Easy Plant-Based Camping Meals Your Family Will Love

Source: Shutterstock

Your Family Will Love These Camping Meal Ideas

More RVers than ever are looking to plant-based diets with an eye to healthier eating and reducing environmental impact. Aside from those benefits, plant based camping meals can be an amazing adventure into delicious and sometimes decadent flavor combinations. It offers the opportunity to try new recipes, whether cooked over a campfire, or grilled on a barbecue. In this article, you’ll find delicious breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes all made from wholesome plant-based ingredients. They’re all super-easy, fast and fun to prepare too.

Breakfast

Orange Campfire Muffins

This is a fun way to bake, yummy, orange flavoured muffins over the campfire to enjoy with your morning coffee. For this recipe, you’ll need a half box of your favourite dairy-free muffin mix and 8 oranges. Cut each orange in half, and scoop out the insides. This will leave you with 2 orange peel half “shells”. Mix up the muffin mix as directed. Fill one half shell with muffin batter, and carefully put the other half on top. Carefully wrap in foil and bake over the campfire coals. The orange shells impart a delightful orange flavour to these round muffins.

For this recipe you’ll need:

• 1 campfire
• 8 medium sized oranges
• Foil
• 1 box of your favourite muffin mix and required ingredients/
• Optional: raisins, diced fruit, nuts etc

Directions:

1. Light campfire
2. Cut eight 12-by-12-inch pieces from foil
3. Cut oranges in half and them scoop out. Keep halves of each orange together
4. Mix muffin mix according to directions
5. Fill one half of each orange with muffin batter
6. Cover with the other orange half “shell”
7. Wrap in a square of foil
8. Repeat until the batter is used and all the oranges are filled and wrapped in foil
9. Place close to coals or on grill over coals
10. “Bake” for about 15–20 minutes

Easy Overnight Oats

Source: shutterstock

Overnight oats in a jar is a hearty, nutritious make-ahead breakfast that requires almost zero effort. Simply put the ingredients in a Mason jar (or other container), screw the lid on, and wait overnight for a delicious start to your day. I prefer to use soy milk for an extra hit of protein. Here’s how to do it:

For each serving you’ll need:

• 1 jar or other container
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup organic soy milk or other non-dairy milk

Optional:

• Drizzle pure maple syrup
• Sprinkle of cinnamon
• Berries, seasonal fruit, chopped dates or raisins
• Banana slices
• Chopped walnuts, brazil nuts or almonds
• Hemp seeds
• Chia seeds
• Pumpkin protein powder

Directions:

• Combine the oats, non-dairy milk, and other ingredients in a jar or other container. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• In the morning, these oats are delicious cold. However, if you prefer them warm, just heat them in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Top with optional toppings. My favorite combination is with chopped apples, cinnamon, walnuts, dates and a drizzle of maple syrup.
• That’s it! Enjoy!

Tofu Scramble

Tofu scramble is a delicious way to get your day started. This versatile recipe can be eaten wrapped in a fresh, warm tortilla with cooked rice and a sprinkle of vegan cheese, with avocado, peppers and tomato, or served with campfire toast and hash browns. Prep the tofu at home to make breakfast a breeze.

• 1  block of firm/extra firm tofu, drained
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon chile flakes (crushed chilies) (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon tahini (adds creaminess)
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1/3 cup (120 mL) soya milk, (or other plant milk)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil
• 1 small onion, diced finely
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 green or red bell pepper diced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Crumble the tofu into a bowl
2. Mix in turmeric, garlic powder, onion powder, chili flakes, smoked paprika, tahini, nutritional yeast, and soya milk. Combine thoroughly and set aside
3. Heat oil in a frying pan
4. Add the onions and allow to heat until slightly golden
5. Add garlic and green pepper. Stir
6. Cook, stirring occasionally until the green pepper gets a little tender
7. Now add the tofu mixture, combining thoroughly with veggies
8. Continue cooking until the veggies are thoroughly cooked and some of the liquid evaporates so that the scrambled tofu reaches a creamy consistency
9. Serve wrapped in a warm tortilla with cooked rice, avocado and a little salsa or beside slices of warm toast and has browns

Lunch

These recipes are perfectly simple and work for busy camping and travel days.

Protein Packed Chickpea Tabbouleh

Tabbouleh is a delicious pasta salad that’s made with couscous, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and herbs. Couscous is a staple in Middle Eastern cuisines but it’s ease of preparation makes it an ideal food for camping too. It’s a miniscule wheat pasta that’s prepared by adding boiling water and allowing it to sit for less than 5 minutes. This version of tabbouleh utilizes whole wheat couscous and canned chickpeas to add protein and flavor. You can prepare it before leaving home, but it’s quick and easy to prepare when you’re camping too!

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups  whole wheat couscous; Moroccan couscous is best for this recipe
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups boiling water
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 1 can low-sodium chickpeas
• ½ onion, finely diced
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves, minced
• 2 cups fresh parsley leaves and/or chopped mixed salad greens
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice 
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic

Directions

1. In a heatproof bowl (or saucepan), pour boiling water over couscous. Add salt mix with fork and allow to sit, fluffing with a fork until it resembles cooked rice and is al dente tender. Allow to cool
2. Mix in chickpeas, cucumbers, onions tomatoes, mint, parsley and greens
3. Prepare the tabouleh dressing in a cup: Combine olive oil, lemon juice, pepper, garlic. Pour over the tabbouleh. Mix everything together
4. For the best flavor, refrigerate for 30 minutes or more

Crushed Chickpea and Artichoke Salad Sandwiches

Easy to make ahead, this delicious Mediterranean style recipe works equally well as a sandwich filler or straight out of the bowl as a salad. Have it on a baguette with some fresh lettuce and/or basil leaves for an out of this world sandwich.

Ingredients

• 1 can chickpeas drained
• 1 can artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed, and cut into strips
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped
• 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
• 1/2 English cucumber, chopped
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1/2 tsp tarragon
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp Olive oil
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Use a potato masher or big spoon to smash about 2/3 of the chickpeas into a consistency that works well for a sandwich filling
2. Mix in the artichoke hearts, bell pepper, olives, onion, cucumber, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and herbs. Mix together and season with salt and pepper as needed
3. Enjoy on its own, or use as a filling for pita wraps, or as a filling between slabs of nice, crusty french or Italian bread

Dinner Ideas

Simple and delicious, smokey plant-based burgers grilled over a campfire will always be a family favorite for camping. However, here are some healthy plant-based camping dinners that are just as easy to prepare.

Campfire Grilled Veggies

The marinade and campfire smoke complements the flavours of the mushrooms vegetables in this recipe perfectly. That being said, the longer the veggies marinate, the more marinade flavor they pick up, so you can prepare this recipe well ahead of time. Experiment by adding drained and pressed tofu slices, sliced sweet potatoes, peppers etc to the selection of veggies in this recipe. This recipe is perfect for grilling over a campfire, but it would also work well on a gas barbecue.

Ingredients  

• 4 portobello mushrooms
• 1 thick sliced onion I like red, but use what you have
• 12 Grape tomatoes
• 1 Green pepper
• 2 plant-based Italian sausages cut in 1-inch pieces

Marinade

• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp Bragg Sauce (soy sauce alternative)
• 2 tbsp HP Sauce (you can also use vegan worcestershire sauce)
• 1–2 cloves garlic crushed and chopped finely
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp liquid smoke

Directions

Prepare the Veggies

1. Wash and dry all of your veggies
2. Cut the peppers into bite sized bits
3. Slice the onion into 1/4 thick slices
4. Put the mushrooms, veggies and tofu (if using) into a marinating tray. Be sure the mushrooms are gill side up

Marinate, Grill, Enjoy

1. Blend all of the marinade ingredients together until they form a beautifully aromatic marinade
2. Pour the marinade over the gills of the mushrooms, the other veggies and the tofu, if using
3. Allow the mushrooms and veggies to marinate for 30 minutes or longer
4. Place the marinated veggies, mushrooms, tofu and plant-based sausages into a flat grill basket
5. Slowly grill over a fire until the veggies are cooked and the onions are soft and caramelized
6. Enjoy!

Veggie-Stuffed Foil Packs

Besides being simple to assemble and easy to cook, veggie stuffed packs are simply delicious. Something about enclosing all of these different flavors in an aluminum foil and cooking them over a campfire makes them super tasty. It’s really no wonder foil packs are a family camping favorite.

Ingredients

• 2 small zucchini, cut into 1 inch half moons
• 1 large bell pepper, cut into large chunks
• 4 medium size, Yukon Gold potatoes
• 2 onions quartered
• A handful of fresh basil or a few sprigs of rosemary
• 2 cobs of corn, cut into about 3 inch pieces
• 1 package of plant-based sausages cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons of vegan butter
• 1 teaspoon of minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Start a campfire so there are hot coals to cook over or preheat the barbecue.
2. Cut two large pieces of heavy-duty foil. If you don’t happen to have heavy duty foil, don’t worry. You can also use two layers of lighter-weight foil.
3. Divide all of the vegetables and sausage pieces evenly into two portions. Place each portion on one piece of foil.
4. Dot with vegan butter and sprinkle on seasonings so they are well distributed.
5. Fold the longest sides of the foil up, and seal the edges by wrapping them over one another.
6. Place the foil packs on a grill over the fire and grill for about 20 minutes.
7. Open carefully and ENJOY!

Conclusion

Concerns for health, the environment, animal welfare, and rising food prices have more RVers than ever exploring the benefits of a more plant-based diet. And it seems plant-based eating is a perfect choice for camping because veggies and vegetable products travel well and are easy to prepare.

There’s no need to worry about doing without tasty food when you’re camping because you’ll still have plenty of healthy options for delicious, easy-to-prepare plant-based meals when you’re camping.

The post Easy Plant-Based Camping Meals Your Family Will Love appeared first on RV LIFE.

Source: https://rvlife.com/easy-plant-based-camping-meals-your-family-will-love/