Summer - time for barbeque. But besides roast on the grill or rotisserie meats, there are other tasty and healthy food for summer holidays. It should be approached with imagination to the formation of the menu for a picnic and to include not only meat, but also salads, appetizers and delicious desserts. And then a meal in nature will be unforgettable.

No harm for health

What could be more beautiful than enjoying the outdoors on a fine summer day? Even if the holidays are still far away, you can spend great time with friends or arranging a family meal in the countryside. But to a picnic was a success, you need to prepare for it carefully. And it starts with the choice of preparation is usually a menu for such a holiday.

What are the foods for a picnic? Most importantly - safe. In hot weather, food poisoning - it is not uncommon, even if the food stored in the refrigerator. And if cooked meals for a long time to carry the heat to the place of rest, that is, they can be quite risky. Therefore, for a summer holiday in nature is necessary to choose foods that will not spoil for a couple of hours in the heat.

This means that you have to cancel a number of products, for example, sausage, minced meat products, cream cakes and pies, salads and sandwiches with mayonnaise, and many others. In fact, the danger may be any food that relies stored in the refrigerator. Without fear, you can only use fresh (of course, thoroughly washed), fruits and vegetables, bread and biscuits. The relative safety of products for industrial manufacturing with a lot of preservatives - of course, except those that are intended for storage in the refrigerator.

To menu as a result was not too monotonous, those who often go on picnics, it is advisable to purchase a cooler bag in which to keep the food fresh for a long time (the exact time will tell manufacturers of bags). In such a bag can be brought into place for barbecue marinated products, fresh salads, snacks and desserts.

Main dish

Barbecue recipes there are so many meat marinated in wine and lemon juice, mayonnaise and yogurt Kefir: a unique drink for health and harmony , In herbs and tomato paste. Probably every cook has his own recipe for the marinade. Generally, a pickle must contain acids, aromatic substances, and if the lean meat, and then fat. At the same time experts recommend avoiding vinegar marinade that coarsen the taste of meat. Salt marinade is also undesirable, it can make a barbecue too dry.

Instead of the traditional pork or lamb can be used poultry meat, such as chicken. Chicken skewers cooked very quickly, has an amazing taste and at the same time is cheap. Generally, in poultry is added to pickles garlic, pepper, thyme, parsley, curry, ginger and other spices in various combinations. The basis of the marinade can be a yogurt, buttermilk, mayonnaise, vegetable oil, or simply mashed tomatoes.

Very tasty and the fish on the barbecue, and thus it is possible to prepare not only salmon, but also any other fatty fish. Marinades for fish is usually prepared from lemon juice with butter, salt, pepper and herbs. It is enough to coat the pieces of fish with this mixture and leave for half an hour so that you can prepare flavorful and tender dish.

Finally, do not neglect and vegetarian kebab of vegetables and mushrooms, roasted on the grill. To prepare this dish suitable meaty tomatoes, peppers, baby carrots, onions, squash, zucchini and eggplant. All vegetables should be cut into thin slices and marinate in a mixture of oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Small mushrooms can be baked whole, large cut along better. Mushrooms also marinated with vegetables and then baked until tender. There are vegetables on the barbecue can be as a separate dish or as a side dish to meat kebab.

And for dessert?

Before dessert on picnics usually it is not an issue, but if you plan to attend the event children, it is useful to grab more fruits and cookies or gingerbread. It is better to give up sweets in chocolate glaze that the heat required to melt and flow.

Perfect dessert for the picnic will also cupcakes or muffins with berries. Fruit fillings will be very useful, and cream and custards are better left to the cooler weather.

Not only outings

Summer vacation - it's not just a picnic, but also, for example, living in the country. Not all food in cottages are equipped with the latest technology, and cook in the hot summer days pickles are usually not desirable. Therefore, as a rule, a summer holiday in the country involves a fairly simple food. This does not mean, of course, that food should be unappetizing dishes prepared with fresh ingredients of good quality, always distinguished by excellent taste and aroma. A good product does not need too complicated processing, it is enough to emphasize the natural beauty of the natural flavors.

From appetizers come to the fore various vegetable salads Vegetable salads: the generous gift of nature . It is better to abandon the heavy mayonnaise dressings and a sprinkle of fresh vegetables with lemon juice and fragrant olive or sunflower oil. Salad can be not only accompaniment to meat or fish, but also a full-fledged independent dish. For example, if you add to the usual salad of cucumbers, tomatoes and onions cut into cubes of cheese, get famous Shopska salad, so popular in the Balkans.

Main courses in the summer, too, may well be a vegetarian or even meat-free. Potato pancakes and fritters squash, a variety of vegetable casserole with eggs and cheese, spaghetti with vegetable sauce and vegetable risotto Risotto - rice porridge in Italian   - A few dishes that can be prepared. It will be appropriate and a variety of mushroom dishes. A delicious fruit compotes and cakes stuffed with vegetables (cabbage, potatoes, leeks) and fruit (apples, pears, cherries) will be the crowning achievement of a summer meal.

Maria Bykov