Whether you’re hitting the beach one last time or planning a fall adventure, this easy Mediterranean picnic spread will fill you up without stressing you out.
The Food: Easy Mediterranean Picnic Foods
Presque Isle State Park is one of my favorite places, especially for picnics. The beauty of this easy Mediterranean picnic spread is how simple it is to put together, pack, and enjoy. It’s healthy, filling, and holds up well under hotter days. I tend to pack vegan picnics for beach days, so I don’t have to worry about heat, but if you’re in a cooler locale, consider adding some feta to the mix. Enjoy!
- Hummus varieties
- Fresh veggies for dipping (carrots, cucumbers)
- Tabouleh
- Grape leaves
- Assorted olives
- Fresh tomatoes
- Pita
- Watermelon
The Personal: Seasonal Synchronicity
Last night, I pulled a bottle of rosé from my stores. It fit the food and mood, and with the cooler temps, it didn’t even need to be chilled. Simple, lovely sipping. Embracing the darkness that comes with the fall season, I lit candles. Instant romance. Dinner was a spread of leftovers from one of my favorite Lebanese restaurants.
There was a rice dish with green beans and simmered tomatoes that seems magically greater than the sum of its parts. Gestalt. There were thin pitas bigger than my head. There were simmered greens and beans. There were the grapes leaves I had been craving for a week. A lovely feast by flickering light.
The conversation shifted to the book I had recommended, the book I had made into a quarantine way of life – The Artist’s Way. The dinnertime question was, “what did you gain from working through the process?” My answers meandered as I threaded thoughts together, and more and more realizations emerged. I recalled finding more inspiration in music, the burst of an idea that hopefully will shape the coming months and year. I recalled the therapy levels of discovery. “Lastly,” I added, “the book made me seek and see synchronicity around me.”
Today, I had a craving for nostalgia, for taking a visual stroll through the summer season. I wanted to click through photos and cherish all that I was able to experience under sunshine and bright blue skies. I wanted to feel the warmth of gratitude in spite of the growing chill in my apartment, and there it was: synchronicity.
The same bottle of Spanish rosé. A similar spread. A different location but a similar depth of conversation. A rosy reminder to enjoy each season’s backdrop whether it be sand so hot it burns your heels or the crisp crunch of falling leaves.
Here’s to reliving summer adventures while embracing fall!
