Fire up the grill and break out the picnic blankets—Red, White, and BBQ is your ticket to a Fourth of July feast that sizzles with summer spirit. Whether you are gathering in the backyard, heading to a park, or staking out your spot for the fireworks, this picnic is all about bold flavors, plant-forward bites, and pre-event prep. Epicurean Group highlights these favorite recipes from our Farmers Street and LiveWell Summer series. Celebrate freedom this holiday by having your grilling and cooking done before the party starts.

Lentil BBQ Meatballs

Servings: 4 / 18 meatballs

Pack these bites up to serve in a sandwich, wrap, or as a side dish for our festive Southwestern Confetti Salad (recipe below).

• 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed 2 Tbsp water
• 2 Tbsp olive oil ½ cup onion, diced medium 2 cups mushrooms, coarsely chopped
• 1-1/2 cups brown lentils, cooked
• ½ cup brown rice, cooked
• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
• ½ Tsp kosher salt
• ¼ Tsp garlic powder
• 1 Tsp dried basil
• 2/3 cup old-fashioned oats
• 2-3 Tbsp BBQ sauce, divided (homemade or store bought)
• 2 ½ Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1. In a small bowl, whisk flaxseed and water to make a “flax egg.” Set aside.
2. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 TBSP of olive oil to a large pan, along with onions and mushrooms. Cook until fully translucent. Set aside.
3. Put cooked lentils, sautéed onions and mushrooms, rice, flax egg, cilantro, salt, garlic powder, dried basil, oats, 1 TBSP BBQ sauce, and Worcestershire sauce in a food processor. Blend all ingredients together. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. If the mixture is too wet, refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. Form into 1 ½” balls. Place on parchment-lined sheet pan sprayed with oil.
5. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes, flipping once as they start to crisp. Another option is to fry them for 2 min.

Recipe adapted from https://veganwithcurves.com/bbq-lentil-balls/

Southwestern Confetti Salad

Servings: 4

The beauty of this grilled summer salad is its ability to be completed ahead of time and how well it stores for travel. Adding a whole grain turns the recipe into a complete meal when accompanied by our BBQ Lentil Meatballs or any protein of choice.

Salad

• 1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears) with husk on but silks removed
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into ½” thick slices
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 red onion, peeled and sliced into ½” rings
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1 cup grated carrot
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1/2 cup diced plum tomato
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 cups black beans, cooked

Dressing

• 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp minced seeded pickled jalapeño peppers
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. Soak the corn in a bowl of cold water for 15 minutes (optional step). Preheat grill.
2. Lightly rub the corn, zucchini, red bell, and onion slices with olive oil and grill until marks appear and vegetables are soft. Each vegetable will need a different amount of time, but don’t be shy. Let the veggies get real grill marks for the best flavor and caramelization. Flip the grill about ½ halfway through cooking time.
3. When ready, remove vegetables from grill. Let cool, then slice corn off the cob. Dice red bells into small squares. In a large bowl, combine grilled vegetables with remaining ingredients (brown rice – black beans). Set aside.
4. For dressing, combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Adjust seasoning as needed.
5. Toss dressing into vegetables mix, cover and chill at least 1 hour before serving. For best results – save a bit of dressing and mix into the salad right before service.