Now that you’re in an Earth Day frame of mind, why not get outdoors and continue to celebrate Mother Nature with sunny day picnics? The following recipes offer bright new twists on good old fashioned picnic favorites. Why not retire that boring hamburger for a tasty homemade lentil burger or free-range lamburger instead? Or snack on freshly made tortilla chips and zesty salsa instead of the usual packaged fare?

Besides adding exciting and nutritious new flavors to your life, these recipes will help you take advantage of the bounty you’ll find at farmers markets in the coming months. The cookbooks referenced below will give you even more ideas: They aim to feature the best of whole, organic, natural and seasonal cuisine. All of the following recipes serve about four to six picnickers, and would be fine to prepare the evening before your venture out.

Instead of overly greasy and salty chips served with store-bought sour cream dip, try this refreshing and addictive combination.

Adapted from Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt on Vegetables (Gibbs Smith, 2006).

Use whatever mushrooms you can find in-season to highlight their at-peak earthy flavors. Adapted from The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook (Whitecap, 1998).

Your picnic partiers will surely appreciate the time you put into preparing home-baked tortilla chips and freshly made tangy salsa. These chips have robust flavor, and will fill your home with a wonderful aroma as they bake. Adapted from The Splendid Grain (William Morrow, 1998).

To make tortillas: Put the masa harina in a mixing bowl and stir in the water and herbs. Knead thoroughly for about 3 minutes, or until the dough forms a smooth, silky mass that does not stick to your hands. It should be moist and pliable enough that a pinch of dough will easily press flat when pushed between your fingertips. Cover the dough and let it rest for at least 5 minutes, or refrigerate it for up to 24 hours.

With moistened hands, divide the dough into 12 balls. Roll each ball between your palms until smooth. Cover the balls with plastic wrap to keep them from drying out. With a rolling pin, press each ball into a tortilla about 6 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick.

Heat a heavy ungreased skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Bake the tortillas, one at a time, for 30 seconds on the first side, 1 minute on the opposite side, and another 30 seconds on the first side. There should be several light brown spots. The tortilla should puff up a bit, then deflate as it cooks. Keep finished tortillas stacked and tightly wrapped in a cloth.

To make chips: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the water, salt and chili powder in a spray bottle. Shake to dissolve the salt. Lightly mist both sides of each tortilla.

Stack 3 tortillas at a time on a cutting board. Cut into wedges. Place tortilla wedges in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, or until chips are well crisped.

This traditional variant of tomato salsa is intensely pungent. Adapted from Joy of Cooking (Scribner, 2006)

Way better than any iceberg salad you’ve ever had, this gorgeous salad will knock the socks off your picnicking friends! Feel free to experiment with various colorful greens and edible flowers. Adapted from The Edible Rainbow Garden (Periplus, 2000).

If you like sweet-tart-crunchy-tangy cole slaw, you’ll love this interesting variation. No added sweeteners are required, because beets and apples are sweet enough. Feel free to experiment with other firm fruits and vegetables, too, such as carrots, turnips and pears. Adapted from The Go Green East Harlem Cookbook (Jones Books, 2008).

Take a break from lame mayo-and-mustard-based potato salads, and let fresh peas and marble-sized new potatoes take center stage. Adapted from Serving Up the Harvest (Storey, 2007).

This  mix makes fine burger patties to slide into a bun, but you can also cook smaller portions and stuff them into pita pockets. Adapted from 366 Delicious Ways to Cook Rice, Beans, and Grains (Plume, 1998).

Find free-range lamb producers near you at Eat Wild and Local Harvest. Adapted from The Farmer and the Grill: A Guide to Grilling, Barbecuing and Spit-Roasting Grassfed Meat (Left to Write Press, 2008).

This exotic version of chicken salad takes advantage of the complex flavors found in pasture-raised poultry, and the smoky depth an open fire gives it. Adapted from The Farmer and the Grill: A Guide to Grilling, Barbecuing and Spit-Roasting Grassfed Meat (Left to Write Press, 2008).

This tangy Mediterranean bean salad will stand in nicely for a predictable three bean salad. Adapted from 366 Delicious Ways to Cook Rice, Beans and Grains (Plume, 1998).

If you’re a fan of freshly made hummus served with pita bread, you’ll want to try this wonderful new way to prepare it. The spicy pesto adds flavor, but also a nice bright color. Instead of serving this classic dip with bread, serve it alongside matchstick carrots, kohlrabi, zucchini, peppers, cucumbers or eggplant. Adapted from Blue Eggs and Yellow Tomatoes (Running Press, 2008).

To make the pesto: Combine the cilantro, parsley, green onions, jalapenos, olive oil and garlic in a food processor, and blend until smooth. Using a rubber spatula, transfer the pesto to a small bowl; season with salt and pepper to taste. Do not wash the processor bowl.

To make the hummus: Drain the garbanzo beans, reserving 1/2 cup of the liquid. Combine the garbanzo beans, reserved liquid, lemon juice, tahini, olive oil and garlic in the processor bowl, and process until smooth. Season with salt to taste. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl.

To serve: Make an indentation in the center of the hummus with a large spoon. Spoon the pesto into the indentation and swirl gently.

Adapted from The New Whole Grains Cookbook (Chronicle Books, 2007).

Far less syrupy and bland than standard fruit salads, this sweet-tart mixture will have your toes tingling! Adapted from The Go Green East Harlem Cookbook (Jones Books, 2008)

Last — but definitely not least! — don’t forget to bring along a scrumptious and refreshing dessert. On hot days, make this treat extra-refreshing by letting it chill in your cooler until serving time. Adapted from The Tofu Cookbook (Thorsons, 1998).

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