This recipe was selected as star baker recipe during bread week of Van Bake off 2020. Bagels in a van are awesome, even better when used as burger buns!
Add sugar and yeast to warm water in a bowl. Leave for around 10 mins until foamy.
Mix salt and flour in a bowl, make a well in the middle and add the yeast mixture. Stir together until a dough forms.
Turn out onto a work surface and bring together and knead for around 10 mins.
Put a little oil in a clean bowl and leave dough mixture in a bowl covered with a damp tea towel until it has doubled in size. Approx. 2 hours.
Once proved, punch down and leave again for 10 mins.
Divide dough into 8 equal balls, roll around on work surface until you have a neat tight ball. Then, dip a finger in some flour and make a hole in the middle of each ball and stretch and shape to get a bagel shape. The hole should be about a third of the size of the diameter.
Heat up a large pot of boiling water, once boiling, reduce to simmer. Carefully boil each bagel, you can boil as many at the same time as you feel comfortable doing. Boil for 2 mins on each side. The longer you boil the chewier the bagel will be. 2 mins is that nice sweet spot.
Heat the oven to 220 degrees celsius. Once all the bagels have been boiled, place on a baking tray together. Brush beaten egg wash and bake until golden brown all over. Around 25 mins.
One of my all time favourite comfort foods is a cheese and onion crisp sandwich using white bread. This loaf brings back those memories of this after school snack with the gentle flavours of the cheese and onion.
Mix the flour, salt and sugar into a mixing bowl. Stir in the yeast.
Make a well in the centre. Seperately mix the warm water and oil together and then pour into the well.
Bring together with a knife or spoon and then get your hands stuck in to mix into a dough.
On a floured surface knead the bread for around 10 minutes before adding the chopped spring onions and kneading for another minute or so.
Place back in the mixing bowl, cover with a wet warm tea towel and leave to prove for 1-2 hours.
When the dough has doubled in size, take out and split into 3 equal pieces. Roll and stretch them into long ‘sausages’ and check they are the correct length to fill the Omnia.
Join the 3 pieces together at one end and pinch together. Sprinkle all 3 pieces with half of the grated cheese, sprinkle over the side also so it gets into the plait.
Plait the bread by pulling the right strand over the middle one, then the left one over the middle one. Repeat until the loaf is plaited and then pinch the other ends tight together. (There are tutorials on YouTube if you get stuck)
Put the omnia silicone insert into the Omnia oven or make sure it’s well greased, we grease the silicone mold slightly too.
Leave in the Omnia to prove for another 30-60 minutes
When risen, sprinkle over the remaining cheese and finely chopped chives.
Place over a medium flame for 40 mins.
These little biscuit bites give the best of both worlds, a biscuit with a delicious florentine. We made these in our Omnia oven during Van Bake Off 2020.
Begin with the biscuit base as this will need to chill a while. Place the butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl and beat until creamy. Add the flour and cinnamon and mix together. Make into a ball, cover and chill for around an hour.
While chilling, start on the florentine topping. Melt the butter, sugar, golden syrup and salt in a pan. Once melted take from the heat and mix in the flour, stir in the raisins and nuts and leave to cool.
Get the dough out and roll to a thickness of around 5mm, cut out circles, remembering they should be bitesize. Place a tsp of the florentine mixture on each biscuit.
Place in the Omnia oven (see our tip below!) and bake over a medium flame for 20mins or until the biscuit base is firm. You will need to do this in batches if not using an oven.
Leave to cool.
Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of boiling water, then dip the cooled biscuits into it, covering 1/3 – 1/2 the biscuit. Leave to set
Enjoy!
Notes
We baked the biscuits in our Omnia muffin mould, we just didn't pop out the moulds and kept the ring flat. This meant the biscuits kept their shape and were easy to pop out after baking!
Begin by making the topping. Peel and slice the apples. In a pan put the water and sugar, begin with a low heat until it begins to bubble and then turn the heat up until it turns amber. Make sure not to stir it, as tempting as it is!
Put the silicone mold in the Omnia and carefully pour the sauce into it. Very carefully place the sliced apples in the sauce.
Start with the cake. Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Sift the flour with the bicarbonate of soda.
Add 2 tbsp of the flour to the butter mixture along with 1 of the eggs.
Repeat this process until the flour and eggs are gone.
Stir in the milk and vanilla.
Pour the mixture into the Omnia and smooth with a metal spoon.
Bake over a medium flame for 50-55 mins.
Turn out when baked being careful of any hot caramel. Leave to cool.
This Chickpea, sweet potato and nettle stew is cooked in the Wonderbag. This handy piece of cooking equipment acts like a slow cooker and means you can use less gas when cooking in your van. You can read all about it right here. Here is the link to some recipes you can cook with one, let us know if you have any to add.
Chickpea, sweet potato & nettle stew
traveltrio_plusone
Vegan, Vegetarian
This turned out amazing when I missed the shops and just had to make something good from what I had in. A true vanlife recipe, making the most of what's in the cupboards. Perfect served with some fresh bread
Start by frying garlic, ginger and onion in olive oil in a deep pan. Cook until brown, then add the paprika and chilli.
Next add chick peas and sweet potato. Add tomatoes and vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Let it boil for a few mins then place in the wonderbag for 20 minutes.
Take the pan out and add the nettles after washing them first (I like adding foraged items to my food). Put back on the hob for about 3-5 mins as this takes the sting out of the nettles and makes food piping hot.
This lentil, chickpea and nettle stew is cooked in the Wonderbag. This handy piece of cooking equipment acts like a slow cooker and means you can use less gas when cooking in your van. You can read all about it right here. Here is the link to some recipes you can cook with one, let us know if you have any to add.
Lentil, Chickpea, nettle & coconut curry
traveltrio_plusone
Vegan, Vegetarian
Cooking with foraged ingredients can make a dish extra special. This recipe is made using the wonderbag
Start by frying the onion, chilli and garlic in olive oil for a few minutes. Add the lentils and curry powder and add a little more olive oil, cook for a few minutes.
Add the water, coconut milk and chickpeas and bring to the boil for about 5 minutes.
Put in the wonderbag for 15-20 mins. Take out and put back on the stove, add noodles and nettles then bring to the boil for 3-5 minutes.
Grease a 20cm square cake tin. Using some baking parchment to separate the 2 mixtures means you can save time and gas in the oven and bake both mixtures at the same time. Use the baking parchment to line the base of the tin and create a 3-4 inch fold in the middle to separate the 2 mixtures.
Mix the butter, sugar, eggs, flour and vanilla together.
Split the mixture in half. Add the passionfruit curd to one half and the raspberry curd to the other half.
Place one half of the mixture in one side of the tin and the other half on the other side ensuring the baking parchment separates them.
Bake in the centre of the oven for 25 minutes or until cooked through.
Turn out and leave to cool completely.
Lay one sponge on top of the other and cut off any crusty edges.
Cut them to ensure they are the same size.
Cut lengthways so you end up with 4 rectangles.
Warm up the jam and put through a sieve.
Brush the jam along one of the long sides of sponge. Stick to a sponge of the opposite colour. Repeat with second layer and add jam between the 2 layers and stick together.
Cover an area with icing sugar to roll out the marzipan to around 40 x 20cm.
Cover the top edge of the cake with jam and place onto the marzipan. Cover the rest of the cake with the jam and fold the marzipan around so that the join sits at the bottom. Press the edges of the join together firmly before placing up the right way.
This recipe from van bake off 2020 won star baker for biscuit week. It requires a little effort but is definitely worth it. These are baked in an Omnia oven but can be baked in a conventional oven.
Van bake off Chocolate, almond & pistachio biscotti
jessrose_litherland
Vegan, Vegetarian
This delicious recipe requires a little bit of effort but it definitely worth it! It won the title of star baker in biscuit week 2020.
Mix the flour, coco powder, baking powder in a bowl.
In a well in the middle add the sugar then add the oil and water on top
Mix together with a spoon from the centre, when it starts to turn into a dough get your hands in there.
As it starts getting solid add the nuts and chocolate and mix it through the dough (this bit is hard as the dough is thick so I ended up adding some of the extras to the dough in the next stage)
Split the dough into 2 logs. You need to think about the finished look of the biscotti so the log needs to be about 2 inches wide and a uniform shape all along. I found 2 logs this size fit comfortably opposite each other in the omnia.
Cook for 25 mins (I cooked on highest gas heat for 10 mins then turned down to medium) or until the log is firm to the touch. Then take it out and let it cool.
When cool carefully slice each log into slices. This bit is super hard, the mixture is crumbly so you need a good knife!
Pop the pieces cut side down back in the omnia lining and cook for 10 mins on each side (I cooked them at the highest heat this time). The recipe made about 12 biscuits and I could fit 6 at a time in the omnia so it takes a bit of time to do them all! But it is worth it.
Notes
This recipe can also be baked in a conventional oven
This jackfruit and spicy tomato couscous recipe is cooked in the Wonderbag. This handy piece of cooking equipment acts like a slow cooker and means you can use less gas when cooking in your van. You can read all about it right here. Here is the link to some recipes you can cook with one, let us know if you have any to add.
Jackfruit with spicy tomato couscous
traveltrio_plusone
Vegan, Vegetarian
This vegan recipe is warming and filling, perfect for autumn.
Although this recipe has a lot of ingredients, it is definitely worth the effort. Best of all you can use up any leftover veg and mix it up whenever you want. Us vanlifers are entitled to a gourmet lifestyle too!
Start by heating oil in a large pot and add onions, carrots, celery and garlic.
Leave to sweat for around 10 mins.
Add the red wine and cook until reduced, about 10 mins.
Then add the stock and tin tomatoes.
Add in the fresh herbs and chilli flakes. Leave to cool for around 20 – 25 mins.
Once this has cooked add in the Tin of drained cannellini beans, kale, rip up the bread into small pieces and add this in along with the parmesan.
Cook until heated all the way through and bread has softened.
For the gremolata
Put all gremolata ingredients in a blender and blitz until smooth. Season the Italian Ribollita stew and serve with a small amount of grated parmesan and a swirl of gremolata.
Add the oats, liquid and flavouring extract to one pan and the frozen berries and chia seeds to another. If you have only one hob, allow the oats to soak whilst cooking the fruit down first.
Stir both pans continuously on a low heat as they cook.
Once the fruit has boiled down and turned into a jammy consistency, allow to cool.
Once the oat consistency is thick and creamy (or you feel like you’re doing an arm workout).
Serve up.
Add all and any extra toppings you desire alongside the freshly boiled down jam.
Our family loves chocolate! And we also take it on the road. We find the best local chocolate wherever we happen to be and then use it to create this delicious on-the-go treat.
5 from 1 vote
5 ingredients or less - Family friendly - Less washing-up - Stove top meal
These topped avocado halves are easy to make and need very few ingredients. They can be prepped ahead of a trip away in the van. If you want to make your own sauerkraut, there is a great recipe right here, it only needs 2 ingredients. The great thing with these is that you can add whatever toppings you like!
Topped avocado halves
familywellnesswanderers
Vegetarian
This is a fun and yummy meal on the go. The avocado halves are easy to make and don’t require much to make. We bring them along in a container on picnics or on long drives.
5 from 1 vote
5 ingredients or less - No water - Prep ahead - Solo travel
Next, set on a plate and bring out the filling. You can use almost anything you want. We like sauerkraut.
Or if you would like to use an egg, set oven at 350.
Crack the raw egg in the avocado and set it in the oven. After about 10 min. bring it out of the over, sprinkle with salt and enjoy! To bring with you put in a container.
Looking for a super easy versatile dessert or breakfast? Look no further than this charming chia pudding. Top with whatever you fancy, or whatever you have in the van. Most fruits are a definite winner! This vegan friendly recipe is ideal for vanlife as it only needs 3 ingredients. Chia seeds are also really easy to store in the van, and have a good shelf life.
Charming chia pudding
familywellnesswanderers
Vegan, Vegetarian
This is a fun and easy treat you can eat for a breakfast or as a dessert. And its super healthy, with no added sweetener. We used to buy this from our favorite café. But it is really simple to make which is great if you don’t have any extra time.
5 from 1 vote
5 ingredients or less – Family friendly – Less washing-up – No cook – No water
Season both sides of chicken with salt, pepper, and oregano.
Heat medium/large skillet over medium/high heat. Add 2 tsp olive oil and heat until hot. Sear both sides of chicken, then transfer chicken to a different plate.
Add remaining 2 tsp olive oil to the same pan and add onions, cooking a few minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook another minute. Next, add tomato paste and combine it into the onion and garlic mixture.
Add the chicken bone broth or stock and the coconut milk and heat until soft boil. Reduce heat to simmer and simmer and let reduce down 5 minutes
Add in the sundried tomatoes, artichokes, capers, vinegar, chicken, and any juices. Let simmer about 5 minutes until warmed and fully cooked through.
20Olives, sliced vertically (black, green, or kalamata)
Instructions
Heat a large 12” nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tsp of olive oil. Add the mushrooms and season with salt. Sautee for a couple of minutes then transfer to a holding plate.
Return the skillet to the heat and Sautee the pepperoni for a couple of minutes, careful not to burn. Transfer to the same plate as the mushrooms.
Return the skillet to the heat and add the remaining 1 tsp of olive oil, then add the onions along with salt for seasoning. After sautéing the onions for a few minutes add the garlic and cook for another minute or so. Next, add in the ground meat and mix well to combine with the onion and garlic mixture. Continue to brown the meat, mixing often, until cooked through.
Add the tomato paste and seasoning into the meat mixture and mix to combine. You may need to add a touch of water here to help the seasonings distribute (especially if your meat is very lean). Add the green peppers and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add the pepperonis, mushrooms, and olives to the pan. Stir well to combine and let everything heat through.
In a small airtight container, combine the olive oil, lime juice, salt, pepper, cumin, and coriander. Mix vigorously until well combined.
Place the shredded cabbage in a large mixing bowl along with the snap peas (reserving the garnish pieces), green onion, jalapeno, and dressing. Mix to combine and coat all of the vegetables with the dressing
Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the halved snap peas
I like to serve this creamy pepper sauce with mushrooms over a freshly roasted piece of beef. However, the sauce itself is vegetarian. You can put it over pretty much anything. In fact it’s so tasty you may want to even eat it on it’s own! You can find my other recipes here.
Creamy pepper sauce with mushrooms
@forestfoodstories
Vegetarian
This goes well with with a meaty dish The key to getting the most “pepperiness” from your peppercorn sauce is to toast the pepper gently with the mushrooms and garlic before adding the cream. Fresh thyme, bay and a squeeze of lemon add all the right flavours and you’re done.
This cheesey and tomato risotto is a great recipe from one of our featured vanlifers @silverjaney. As well as this risotto recipe, Janey has been featured on our website which you can read here. She also wrote a step-by-step guide for how to sprout in your van, which you can read right here!
Cheesy Tomato Risotto
silverjaney
Vegetarian
My guest blog post on here explains how easy it is to sprout beans when on the road, this is one of the many recipes I include them in.
Soak the dried sun-dried tomatoes in the veg stock cube and water and add the plum tomatoes. Leave to one side.
Heat a drizzle of oil in a pan and fry the onion. Add the garlic, tomato puree and cook for about 1 min.
Stir in the rice and cook for 4-5 mins.
Slowly and gradually add the tomato stock water stirring until all the water has been absorbed allowing the soaked sun-dried tomatoes and baby plum tomatoes to mix with the risotto.
Toss the watercress, rocket and mung beans in some truffle oil and serve on the side.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site you are consenting to these cookies.OkPrivacy policy