Outdoor cooking: How to eat (almost) like at home
Managing food while camping or on an expedition can be complicated without a minimum of preparation. To make your meals in nature a real success, we have established 5 tips that will allow you to prepare, perform and enjoy your meals while camping, hiking and outdoors.
1. Protection against animals
Remember to bring a bear food barrel along with a rope to hang the barrel or a waterproof bag with food in it. In addition, we avoid leaving food and toiletries in the tent during the day. You might come back and have some little surprises!
2. Meal planning
On a day trip or a multi-day trip, the best way to eat is to eat two hot meals at the camp: breakfast and dinner. Breakfast should be high in carbohydrates to provide plenty of energy at the start of the day. Supper will be nutritious, comforting and hearty. Between these two meals, we will be able to feed ourselves from race food. Running foods are nutritious snacks such as nuts, soft bars, dried fruit that will give us enough energy to keep going without forcing us to stop to cook up a meal.
The ultimate racing lifestyle is the GORP. The good old reliable peanuts is a flavorful, ultra-calorie blend of nuts, grains, supporting, easy-to-eat dried fruit. You can cook a savory, sweet or both.
When planning meals for multi-day trips, we recommend that you make an Excel file with all the foods your menu requires with their energy intake to ensure you meet caloric needs.
Tip: Prepare the foods you can in advance and proportion in reusable plastic bags your spices, dry ingredients, dehydrated food, etc.
In order for you to exercise your culinary skills to the fullest, you will need the necessary kitchen equipment such as:
- Stove and fuel
- Bowl (2 saucepan sizes, with a frying pan)
- Spatula
- Mixing spoon
- Colander (sometimes included in the lid of the bowl)
- Measuring cup or your tumbler / water bottle if it's graduated may do well.
- Water purifier
- Roast rack
- Pliers
- Pocket knife or multi-purpose knife
- The necessary for the dishes (collapsible basin, dish soap)
- Your recipe cards
4. Tips that give flavor
Salt and pepper are the basic spices to bring with you. Spices enhance the taste of dishes and make us travel. So why go without it when camping? Here is our selection of handy spices to bring with you to give your recipe a little extra something:
- A mixture of Basil, Thyme, Oregano
- Zaatar: This Israeli spice is made from sumac, toasted sesame seeds, thyme, and sea salt. It is delicious with yogurt dips, eggs, chicken or vegetables.
- Curry mix
- Garlic powder
- Soy sauce or tamari
- Olive oil (stored in a container that is in a plastic bag to prevent damage)
- Hot sauce such as Tabasco or Sriracha for fans
- Diced vegetable, chicken or beef broth ready to use.
Trick : If you need to marinate meat, vegetables or tofu, prepare it at home, freeze ahead and thaw when you go. The food will be full of flavor and will stay fresh.
5. Our favorite recipes just like at home
After several expeditions and a lot of experimentation, we have selected 3 recipes comfort-food that require little preparation and will warm your heart. Energy needs increase during strenuous outdoor activities. It is said that an individual should consume between 3200 and 4500 calories depending on the activity performed. We must have enough food and water to meet these needs, but also to support us psychologically. There is nothing more heartwarming than a well-deserved meal after a strenuous climb.
This miso-based soup is rich in protein, full of nutrients and B-complex vitamins. This recipe from the renowned book Outdoor gastronomy by Odile Dumaisis very easy to do will be ready in less than 30 minutes. Here's what you'll need to make it:
- 1 liter of water.
- 100 g egg noodles ¼ tsp. garlic powder (1 clove of garlic)
- 1 C. 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger
- 1 C. of dried parsley
- 1 C. dried mint
- 1 C. of dried lemon zest
- 1 C. red pepper flakes ¼ cup dried mushrooms 1 tbsp. of miso
Preparation:
At home: Pack all the dry ingredients in a bag. Put the miso paste aside and the fresh ingredients in another bag.
When camping: Bring the liter of water to a boil. Pour all the dry, fresh ingredients into the boiling water and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and mix the miso paste with a serving of hot broth. Pour into the soup. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
2.Chile sin carne
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 Cubanel pepper, seeded and diced (or 1 jalapeño)
- 30 ml (2 tbsp.) Olive oil
- 45 ml (3 tbsp.) Chili powder
- 2.5 ml (½ teaspoon) ground cumin
- 1 can 19 oz (540 ml) white beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can 19 oz (540 ml) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can of 796 ml (28 oz) diced tomatoes
- 30 ml (2 tbsp.) Ketchup
- Tabasco sauce, to taste
In a large pot, brown the peppers, onion and chili peppers in the oil. Add garlic, spices and sauté for about 5 minutes. Salt and pepper.
Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for about 45 minutes, stirring frequently.
- 1 2/3 cups quick cooking oats
- 1/2 cup spelled flour
- 1 cup PRANA organic raw European almonds
- 3/4 cup PRANA organic apple juice cranberries
- 1/2 cup of dried blueberries
- 1 C. real organic Ceylon ground cinnamon
- 1 C. sea salt
- 3/4 cup PRANA organic blanched almond butter
- 3/4 cup maple syrup
- 3 tbsp. tablespoon of water
- 6 c. of melted PRANA organic raw coconut oil, and a little more to grease the mold
PREPARATION
Preheat the oven to 180 ° C (350 ° F), line a 9 ”x13” pan with parchment paper and grease with a little coconut oil.
In a food processor, finely chop the almonds and cranberries. * Note that the bars hold together better when the pieces are small.
In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients, including the dried fruit.
In a small bowl, combine the wet ingredients with a hand mixer.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix until the dough is smooth.
Pour the ingredients into the prepared pan and, with plastic wrap or parchment paper in your hands, press the mixture firmly to pile it evenly.
Place in preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until edges are golden.
Bon appétit campers!