Perfecting The Picnic

With over 300 days of sunshine, Colorado is the perfect picnic state! Whether it is in Denver at Jazz in the Park or in the mountains on a hike, Coloradans are always enjoying the great outdoors. Here a few ways to elevate the traditional picnic. RECIPE: Salad in a Jar Salad Ingredients:

• handful fresh spinach or spring greens
• 1/2 cup fresh cherries, quartered
• 1/2 cup chopped cucumber
• handful raw walnuts
• 1/4 cup shaved Parrano cheese

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1 tbs brown mustard
• 1 tbs maple syrup
• juice of two lemons
• 1 tbs dried herbs of your choice (I used oregano)
• 2 tbs olive oil
• cracked black pepper to taste
• ground sea salt to taste

Preparation: 1. Add all dressing ingredients to a quart mason jar and shake to combine 2. Add the cherries and chopped cucumber to the bottom of the jar (this allows them to marinate and not get the other ingredients too soggy) 3. Top it off and add in your fresh greens, raw walnuts and Parrano cheese 4. Cap up the jar and with ribbon or burlap, attach a fork. Now, it is ready to be packed up for your picnic.     Ingredients:

• Basil leaves
• Parrano Cheese
• Blackberries
• Mint leaves
• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Blueberries