4 of the Best (and Easiest) Meals to Make Over a Campfire

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The first time my dad took me camping, we went canoeing in the boundary waters between Minnesota and Canada. The lakes were so clean we could drink out of them as we paddled by forests full of wildlife, without another human around for miles. At home, Mom ruled the kitchen and Dad never touched a pot or pan, but roughing it was not her thing.
 
At campsites, Dad became a grill master in the evening and a PB&J sandwich king during the day. I helped with Bisquick pancakes for breakfast. In time, things changed. I switched my diet for health reasons. Dad and I camped together only once more as cancer and heart failure took away his strength. I became the chief cook with many new foods. Mochi melts with real brown rice, replacing mac and cheese. Instead of banana boats or s’mores, I cored apples and filled the centers with a mix of almond butter and honey, wrapped them in foil and tossed them next to the fire.

I stabbed squashes, turnips, or potatoes and did the same foil wrap to cook them up. Something about the warmth from a fire makes even the simplest foods wonderfully satisfying.

With experience cooking in the wild and in a bunch of tiny apartments (one so small it only had a hotplate), I was asked to write The Vanlife Cookbook. Here are a few new recipes that go perfectly with the open road or the campsite.


Easy Tofu Sandwich Filling

You can marinate the tofu even before you head out to camp. Since this sandwich filling is made from tofu and not meat or dairy, it can last much longer out of the fridge or cooler. It’s a bit like a portable handheld salad when you add lettuce, tomato, and mayo.

Serves 4

1 14-ounce tub of firm tofu

1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

1 teaspoon shoyu (soy sauce)

1 teaspoon rosemary (dried)

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
 
Wrap the block of tofu in paper towels and put it between two cutting boards. If you want the tofu to absorb more flavor later, you can use a can or jar as a weight on top. Let it sit for 10-20 minutes.

Mix the remaining ingredients in a container.

Slice the tofu.

Place the tofu slices in the marinade and let them sit overnight. You can shake the container to distribute the marinade, but the tofu does a good job of soaking up the flavor.

 
Foil Pack Fish & Vegetables

Feel free to add your favorite herbs or spices to these, or have everyone season their own to taste.

Serves 2

Approximately 14 ounces (in two pieces) of fresh fish (usually white fish, but use what you catch or can get locally)

1 large sweet potato, cut into small cubes/chunks/julienne

1 red bell pepper, cut similarly to the sweet potato

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1 tablespoon fresh thyme (optional)

2 large cloves of garlic, chopped

1 shallot, chopped

2 teaspoons shortening (Spectrum) or butter

Salt & Pepper

1 lemon

Place two- or so-inch pieces of parchment paper on top of two similarly sized pieces of aluminum foil so that you have two separate stacks with the parchment on top.

Place the potato and bell pepper pieces on each parchment paper.

Place a fish fillet on top of both.

Sprinkle garlic, shallot, salt, and pepper over each.

Place lemon slices on top.

Top each fish with a teaspoon of shortening or butter.

Wrap the parchment around the seasoned fish and vegetables.

Wrap the foil around the parchment to cover completely.

Place on the grill, hot coals, right next to the fire or in a 400°F oven for approximately 30 minutes. Depending on where your packets are sitting, they might cook faster, so check after 20 minutes to see if everything has cooked through.


Baked Apple Slices

Easier to eat than stuffed baked apples, you can add other fruits, both fresh and dried, like a pear, pineapple, raisins, etc. This recipe is for a single-use packet. The slices will work fine if you want to do one large packet with more than one apple.

For each serving:

1 large apple, cored and sliced (we are partial to Lady Alice, Pink Lady, or even green apples, but use what you enjoy)

1-2 tablespoons coconut palm sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon or cardamom, or nutmeg (optional)

Place the apple slices on a sheet of parchment paper.

Sprinkle with coconut sugar.

Sprinkle on spice (if using).

Fold up the parchment to envelop the fruit.

Place the parchment packet on a sheet of aluminum foil and wrap the foil all around, sealing in the parchment.

Place on a hot grill, in a 400°F oven, or next to a roaring campfire, for approximately 20-30 minutes.

Be careful of hot steam when opening.


Lion’s Mane Mushroom Steaks

This simple seasoning works with any mushroom, but Lion's Mane is particularly filling and toothy. The key to making it work well is using enough oil. Rice vinegar adds sparkle.

For each serving:

1 fist-sized Lion’s Mane mushroom, squished flat

1/4 teaspoon rosemary

1/4 teaspoon sage

1 large clove of garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon of shortening (Spectrum) or butter

Approximately 1 teaspoon of shoyu (soy sauce)

Approximately 1 teaspoon of rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon agave (optional)

Place the shortening in a pan and sauté the garlic with the rosemary and sage on medium heat, if possible.

Add the mushroom (you can squish it flat with your hands first or flatten it with a spatula in the pan. Brown on each side.

Move the mushroom to the side of the pan and carefully sprinkle in shoyu, rice vinegar, and agave. You can add a little water to get more of the flavor from the mushroom before the liquid evaporates.

Let the mushroom soak up the seasoning on each side and serve.

Repeat for each serving.


Do any of you camp? Where do you go? Let us know in the comments below.