A Virtual Picnic, Acadia National Park & Cookbook Giveaway

I’ve been feasting this week with the Novel Bakers, inspired by The Forest Feast Gatherings: Simple Vegetarian Menus for Hosting Friends & Family by Erin Gleeson. If you missed our review, you can find Part 1 with a Floral/Edible Table Runner, Butternut Hummus and Endive Bar; and Part 2 with Easy Tray Centerpieces, a Pear-Thyme Galette, and Salted Fudge with Cinnamon.

I’m ending the week of feasting fun with a virtual picnic and inspiration from The Forest Feast Gatherings with a cookbook giveaway.

My picnic basket is packed for feasting in the forest at Jordan Pond in Acadia National Park. You can see highlights of our Coastal Maine Getaway in October, here.

We spent one too brief day in Acadia National Park. These photos were taken along the trail at Jordan Pond, a glacially carved valley, and Acadia’s deepest and clearest lake with depths of 150 feet.

It was overcast the day we were there but the scenery was green, lush, and beautiful around the 3.3 mile loop trail with view of the mountains, known as the the Bubbles, reflected in the pond.

The trail follows the shore of Jordan Pond providing iconic views of steep, glacially sculpted mountains.

The leaves were just beginning to turn when we were there in early October. I can only imagine how beautiful it is when the fall color peaks.

My picnic basket is packed to feast along the forest path by the pond!

Let’s start with Ginger-Mint Lemonade to quench our thirst. . .

Add some chopped fresh ginger and mint to your lemonade, and blend to infuse the flavor, then strain.

Orzo-Black Bean Salad is an easy and delicious addition to your picnic basket!

The orzo is combined with black beans, red bell pepper, corn, cilantro, and red onion. If you’re not a cilantro fan, substitute parsley or omit. I omitted the red onion since we’re not raw onion fans. Our salad is packed in jars so it’s portable.

The dressing is a combination of lime, olive oil and chili powder. You can make the salad ahead.

Pesto-cucumber wraps are on the picnic menu. I recommend adding some chopped sundried tomatoes to go with the cream cheese and pesto filling!

 The trail path along the east side of Jordan Pond is an easy walk on a compact/dirt surface. A left on the trail, travels the west side first, mostly on a long section of wooden planks over a boggy area. The north end of the west side is rugged as it traverses uneven granite.

It’s not a hard trail to walk but I found myself having to concentrate and look down to stay on the crooked path of the plank walk.

We’re feasting on Salted Fudge with Cinnamon for dessert.

You can find the recipe, here.

You can find Jain @ a quiet life’s Forest Feast picnic in Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve, here.

The Forest Feast Gatherings is an inspiring reference for anyone who wants to share good food with good friends, simply, easily, and beautifully.

I’m giving away one copy of The Forest Feast Gatherings in celebration of feasting and gathering season.

To enter the giveaway and for a chance to win this cookbook, tell me your favorite part of the Thanksgiving feast or menu.

Subscribers/followers automatically get a second entry. Subscribe by email or follow on Facebook and let me know by comment.

For a third entry, share this giveaway on Pinterest or Facebook and leave an additional comment telling me so.

(The FB sharing button is at the bottom of this post and the Pin/Save button pops up on the upper left corner of each photo).

This giveaway is open to those living in the continental U.S. and is sponsored by me and in no way endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook or Pinterest.

A winner will be chosen December 2nd.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

Thank you for your visit!