5 Easy Camping Recipes

I decided to give you five of my easiest recipes that kids love. They can be easily prepared while camping and they are all vegan and gluten free, to fit the needs of children with various sensitivities.

1. Chinese noodles with tempeh: 10 min

Ingredients: a package of brown rice vermicelli, package of tempeh, some tamari sauce (wheat free soy sauce), orange or lemon juice (optional).

Brown rice vermicelli is available in most supermarkets. If they only carry white variety ask them to order the brown variety. The cost is minimally higher.

Tempeh is a fermented soy product, similar to tofu, but fairly unprocessed. You can see the beans in it. Unfermented soy is not healthy for humans, but unfortunately it replaced fermented soy in tofu production. But if you prefer tofu you can substitute it for tempeh. Tempeh is available in most health food stores.

Preparation: Cube and marinate tempeh in a mixture of tamari and orange or lemon juice. In a pot boil water and put noodles in the water. Bring to a boil and turn off heat. Keep in a covered pot for ten minutes till most of the water is absorbed by the noodles. Then add the cubes of tempeh and some tamari to the noodles.

You can garnish the noodles with green onions. They also go well with steamed broccoli. How to steam broccoli without the steamer? Simply add the broccoli florets to the pot on top of the noodles. They should be ready when the noodles are.

2. Chilli: simmer for a few hours

I think that chilli is already a camping staple for many people.

Ingredients: dry red bens (kidney or adzuki), onion, corn, tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic and spices, jalapeno pepper for spice lovers (or cayenne).

Soak the beans and rinse. Simmer the beans for at least an hour or two before adding other ingredients. Add chopped onion, mushrooms, broccoli, celery, zucchini, corn, tomatoes and tomato paste, garlic cloves or powder, other spices to taste. Cook for another 15-30 minutes.

Here you can add all kinds of odds and ends of vegetables that you have left over. Everything goes. If you have beans and tomatoes you can make chilli. You can serve over rice or with a piece of bread.

Meat eaters can add hamburger.

This recipe is more time consuming, so preparing it in a Dutch oven and letting it simmer for a while would be ideal.

3. Rice spaghetti: 20 min

This a classic spaghetti dish, except we are substituting rice spaghetti for the regular kind.

Ingredients: package of spaghetti, tomato sauce, spices.

If you bring your own spaghetti sauce then cooking the spaghetti is all it takes. It is always a hit with the kids.

4. Roasted corn on the cob.

Toss fresh picked corn still in the husk onto the hot coals and roast, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from heat and remove the husk.

You may add salt and butter or not. Always delicious.

5. Apple Pie on a stick.

Tired of roasting marshmallows? Try making your own “pie”.

Roast an apple on a stick over the campfire (kids can do that).

When soft, peel the burnt skin from the apple (parents have to help) and then sprinkle the apple with honey and cinnamon. Eat from the stick.