miles to reach our grocery store. However, I hope we can teach our kids to ask questions about where their food came from, to eat locally as much as possible and to encourage them to support growers who raise and grow food in a sustainable manner.
This Sunday, April 22nd, is Earth Day. In 2011, The Nature Conservancy introduced Picnic for the Planet, a fun event to encourage people to enjoy food and their loved ones while educating them about the benefits of eating sustainably raised and grown food. The Picnic for the Planet event encourages people to consider five things: Eat Local, Eat Smart, Eat Sustainably, Eat Green and Eat Out. People all over the world enjoyed picnics with their family and friends to celebrate the day. This year, The Nature Conservancy is reaching for new heights in their attempt to set a world record for the most people picnicking in a 24-hour period. Head to the Picnic for the Planet website to find out how participate. Scroll down in this post for a chance to win a fun picnic basket put together especially for this event.
Whether you plan to picnic on Earth Day or our planning to spread your gingham blanket on the grass later in the spring or summer, you will need some ideas for salads and sandwiches that are easy to pack and tote in your picnic basket. The recipes listed below are some of our favorites to take on picnics or camping trips.
Sandwiches:
Healthy Shrimp Wrap with Curry Yogurt & Spinach
Chicken Pinwheel Sandwich with Roasted Red Pepper, Kalamata Olives & Herb Yogurt
Pita Sandwich with Chicken, Hearts of Palm & Chimichurri Dressing
Pasta Salads:
Tortellini Pasta Salad with Bacon, Broccoli & Basil
Chicken BLT (or Bacon, Spinach & Tomato) Pasta Salad
Other Salads:
Salad Cups with Quinoa, Shrimp, Avocado & Lemon Dressing
Spaghetti Squash with Apples & Toasted Pecans
Asian Slaw with Cashews, Pear & Ginger Dressing
Potato Salad with Rosemary & Capers Dressing
Avocado, Tomato & Cotija Cheese Salad
Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas, Kalamata Olives & Mint
The giveaway:
The giveaway includes the following items (total value approximately $75 USD):
Coleman Collapsible canvas basket lined with gingham fabric
Official Picnic for the Planet merchandise (water bottle, tee, blanket, temporary tattoo)
Reusable bamboo utensil set by To-Go Ware
Popchips
Peeled Snacks organic dried fruit
Green and Black chocolate bar
Back to Nature crackers and cookies
Burt’s Bees chapstick
This giveaway is open to residents of the United States 18 years of age or older and will be open until Sunday, April 22nd, 2012 at 5pm PST.
The winner will be chosen using a random number generator and will be notified via email, so please make sure your email address is correct. You will have 48 hours to respond to me, or a new winner will be chosen.
REQUIRED: To enter, just leave a comment on this post.
OPTIONAL: To earn additional entries, leave separate comments for each of the steps listed below. If you already follow/”like” The Nature Conservancy or Cookin’ Canuck, just let me know that in your comments.
1. Follow The Nature Conservancy on Twitter.
2. Follow Cookin’ Canuck on Twitter.
3. “Like” The Nature Conservancy on Facebook.
4. “Like”Cookin’ Canuck on Facebook.
5. Share on your Facebook page and leave me the link (click on the time stamp of your “share” to access the link).
For additional chances to win this picnic basket and for some fantastic picnic ideas for Earth Day, be sure to visit these other sites:
All Day I Dream About Food
A Spicy Perspective
Created By Diane
Dine & Dish
Food for My Family
Gourmande in the Kitchen
I am Baker
Jeanette’s Healthy Living
The Little Kitchen
Tidy Mom
Good luck!
Disclaimer: The Nature Conservancy provided the baskets for this giveaway.
|
{ 230 comments… read them below or add one }
what a great giveaway. thanks for the chance
I Follow The Nature Conservancy on Twitter
I Follow Cookin’ Canuck on Twitter.
I need to go on a picnic with you, haha. LOVE these recipes! So fun!
I like you on Facebook.
I follow you on twitter.
I love the idea of a picnic on earth day! Count me in
like u on fb
Dara, love this roundup of picnic foods that you put together for this Earth Day celebration!
Every single one of those recipes looks SO good! Especially the pasta salads and sandwiches. Hmm….which one should I have for lunch today?
I love picnics and will be making that wrap soon!
I love picnics!
I’d love love to win that basket! Great giveaway!
I follow the Nature Conservancy on Twitter
and I follow you on twitter!
Cute little bag! I love outdoor Picnics – Family – Friends – Volleyball- Football
Brings me back to childhood, when we had picnics almost every weekend in the summer with my whole family (was 78 of us, but it’s since grown to way over 100)
I LOVE that its finally picnic time!
I love this basket and all of your recipes! Keep up the awesome blog
I follow you on twitter
I follow cookin canuck on FB
I follow Nature conservatory on twitter
I follow nature conservatory on FB
I love these little recipe roundups that you do, it reminds me of some of your older recipes that I may have forgotten about
I want to go on a picnic with your family one day
I was never happier than when I had a huge veggie garden, an orchard, a berry patch and a big flock of chickens. Can’t wait to have it again.
Awesome! I can’t wait to get my garden started.
I would love to win this!
Hi Dara, I follow you every way I can. We love gardening and we really love the basket!! Thanks for being you!!
Yum! Your picnic recipes make me yearn for a basket of my own!
What a great giveaway for Earth Day!
following nature_org on twitter @ThatAshlei
Following you on twitter @ThatAshlei
I follow Cookin’ Canuck on Twitter.
What a great idea! I would love to win that basket!
We love picnics and I am always looking for new easily transportable recipes!
This sounds so much fun, I’d love to get my family to go on a picnic!
Cool concept for a giveaway
That pinwheel wrap looks extremely tasty~
I follow cooking canuk on twitter!
I have promised lots of picnics to the kids this summer. Looking forward to the warm weather – and trying some of these recipes!!
I follow the Nature Conservancy on Twitter
Great giveaway! Already got my eye on a couple of your sandwich and salad recipes to tryout on my Bunco group this week!
Love your sandwich ideas – yum!
oooh sign me up!
great idea and love the basket
Follow The Nature Conservancy on Twitter.
@cjsorel
Follow Cookin’ Canuck on Twitter. @csorel
Like The Nature Conservancy on Facebook.
What a great giveaway! Thank you!
<3 to win this super cute picnic basket! thanks for the chance
Like you the Cookin’ Canuck on Facebook
tweet https://twitter.com/#!/cjsorel/status/191910666670587904
I now follow the nature conservancy on twitter!
I always look forward to this time of year and getting those first garden plants into the freshly tilled soil. It helps revive my soul after the long winter. So glad to hear that you are teaching your children to have an appreciation of where they food comes from! Oh, and…nice giveaway, too
A picnic sound so nice right now! I can’t wait for summer to get here so we can do that more often.
I follow Cookin Canuck on twitter
I like the Nature Conservancy on facebook
I like Cookin’ Canuck on facebook as well.
Have always supported The Nature Conservancy! The rest of the items in basket are wonderful opportunity to give them a try. Thanks.
I’d love a picnic basket to take on picnics with my little girls this summer.
i Follow The Nature Conservancy on Twitter. (@janejoeyxo)
i Follow Cookin’ Canuck on Twitter. (@janejoeyxo)
i “Like” The Nature Conservancy on Facebook.
i “Like”Cookin’ Canuck on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=373141462725303&id=681133399
Thank you for the awesome giveaway!
kayti.clayton@Yahoo.com
I follow them on Twitter.
kaytivstheworld
kayti.clayton@Yahoo.com
I like them on Facebook
kayti.clayton@Yahoo.com
I already like you on Facebook
kayti.clayton@Yahoo.com
I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Earth Day than with a spring picnic!
I like you on Facebook!
I love to picnic! Thanks for the great recipes
I liked you on Facebook
I follow The Nature Conservancy on Twitter
I liked The Nature Conservancy on Facebook
Great for taking the grandkids on a picnic!
Thanks for this chance to win the Picnic Basket!
I haven’t been on a Picnic in forever! Great ideas.
Thanks for the chance to win!
This is a fun giveaway! I love to take my daughter on picnics! We love the pop chips BTW:)
I Follow Cookin’ Canuck on Twitter
I Like”Cookin’ Canuck on Facebook.
Ahh, I LOVE this post, and I love picnics! Even if I don’t win the giveaway, I will definitely be using some of these recipes on a future picnic. Thanks!!
I follow The Nature Conservancy on Twitter
I follow Cookin’ Canuck on Twitter
For Earth Day, I am planning on installing a rain barrel for my flowers to help conserve water usage.
I like The Nature Conservancy on Facebook
I like Cookin’ Canuck on Facebook
perfect for picnics this upcoming summer!
Cool giveaway! Thanks!
Like You on Face book
Thanks for a chance to win, I love giveaways!
I like you on Facebook.
Can’t wait to try out some of these recipes!
Picnics are awesome, picnics with delicious wraps are better. Salads make it a legend. Looks great Dara.
looking thru these recipes and want to try them all!! they look so good..
This is a great idea for Earth Day. I love picnics!
I love picnics so what a better cause than a picnic for the planet!!
Love these recipes. So glad I found this blog.
Oh yeah, and I liked your facebook page.
Thanks for the giveaway!
I already liked your FB page:)
I already follow you on Twitter:)
I liked The Nature Conservancy on FB.
I’m following The Nature Conservancy on Twitter.
Oh picnic season! Makes me so happy! And what a great post for Earth Day!
adorable picnic basket!
i’m following cookin canuck on twitter already
i liked cookin canuck on fb!
i followed the nature conservatory on twitter
i liked the nature conservancy on fb (oops misspelled above)
I Follow Cookin’ Canuck on Facebook and Pinterest. Love your ideas and recipes. Looking forward to an Earth Day picinic this weekend.
great collection of recipes here!
I would love to win, earth day is my birthday!
I’m already a Cookin’ Canuck Facebook fan! Thank you!
I’m going to have to make that Quinoa salad with shrimp & avocado VERY soon!
I follow you on Twitter!
I like you on Facebook!
Picnics are great especialyy with your salad recipes!
I liked the nature conservancy on facebook
What a fun idea! We have been wanting to go on a picnic for a while now. This would be a great reason to finally do it!
What a great give a way….would love to win this!!
Usually pasta salad is not my thing, but those looked so yummy I had to scroll back up and check them out. YUM! AND… I think I could even get the hubby on board with it too.
What a great giveaway! Always need to remind people to treat the earth better!!
I follow Cookin’ Canuck on facebook.
What a great giveaway! Happy Earth Day!
My grandson has a double header baseball weekend, so we will be doing our picnic before, during and after..will be a lovely weekend for Earth Day Picnic!
Thanks so much for the recipes and this opportunity!!!!! I love Earth day! I normally go the Atlanta Botanical Gardens!
Thx heavens I got you as my friend to remind me Earth day is around the corner. Lovely family activity and while I too won’t give up bananas I try to be aware and purchase locally and sustainable when possible. Forget the chicken in our yard, aside from country bylaws Jonathan vehemently would resist a coop. he worked with the chickens on a kibbutz.
I liked Cookin’ Canuck on Facebook
Following Nature Conservancy on Facebook!
Following Nature Conservancy on Twitter!
Following Cookin’ Canuck on Twitter!
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=386304274736681&id=133001671
We love having Vietnamese Sandwiches – Banh Mi with Orange juice
Thank you
http://www.facebook.com/sohamolina/posts/222685414497794
Love your website!! Love picnics too!
great give away. thanks for offering it.
i don’t have a facebook or twitter account – can i get an extra entry becuase i’m a subscriber???? please.
I’d love to have a picnic basket!!
I’m following The Nature Conservancy on Twitter!
I’m following you on Twitter!
I like your page on Facebook!
The photos of the salads look so good—wishing I had some now.
I follow The Nature Conservancy on Twitter.
I follow Cookin’ Canuck on Twitter.
I liked The Nature Conservancy on Facebook.
I already liked Cookin’ Canuck on Facebook.
I shared on facebook. https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=278262005595586&id=596580232
Thank you for this wonderful giveaway, Dara! You have such a lovely selection of recipes that are perfect for a picnic.
I follow Cookin’ Canuck on Twitter.
I like Cookin’ Canuck on Facebook.
The picnic basket looks terrific, but your recipe links are also treasures.
What a wonderful way to celebrate Earth Day.
I would love to start taking picnics
I like Nature.org on facebook
I follow nature.org on twitter
I follow you on twitter
I like you on facebook.
This is a great giveaway!
I like Nature Conservancy on facebook..
I like Nature Conservancy on facebook also
A super delicious round-up of recipes for Earth Day’s Picnic for the Planet (I love that idea!!)
Fun giveaway!
What a wonderful idea to get your kids involved in gardening!
Liked the Nature Conservancy
Both are just perfect – this nice recipe collection and this giveaway. I am glad to see that people still love picnics. Great post.
You have the best recipe round ups, I want to be at your picnic!
I love going on picnics. This would be awesome to win =D
This is a fantastic giveaway and i love the wraps. We used to picnic all the time living in Alaska. Now we live in NY and we don’t anymore. Maybe we should start again.
Great giveaway – thanks for the chance to win!
Following you in Twitter
thanks for this!
liked you on fb
liked nature conservancy on fb
great giveaway – happy earth day everyone – picnic for the planet
I LIKED The Nature Conservancy on Facebook
Thanks for a great giveaway. Happy Earth Day to everyone on April 22nd!
I followed the Nature Conservancy on Twitter @geekdad248
I “Like” The Nature Conservancy on Facebook.
I “Like” Cookin’ Canuck on Facebook.
I follow The Nature Conservancy on facebook thanks for the chance to win.
I follow Cookin’ Canuck on facebook!
Thanks for the giveaway.
Saladgoddess already following you on Twitter.
We are going to a local earth day event as well. We started composting this year and they are having seminars to give us some pointers.
follow you on twitter @saramama
follow nature conservacy on twitter @saramama
What a wonderful idea–this makes me love The Nature Conservancy even more!! Thanks!
Picnics are one of our favorite things to do as a family! I would love to win this!
I follow you on Facebook!
I would love to use some of your FAB food ideas in this FAB picnic basket!
i Follow The Nature Conservancy on Twitter.
@rebthecatsitter
I Follow Cookin’ Canuck on Twitter.
@rebthecatsitter
I “Like” The Nature Conservancy on Facebook.
(Rebecca Roberts)
I “Like”Cookin’ Canuck on Facebook. (Rebecca Roberts)
did all of the above- even 5)- http://www.facebook.com/romana.ds/posts/339957936065300
thank you!!
Romana Ds, and @littleredro
romanas@hotmail.ca
ooops I’m sorry, I didn’t leave separate comments for each of them and now I cannot delete my last comment! I hope you will still accept them!! I did all five of the optional entries, and this can count as my original one
sorry about that!
I love picnics!
I follow on FB!
Dara, thanks so much for supporting The Nature Conservancy this Earth Day! What a lovely story about planting veggies with your sons. It’s so important to teach kiddos where their food comes from. Happy Earth Day!
-Madeline, The Nature Conservancy
Everyday is Earth Day for me, but my mom and I are going on a picnic for Earth Day!
I follow The Nature Conservancy on twitter and facebook!
Great site, and your wrap looks perfect for a picnic.
fingers crossed!
What a wonderful giveaway to celebrate Earth Day!
Gotta remind all of us to be kind to our earth. 
amy [at] utry [dot] it
Following The Nature Conservancy on Twitter.
amy [at] utry [dot] it
Following Cookin’ Canuck on Twitter.
amy [at] utry [dot] it
“Liked” The Nature Conservancy on Facebook.
amy [at] utry [dot] it
“Liked”Cookin’ Canuck on Facebook.
amy [at] utry [dot] it
Thank you for the giveaway
I “Like”Cookin’ Canuck on Facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=395643127122637&id=100003177327043
Love this idea!
Thanks for the chance to win!
I love a picnic. This is too cute!
I follow the NC on Twitter.
I follow you on twitter.
I like you on FB.
Following you on Facebook and Twitter! I would love to win the Picnic basket! Best thing about warm weather, is going on a pic-nic!
I’ve had Popchips and they are quite addictive.
I love snacks!
This is a great picnic basket of goodies. I especially love the basket itself. Since it is collapsible, it would make a great market basket.
chrisdeglen(at)gmail(dot)com
I like The Nature Conservancy on Facebook. Debbie Christie
chrisdeglen(at)gmail(dot)com
I follow you on twitter! @MyEatsAndTreats
I follow The Nature Conservancy on Twitter! @MyEatsAndTreats
I follow the Nature Conservancy on Facebook!
I like your facebook page!
Happy Earth Day! Thank you for hosting such a wonderful giveaway!
Happy Earth Day. I love your blog!
I follow @cookincanuck
{ 7 trackbacks }