I went camping for the past 2 weekends this summer in the Rocky Mountains and although it’s a lot of work packing and setting everything up, it is fun getting out of the house, away from the computer and offline for a little while to just relax. Here’s some photos of our tent site to start.
I will admit I was a little concerned with ravenous mosquitoes and rain so I got an eating tent as well, which was handy as it did indeed rain pretty hard twice over the weekend so at least some of the stuff was protected and we could sit under the tent and wait for the rain to pass. The funny thing is we were the ONLY people tenting in this area, everyone else had trailers and toy haulers to hide in. It’s definitely more work tenting, but it’s more affordable and still kind of fun. Although it is quite chilly each morning!
Oh and we also went to do some dirt biking….
Um yeah so I’m apparently trying out dirt biking, even though I have no experience riding dirt bikes or motorcycles in general. It’s probably the scariest thing I’ve ever done, but I got all this second hand gear to try it out. And I’m super glad I did!
Let’s just say that I came home with 8 bruises (2 big ones on my legs) and a smashed thumb from dropping the bike on myself and falling over several times going up and down steep rocky hills. It’s not easy learning how to to shift a manual transmission bike and steer and not be scared of crashing going down a giant hill at the same time lol. I’ll be trying it again, but I have to say I’ve never been so sore in my life. I could barely move the next day after coming home because of the bruises on my legs, and my arms and shoulders were exhausted from picking up and pushing the 250 lb bike up and off me and up and down the hills I couldn’t do.
I feel ridiculous in this outfit. The pants are very high waisted and so thick and bulky they make me sweaty. Β I also feel like I’m wearing space boots and an astronaut’s helmut!
Here’s our dirt bikes, my bf so lovingly built this little red one for me. I can’t imagine riding anything more powerful, it already feels beastly enough for me… lol
And now you’re probably thinking I’m insane and wondering what the point of this post was, well I want to show you what I brought for food camping, because a few of you wanted to know if I had any “camping recipes” on Facebook. Well I wouldn’t say recipes, but quick meal ideas because honestly spending time prepping, cooking and cleaning WHILE camping in a tent isn’t my kind of idea of fun. I needed a break from food prep and clean up, so I tried to make everything super simple to prepare. The last thing you want to be is hungry and cranky trying to start a camp fire and reach for snacks instead of a healthy meal.
So here’s my list of the top 6 things I brought for vegan camping to keep things simple and healthy for the weekend
1. The first thing I bring camping is pre washed and cut up fruit, each packaged in their own individual containers. (Ex. watermelon cubes in a giant container, pineapple chunks in a medium container etc.) This ensures that the fruit stays fresher longer so juicy fruits such as watermelon and pineapple don’t speed up the ripening process of berries or change their flavor. I brought watermelon, pineapple, red grapes, blueberries and strawberries. I always do my fruit this way and store it separately as I like fresh tasting fruit and not mushy muddled flavors. Whenever I want some fruit I can just grab a plate and a fork and plate some up for breakfast, a side for lunch or a snack. Almost half of my cooler is packed with large containers of prepared fruit to keep me eating fresh and healthy even in the great outdoors.
2. Veggie kabobs are next on my list because I don’t make them at home very often and it’s kind of fun to cook over the fire or a camp stove. I pre wash and slice up all of my veggies and place them in a container and can easily assemble as many as you like for your side dishes. For my kabobs I used yellow and green zucchini, bell pepper, red onion, and mushrooms. I used a metal grate like this to place over the camp stove or fire to cook them.
Instead of brushing the veggie kabobs with oil, I like to drizzle or marinate them in balsamic vinegar and sprinkle a salt and pepper grinder mix over top of them for roasting. If you really like the veggies to absorb flavor I suggest using a little bag or container to toss and marinate them in balsamic vinegar. I was making mine very quickly and just drizzled a bit on top before grilling.
3. Fresh corn is another fun food to bring camping. I got some fresh corn on the cob (you can find this organic and gmo free from farmer’s markets and some health food stores so please don’t freak out) and put it in the cooler along with my ice. When I went to take it out it was actually soaked in water, and this was quite helpful. Pre soaking your whole corn cobs helps them retain moisture while cooking.
Next peel off just the outer layers of the corn husk, leaving the thin inner layers, wrap the cobs tightly in tinfoil and then place directly on a low fire or hot coals for about 20 minutes just until tender. This was the first time I’ve ever put corn directly on a fire and it turned out great! Camping food doesn’t have to be anything complicated, I just keep it really simple and let me tell you my friends were certainly jealous of my fresh and tasty meals I made!
4. For hearty breakfasts I made a double batch of myΒ Deluxe Dijon Tofu ScrambleΒ and kept the seasoned tofu in one container and the sliced veggies in little bags separately so I could cook as much as I needed each day over the camp stove. Super easy and nice to have a hot breakfast when it’s cold every morning.
5. For fun I also bring some veggie hot dogs and veggie burgers (see my chickpea quinoa burgers, yam black bean burgers and spicy Mexican black bean burgers). You can also get vegan marshmallows as well to roast over the fire.
credit theartfulgourmet.com6. To round out my veggie offerings I also brought mixed salad in little ziploc bags for easy serving and used balsamic vinegar as a quick dressing.
So there you have it, a little insight to my vegan camping adventures and what I bring to keep it simple and healthy in the great outdoors. What do you think? What do you like to bring camping and where do you go camping?
joy
Hi Veronica,
I am planning to go camping ( tent) for one night or 2, to begin with and have been puzzled, how to keep fruit and vegies cold and not get soggy with ice. Also if there was no shop with ice to buy near by, is there any other way to keep food cold and fresh?
Leslie Voorheis
You are absolutely adorable. I was looking for some fresh new vegan camping food ideas and stumbled onto your blog. My boyfriend just invested in a dirt bike and I’m certain will be encouraging me to try riding eventually as well. Your blog inspired me and I might just give riding a shot one of these days. Thanks for the inspiration, both for taking some new risks and for the yummy kabob idea! π
https://www.rebelmouse.com/
Wow that was strange. I just wrote an incredibly long comment
but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t appear.
Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyway,
just wanted to say superb blog!
Megan - The Gluten Free Vegan
Great post Veronica! When it comes to camping and picnic foods sometimes it’s hard to imagine what else there could be to eat instead of hotdogs and hamburgers, so this is a great resource.
Also, love that you tried your hand at dirtbiking. Personally I find dirtbikes more scary than street bikes. I ride a motorbike (a Ninja 650) and I think dirtbiking on uneven rocky, gravelly trails is way more badass – so good for you! (And way to wear the gear. So many people don’t gear up properly and it drives me nuts to see that.)
Enjoy the rest of your summer!
Megan
Low Fat Vegan Chef Veronica
lol Motorcycles seem easy! I am not sure if I can do dirt biking. It’s the going on uneven rocky ground and mud puddles that scares me! I’m not very good at it
Yvonne
Your post of your camping weekend came at the right time. I will be canoeing in Sept for the first time and was looking for vegan low fat meals to cook and not have to take a long time preparing. I will be trying out the meals at home just because they look good enough to eat in the pictures.
I am glad that you are trying new adventures.
Thank you for all the work you do with the blog and in the kitchen.
Yvonne
Low Fat Vegan Chef Veronica
You’re welcome. π
Steve
Interesting and informative! I don’t think I’ve ever seen vegan eating discussed from a camping perspective before. Thanks for sharing! Keep up the good work! I love your recipes.
Low Fat Vegan Chef Veronica
Thanks Steve!
lisa p
we love to camp! we have been backpacking for many years and recently bought a travel trailer which does make things a bit easier. We grill veggies, wrap up potatoes and onions in foil for grill or fire, pasta is easy. Breakfast is oatmeal, pancakes or bagels with lots of fruit, lunch is whole wheat pita with hummus and salad. My friends even do pizza on the grill (vegan cheese)!
Low Fat Vegan Chef Veronica
I also bring pre cooked baby potatoes and then wrap them in aluminum foil and reheat over the fire. π
gna
Hello, I enjoy your website very much and have learned alot about low fat meals. I also know about aluminum foil, it’s notwise to use, it’s been linked to many disease’s, I used it for many years also until I read up on a study about the ill effects of using on and with food.
Best Regards
gna
Low Fat Vegan Chef Veronica
I rarely use aluminum foil. Honestly it’s just for this purpose as everything else gets baked without it at home.
Sue
I dehydrate most ingredients for camping so I can just boil water and pour over pre-cooked quinoa, legumes, etc. I take fruits and veggies that travel well, like apples and carrots. It’s a good idea to check ahead for organic farm stands and farmers markets to do locavore meals. But my very favorite camping ingredient is sprouts! Start lentils, mung beans, broccoli, clover, etc. in cotton bags a few days before you set out so you can just rinse and harvest really fresh ingredients as you need.
Carol
I enjoyed your pictures and your camping receipes. One day I will try them.
God Bless You!
Low Fat Vegan Chef Veronica
Thanks Carol!
Tina Marian
This was a great post! Thanks for your candid discussion.I laughed out loud! I could not imagine even trying a dirt bike, I’m the gal who brakes going down hills on a regular bike!
Low Fat Vegan Chef Veronica
Oh trust me, I brake going downhill on my bicycle too. I had to stop myself from trying to use the brake it’s such a reflex lol.
Marcia
Fun post, thanks! My idea of roughing it is a motel without room service! We stayed at place once that offered log cabins with beds only. You had to bring your own blankets and sheets and use a communal bathroom/shower (one for ladies, one for men). I really hated it. Couldn’t sleep and didn’t want to have to walk to the bathroom in the dark of night. The next morning we had to wait in line to use one of the showers. I was never so glad to get home!
By the way, my husband works at a hospital in the EEG dept. (brain wave tests) and he comes home with stories of people that are not dressed properly (imagine shorts, a halter top and NO helmet…now imagine falling). You were wise, smart, a genius…all of the above, to wear a helmut, the adorable outfit, and the boots. You might have come home bruised and sore, but you lived to tell. Kudos for being such a wise young woman!
Low Fat Vegan Chef Veronica
Oh of course, my bf was very sure to outfit me. He didn’t want me getting hurt and possibly not wanting to go again! lol. This weekend I didn’t fall but I was a little more timid I didn’t go as far.
Louise
Veronica,
You just look great in that outfit !!! Maybe next time, it will be a motorcycle -:)
Thank you for your recipes, they’re so good, and hope you had a great time camping.
L.
Low Fat Vegan Chef Veronica
Thanks Louise. I’m not sure about motorcycles, they go so fast. But riding on the back I can handle sometimes if they don’t go too fast lol.
Joan G
Love the ideas for vegan camp food! And I love tent camping!!! It’s a shame it’s hard to find good camp sites that aren’t overrun with trailers. Anyway, I (I’m 79 and still slept on the ground on an air mattress) went tent camping with 20 + family members last summer near the Wisconsin River and only one grand daughter and I were vegan out of the bunch. We ate veggie burgers, lots of fruit and salads. Our favorite Texas caviar recipe was the hit and eaten by everyone. THanks for all your great vegan recipes!
Low Fat Vegan Chef Veronica
Wow that sounds awesome! I wish i got to go camping with my family. No one really likes camping but me. π
Elainw
Glad you had a good weekend. Soundslike my kind of weeknd. enjoy yoummer ist is much too short this year. Take care. Elaine
Eva
I have made your quinoa, chickpea, sweet potato burgers this weekend and it is on the top of my list. I made them for our staff meeting at work and had some for the family. Instead of burgers I put the mixture in a baking sheet for cookies and put parchment paper on the bottom, baked at 350 for 30 min. Sooo good.
Thanks Veronica
Low Fat Vegan Chef Veronica
Oh I’m glad you enjoyed them π
Traci
Can’t believe you posted this…only a week late. We just went camping with our family members in up state New York–right on Lake Ontario. We camped in cabins with electricity, which made things a bit easier. I prepared most of our food ahead of time and froze it. I took our crock pot and the toaster oven. I suppose this is considered “cheating,” but the good news is I turned our family onto vegan food! My nephew asked his mom for “vegan night” once a week, and I emailed her some of my favorite recipes once we got home. Thanks for sharing your tips and pics…looks like you had some fun!
Low Fat Vegan Chef Veronica
This was from last week, I just got back from camping this weekend too π
Kelly S.
Great ideas! Thanks!
p.s. You look adorable in the outfit! π
Low Fat Vegan Chef Veronica
lol thanks
MarieRoxanne
What do you know? Corn on the cob over the fire doesn’t pop into popcorn… Darn, that would have been fun!
Everything you have is great and looks fresh, I am sure they were drooling over your breakfast sandwich! Maybe your friends took notes for the next camping trip.
MarieRoxanne
sorry, not a breakfast sandwich… I was reading the text and pictures wrong… ha ha
Low Fat Vegan Chef Veronica
lol yes only DRIED corn will pop into popcorn. π
Jo
Looooooove the pics and the outfit!!!! Never thought we would see that! Good for you! Thanks for posting!
Ashley
I’m curious about leaving the silks and thin layer of corn husk on the corn when grilling. Wouldn’t you have to wait until the corn cools to strip the silks? I’d rather eat corn warm. Any reason not to just clean the corn completely and then wrap in foil?
Delisa Renideo
I’ve grilled corn with the silks and husks on and it works great! When you peel the husks back, it pulls everyone off with it. Not hard to do. Another option is to peel the husks back, but leave them attached, before cooking, remove the silks, then put the husks back in place to protect the corn.
I don’t want foil touching anything I’m going to eat because the aluminum contributes to Alzheimer’s. I need all my brain cells working for a long time, yet.
Low Fat Vegan Chef Veronica
Hi Ashley, it’s to protect the corn from burning. And no you don’t have to wait until the corn cools to remove the silk, you can use tongs, or gloves. The corn is SO hot that it retains heat for a while so even after it’s peeled I let it sit on the plate and eat my veggies first. Corn on the cob retains heat for a while so it doesn’t cool down too fast to eat. The wet corn silks also help steam the corn to cook it so it’s moist and cooks faster. It’s not the same just with aluminum foil.
Kim
Wow! Everything looks amazing! Beautiful!
Just discovered your site and youtube videos! Can’t wait to try some of your recipes!