Foods for a Mother's Day Picnic

Instead of taking Mom to a restaurant for Mother's Day, why not have a picnic? There are plenty of tasty foods you can take to the park (or your backyard) that are very easy to make--and Mom will love them.

Moms are always trying to get you to eat healthy, so you can return the favor by preparing items like green bean salad using yellow and green beans for added color and nutrients. You can season the beans after steaming them with olive oil, sea salt, and a blend of garlic and spices, and a vinegar dressing will help keep the beans fresh and give them a tangy flavor that Mom will enjoy. You can also make fruit salad--a melon salad with mint and vanilla flavors is a perfect match for the spring, and the sunshine and breeze that will come along with your picnic will add a nice touch. You can also make a tray of all of Mom's favorite fruits, and create your own fruit dip using ingredients like cinnamon, agave nectar or honey, vanilla, and cream or soymilk.

A basic chicken salad is always a great picnic staple, and you can find recipes at www.foodtv.com and www.recipezaar.com. You can bring along a homemade loaf of bread to go with the salad, as well as lettuce and grapes for garnish. Wild rice will also make a great compliment to the salad, and if Mom is vegetarian, you can substitute soy chicken patties from Boca Burger or Gardenburger and follow the same recipe for a delicious dish.

If you're a baker, you can use the loaf of bread you bake to give Mom options for building her own sandwhich. You can spring for organic cuts of meat and organic vegetables to add to the sandwich, and can make your own french fries by baking potato wedges will olive oil and sea salt. For more great picnic recipe ideas for Mom, check out www.lhj.com. Enjoy!