Camping with Omnivores: The MIni Vlog

For an Overview of  "Camping with Omnivores" & a sneak peak at my most recent camping adventure check out this video:

Keep reading for more!

Camping with Ominovores: Part VI - The Trip

I love waking to the sounds and smells of the campground. They are familiar and relaxing. The smell of campfires and cooking fires fill the air as the sounds filter of fires crackling, people talking, children playing, the occasional car door. As the progresses the sounds of radios filter through the air, mixing with the sounds of talking, laughter, and children playing. As busy as it is, there is also something simpler as people just breathe and live in a slightly different way. Chores still need done. Wood gets chopped. Meals get cooked. Dishes get washed. Life still moves forward, but it is different. I love waking up to as I stretch and emerge from my tent. (We don't just camp in fall weather, we tent camp.) I didn't get as much time camping during a recent trip, but I did get enough to give me a bit of a fall pick me up. We set up and slept in tents, we ate, we enjoyed time by the fire with family and friends, the kids played, and we took a nighttime hay ride.

I kept the meatless menu this weekend fairly simple, complementary to the menu the omnivores were eating. There were two of us eating meat- free (which pretty much never happens with my camping trips).

Friday Night (arrival): Tents and canopies were set up, the camp kitchen was set up, beds were made, and a fire was started. I grabbed a pre-dinner snack of roasted red pepper hummus with fresh veggies & pita chips.

The first night menu was just dinner and OYO (On Your Own). Most of my family had planned on hot dogs or pie iron sandwiches over the fire with pre-made pasta salad. I made a Tofurky beer brat in a foil packet with onions, peppers, and mushrooms cooked in hard cider over the fire, topped with homemade pepper relish, then served along side pasta salad.

In the evening, I enjoyed my a couple s'mores made with vegan marshmallows. Oh, so much yum and full of such happy memories form by childhood.

Saturday (full day): I packed oatmeal for breakfast with peanut butter, dried cranberries, maple syrup, agave syrup, nutritional yeast, sunflower seeds, and almond milk as options for it. This camping trip was mixed with time off camp for work responsibilities. I didn't feel like breakfast, making or eating, but it was enjoyed by my fellow Veghead instead of waffles.

Lunch was OYO. Thank goodness for hummus cups.

Dinner I made black beans and corn with dried veggies, onion, pepper, garlic, and hard cider in my mini Dutch oven with Tofurky beer brats cooked in foil packet with assorted veggies in place of the families smoked meat selection. Smoked macaroni and cheese was also on the menu.

Sunday (packing for homemade): Oatmeal happiness.

Camping with Omnivores: Part V - Packing

Something unusual happened this fall camping trip- surrounded by my meat-eating family, my cooler looks a little different than usual. I'm not the only one. This rarely happens. This never happens. This is someone who has little idea how to pack for camping, especially as as vegan.

I stick fairly close to the menu my family plans, it usually makes everyone's life a little easier. Being a short fall camping weekend, we had do OYO (On Your Own) Meals, two breakfasts (one includes waffles), and one big dinner that is going to involve my brothers smoking a bunch of meat with macaroni and cheese, baked beans, and whatever is left of pasta salad.

In my own not-exactly little cooler and dry box, I packed a selection of raw veggies pre-cut, tofurkey beer brats (they stand up to cooking over the fire pretty well), a Halloween-inspired vegan pasta salad, pickles, beverages (adults and otherwise), oatmeal, peanut butter, tortillas, hummus, a few crunchy snacks (including pita chips), tea & hot chocolate, fixings for black beans and corn, and everything I needed for s'mores (yay vegan marshmallows) . It's only two of us, but food eaten outdoors and near a campfire usually tastes the best. It's going to be a tasty weekend and the weather is supposed to be lovely.

Camping With Omniviores: Part IV - Menu Tips

               Camping without meat doesn’t have to be all that different than camping as an omnivore. It can be as easy or as difficult as one wants to make it. I have survived car trip and weekend camping road trip with a jar of peanut butter and a spoon to supplement the limitations. It’s possible to spend a weekend on peanut butter, bread, fresh fruit, assorted nuts and granola and other non-cooked foods. That’s not typically how I camp.

                To keep things easy, I tend to plan my meals and menu around what the rest of the family is having, making substitutions and variations as needed. I want to spend as much time enjoying the water, the beach, the trails, and the people and not the whole weekend chopping, prepping, and cooking.  A lot of the things they eat, I eat, with once big exception. Corn on the cob grilled in the husk over and open fire continues to be a family favorite all summer long, as are foil wrapped baked potatoes topped however you like (white or sweet). The omnivores and me, have learned to co-exist while spending time together in the great outdoors.

1.       First thing is first – take and make things you like. Don’t worry about who suggested what or what some book suggested. If you don’t enjoy it, you’re not going to want it. Look at your favorite standbys or the things you grew up knowing and can be adapted. Baked sweet potatoes are great and full of nutrients, but if you don’t like sweet potatoes, don’t bother. Oatmeal is great in the morning, but only if you actually like oatmeal. Hot dogs are iconic camp food, but I didn’t eat hot dogs when I ate meat, and I don’t like the texture of the veggie dogs now. They don’t make their way into my cooler because I’m not going to eat them. If you don’t like it, you won’t eat it.

2.       Keep it simple. I don’t want to spend the whole weekend hunched over a fire, especially if it’s hot. This is a great time to pull of packaged veggie burgers, brats, or dogs. Supplement with easy vegetables cooked on skewers, in foil packets, or in pans as well as premade salads (I often take a premade pasta salad made at home) and fresh fruits and veggies. Planning my menu with the menu my brother and mother makes means I don’t have to do all the cooking for myself and we can cook somethings together. Foil packets are easy to make adding everything together, closing, and cooking in hot coals or on a grate over the fire. I try to cut up as much as possible before hand so cut down on prep time by the fire. Peppers and onions are almost always chopped up ahead of time and placed in containers that fit easily into the cooler. My brother eases up desserts and sweet tooth by baking ahead of time easy to grab cookies and treats like cookies, cupcakes, brownies, and muffins. Days when the afternoons are hot and I don’t feel like cooking, I’ll grab premade pasta salad from cooler, make a sandwich, or snack on raw fruits and veggies. Vegan jerky, hummus, and granola bars are great additions for snack or to supplement meals.

3.       Don’t stress over the little things. Even the best laid plans get waylaid. It’s not the end of the world. Things happen. The fire takes forever takes forever to get hot enough to cook or rain breaks out or something burns. Adapt, move on, and don’t let it ruin the whole trip. I don’t always eat everything I pack and sometimes, my intention to make something is replaced by spending extra time in kayak or taking a nap after spending the morning on the beach. It’s okay to not follow the menu perfectly. If you forget a pan, it’s okay. Use foil or make a new plan.

4.       Treat yourself. You haven’t had a s’more since you were a kid? Grab some vegan marshmallows to roast over the fire (heavenly childhood memories when I found those) or use banana pieces in place of them. It’s okay to throw pita chips or pretzels into the basket to go with your hummus and veggies. Camping is about enjoying nature and each other, not about judgement for yourself or others.

5.       Plan ahead to make sure you have the things you need and want. How long are you going to be there? How many breakfasts, lunches, and dinners? Keep it simple on the days you set up camp and pack up camp. After setting up tents and unloading firewood, the first night is often simple or premade – my brothers favor pizza from a local shop. (Plus, it’s not uncommon for the camp grounds we stay at to have BINGO that night, and they don’t want to miss that.) The day we pack up and leave often consists of a breakfast of foil packets or muffins, lunch, if we are still there similar. We tend to avoid heating up any pans or pie irons the last day so not having to wait for them to cool before they can be safely packed away. We also plan for different things that might be going on during the weekend, especially holiday weekends where they may be fireworks or something going on.

 

Like everyone, I have my stand-bys. Tofurky brand brats hold up to the heat of cooking well and can be topped with fire cooked veggies and sauce (BBQ is my preference) or chopped up in a foil packet. Throughout the summer, fresh corn on the cob is soaked in water and cooked directly over flames. We keep it warm in an extra cooler while the rest of the meal is cooked. Potatoes wrapped in foil are a meal or side anytime of the year, and can be topped to everyone’s preference. Pie irons are filled with pizza fillings or peanut butter as snack or meal. For chili trips I often make vegan chili or mushroom vegetable stew that warms a person body and soul, and perfect to eat by a campfire. Foil packets continue to be a standby for breakfast, lunch, and dinner filled pretty much whatever you like. For dinner or lunch packets I often fill with potatoes, mushrooms, various veggies, sometimes cut up veggie sausage or beefless tips, using a hard cider with spices or olive oil. I like the flavor the hard cider infuses with the food as it gives a nice cooking liquid. Breakfast is often foil packets (because you can cook just about anything you wish, including a potato/veggie hash) or oatmeal. Sometimes waffles or French toast, but I’m not really a morning person & even the fresh air and trees of camping are not going to make me one.

Before the trip, I talk with my mom and brother who oversee the general group menu and make a plan to coincide. (He does most of the cooking on these family trips and I often help with the vegetable things.) I want to enjoy my trip and make as less work unnecessary work for me. It may seem like a trivial thing, but I’ve been a vegetarian among omnivores a long time, and sometimes eating similar and the same meals as the rest of them makes people better as ease. I still get plenty of my “weird foods” in, but there is something familiar about making veggie brats or veggie burgers for the meals they are eating the meat versions and eating mushroom stew while they eat their version. Food is communal and it can matter very much in social settings. Even the vegan marshmallows for my own s’mores make my lifestyle appear less threatening and weird to those around me and perhaps less strange for those considering limiting or cutting meat from their diet. Much of the time, this means little and in the end I’m still going to eat what I want and what I like, but it can make the differences seem less and keep peace between those contrasting ideals. For those who grew up roasting marshmallows and hotdogs over the fire, having a vegan version is comforting and reminds us of those happy childhood memories. It’s okay to take those family traditions and adapt them to your preferences and make new traditions.

Occasionally, my brother’s vegan girlfriend shows up and I share. Most of the time, it’s just me and it works. I love my family, and usually enjoy spending time with them. There is one more family camping trip planned this fall. While it will be too late in the season to think to grilled corn, there are plenty of ideas in discussion. My mom will tell you that cooking out is her favorite part of camping and its one of the few times, aside from holidays, in our busy adulthood lives that we are able to really take the time to sit down and eat together, even if that means we are seated around a campfire watching the flames dance as we balance plates on laps and side tables.
As you plan the menu, don't forget the staples- the little things like oil, salt & pepper, any seasonings you might enjoy, sweeteners (such as maple syrup, agave, raw sugar, or honey as you prefer), hot beverages such as tea bags or hot chocolate, and hot sauce. These things make life easier as tastier. I keep mine in my plastic bin in easy to use containers.

 Happy Eating!

Camping With Omnivores: Part III - Cast Iron

Cast Iron - A Heavy Piece of Equipment

I grew up cooking over an open fire and it wasn't something I was ready to give up just because I quit eating meat. It doesn't have to be just for omnivores. Cooking with cast iron has a number of notable benefits, especially when cooking over an open fire in the great outdoors. Cast iron can take a little extra care, but it can be well worth it.It can be great too cook all sorts of things including soups, stews, vegetables, sandwiches, deserts, breads, and just about anything else.

If you're willing to make the investment or lucky enough to find some cheap or already have some, cast iron and camping cooking have a long tradition together.

Pie Irons

My first investment in cast iron for camping was in my own cast iron pie irons (I’ve also heard them called pudgie pies and sandwich makers). I grew up making pizza pockets and desserts in these during camping and cookouts. Purchasing a few of these can be pricey, but well worth the investment if taken care of. Mine were bought at a semi local surplus shop that specialized in military surplus. It has proven a good resource for camping and outdoors needs. Cheaper aluminum ones can be easily found, but don’t hold up like the cast irons ones do. They don’t hold up to the heat and use, and I have seen them melt with use. There are tons of recipes ideas that can be found online and in books, however my favorites include pizza pockets, deserts filled with pie filling, and peanuts butter banana (sometimes I even add a smokey bite with vegan coconut bacon). 

They can be found in square shapes or round shapes, with growing options shaped for burgers, brats, paninis, waffles, and more.

Dutch Ovens

Seasoning Dutch Oven with coconut oil

I recently purchased my own 1 quart Dutch oven, so I can finally cook over the fire with one. My family uses them all the time for roasts, casseroles, stew, chili, and other dishes. For myself I don’t need a regular-sized pan for my typically lone needs. After much searching, I finally found an inexpensive small cast iron Dutch oven, perfect for cooking for one or two. (I couldn’t believe how many of the small ones cost easily twice as much as the regular sized ones I was finding on the same sites.)  I may order a second just to expand my cooking options.

Even my brothers seemed curious about the smaller sized Dutch over and the potential it brings to my outdoor cooking. I’ve been in the process of seasoning it in the over, coating the inside with coconut oil and putting in 450 degree oven for 30 minutes at a time, then cooling and repeating.  This will be done 4-5 times over a few days.

Skillets & Other Pans

If you have them, don’t be afraid to use them. They can be handy for all sorts of yummy things.

Check out tips for seasoning and caring for cast iron online: at Lodge Cast Iron, How to Season, Clean and Care for Cast Iron Like a Pro, or Food Network.

Happy reminder, if using Dutch ovens, cast iron skillets, or pie irons use caution with handling. Fire is hot. I prefer to use grill or oven clothes to protect my hands, as well something like a hook or heavy metal utensil to pull form fire. Use caution always to make things safer and happier.

Camping with Omnivores: Part II - Equipment

Equipment

Before a menu can really be decided there are a few questions to be decided. Knowing what equipment you have available makes food and menu planning much easier. I have become unapologetically protective of my camping cookware. My coffee pot and grilling gloves are among the few things I am willing to share. Keeping things separate can feel stressful when all you want to do is relax with friends or family in the great outdoors, but it doesn’t have to be. Plan ahead and let the good times roll. Time by a campfire is well spent and not eating meat shouldn’t make it seem harder than it has to be. We usually take a propane camp stove for backup, but rarely use it, preferring to cook over an open fire. I always back a small hiking style stove as a backup in case of rain, wet wood, or the need to cook without fighting for fire space.

               
Honestly, I hold a little bit of envy for the vegans and vegetarians who camp with others like them. I’ve watched the videos on youtube and seen the plans for couples and families heading to the woods. Occasionally, there will be someone else, but mostly I am planning for one. It creates a few added challenges along the way when planning food and how to prepare or serve that food. I tend to pack small and over the years I have added to my collection to make my trips more efficient and more enjoyable.

A Few Suggestions (things that have made my life easier)

• Aluminum foil – a campfire classic to use to line the grate, make foil packets, or to make clean up easier. Foil packets were a staple growing up as a Girl Scout and can be filled full of just about anything from breakfast to lunch, dinner, and even desert. (I like the heavy duty made for grilling & cooking, but you can always double layer if needed.
• Mess kit – it may bring back memories of scouting days and ideas of backpacking, but when being the only vegetarian or vegan among a bunch of omnivores it can prove to be just enough for one person. If worried about cooking something messy and the clean-up, line the pan with foil. They can be picked for a s low as $10 and perfect for lighting camp cooking.
• Plate, bowl, cup, silverware – my family, and other families often camp with paper plates and plastic silverware that can be easily disposed in fire or trash, but I still pack a single set of enameled dishes – a plate, bowl, cup, and silverware. I don’t like sharing very well. (I keep mine in a mesh bag for storage 
• Saucepan or medium sized skillet- fire safe – a basic and versatile piece of cooking equipment. 
• Can Opener - Everyone forgets how important a hand can opener is until you are sitting there staring at an unopened can. These can be picked up cheap and are helpful at a camp site or during a power outage.
  
• Fire safe coffee pot – for coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or heating hot water for oatmeal, mine gets used by everyone. 
• Heat & fire safe cooking utensils – tongs, spatula, wooden spoon, metal serving spoon for cooking and serving – No one wants to pull a steaming baked potato or foil packet  from the flames with their bare hand or flip veggies with a plastic silverware. 
• Knife and cutting board – I keep a small cutting board and sharp knife in my camp box for cutting and chopping fruits, veggies, or whatever. Keeping things separate and becomes more important when camping and cleaning options more limited than home. 
• Dishpan, soup, sponge or wash rag – It’s good to have a way to clean up before or after a satisfying meal. 
• Oven or grill gloves – Cookware gets hot when cooking over the fire or on a camp stove. Even removing a saucepan or coffee pot after heating needs protection for hands from the heat. Not everyone packs these, but they are handy for anyone camping and cooking in the great outdoors. 
• Cast iron pie iron – I grew up cooking with these and they are definitely not just for the meat-eaters. Pizza pockets, grilled cheese, breakfast, hand pies, and hot grilled peanut butter are just as easy veggie style as not. 
• Small cast iron Dutch oven – it took me awhile to find the right size at a decent price, but I have not need for a regular sized one and not desire to use the one my family used to prepare chili and roasts in. It is definitely not a necessity, but it is a nice bonus for chilly camping weekends. 
• Hot Dog/Marshmallow stick - you can always use a fresh stick, with the end tapered, but I pack my own expandable one to keep it separate from the ones my family uses. Mostly mine is used for the vegan marshmallows and s'mores, a camping tradition, but occasionally used for veggie brats or vegetables.
• Option - food storage containers - I like being able to pre-chop veggies or have a way to have things prepacked for ease of use. I often pack a food storage container with three separate sections as a s'more making kit with vegan marshmallows, white chocolate (I can't have caffeine), and graham crackers. It's very handy to have everything accessible when roasting marshmallows at the campfire by the light of the fire and a lantern.

 
For keeping everything need and orderly I pack my cookware and dishes in a plastic picnic basket, a plastic tub for my dry food stuff & not refrigerated stuff, and a split the rest between the larger family cooler and my own smaller one. Keeping everything separate helps me easily & quickly find what I need, as well as protect it from accidentally being used for meat or meat products.

Everyone has their own preferences for cookware and menu, but being the lone vegetarian or vegan doesn’t mean or should be limited only to a jar pf peanut butter and raw fruits and veggies, unless that’s what you want.