I made these Nutella cookies for biscuit week for Van Bake off. Since I made them Mark has not stopped raving about them (or eating them). I need to get some more Nutella to keep him well supplied. These 3 ingredient Nutella cookies are soft on the middle with a nice crisp cookie texture on the edges. We love that they only need 3 ingredients, which are items you may already have in your van kitchen. They are super quick to knock up – making them an ideal van snack. Great for those moments when you need something sweet and are looking through the van kitchen cupboards.
These 3 ingredient Nutella cookies are definitely a new firm favourite in our van.
3 ingredient Nutella cookies
Vegetarian
These cookies are super easy to make, and best of all only require 3 ingredients!
5 from 1 vote
5 ingredients or less – No fridge – No water – Quick cook – Stove top meal
Take a small handful at a time and mould into 14-15 round shape balls.
If using an Omnia oven you will need to cook in batches. Place 5 balls into the Omnia and push down with a fork. They don't spread very much during cooking so you may be able to fit more.
Cook on a low/medium heat for 15 minutes. The outer part of the biscuit should start to firm up. Take them out and leave them to cool.
Notes
We used the silicone mould for our Omnia oven for these so they didn’t stick. Remember the Omnia will get hotter so the first batch may take slightly longer than the remaining batches. Be sure to keep an eye on them when baking and don’t be tempted to turn the heat up too much or you’ll get a burnt bottom!
This Omnia blackberry cake is ideal for using up foraged blackberries. The classic blackberry is an easy fruit to forage, easily recognisable and plentiful. We foraged these on one of our van adventures, and decided to use them in a cake for Van Bake Off. This can be enjoyed with icing on the top, cream or blackberry coulis. We enjoyed some with custard too!
Blackberry Omnia Cake
Vegetarian
This Omnia Cake is great for using up foraged blackberries. You can add icing, make your own coulis or even serve with cream or custard!
The time has come for Van Bake off 2021! It’s that time of the year again, the dark nights are becoming longer, and the temperatures are dropping. Sounds like a perfect excuse to eat baked goods and get put on a few extra pounds. So join in with Van Bake off 2021 – we look forward to seeing your bakes!
What is Van Bake off?
The Great British Bake off is a show on Channel 4 in the UK. It features bakers competing against each other to bake the best cakes, biscuits, pastry and bread. If you haven’t seen it before, be prepared, you will be hungry afterwards!
We have teamed up with the lovely ladies at Brown Bird and Company as we did last year to judge van bake off. Each week we will copy the theme from bake off the week previously. Last year we saw cake week, biscuit week, bread week and even a Japanese week. You can see last years entries and winning recipes here or on our Instagram Highlights here.
Why enter Van Bake off 2021?
Van bake off 2021 is a great way to show off your cooking and baking skills! Each week a star baker will be selected. They will receive a Vanlife Eats sticker and will have their recipe featured on our website. At the end of Van Bake off an overall winner will be selected. The lucky winner will receive either an Omnia Oven or £50 towards items from the Brown Bird Store (This is limited to UK Mainland only).
How to enter Van Bake off 2021
Vanlife Eats alongside Brown Bird and Company will judge the creation, based on the presentation, the suitability of campervan baking and also how in theme the bake is. Each week a winner will be chosen as STAR BAKER, their recipe will get featured on this very site! Each star baker is then in with a chance of winning an Omnia Stove top oven or accessories courtesy of Brown Bird and Company.
To enter, bake an item that fits with that weeks theme, you can find out the current theme on our Instagram or Facebook. Upload your photo and tag us & Brown Bird and/or use #vanbakeoff.
For example, week one is cake week so you would bake a cake of your choosing using vanlife kitchen style equipment. We appreciate not everyone lives full time in their vans so it’s ok to cook out of your van, but please keep in mind the suitability of the recipe being baked in a van.
Photos must be uploaded by Monday afternoon (UK time) and a winner will be selected and announced on Monday evenings. This competition is open to the UK mainland only. Each winner will only be contacted by our Instagram account, we have no other accounts and we will not ask for any card or bank information. Stay safe!
Van Bake off – Cake Week
So week 1 in Van Bake off is Cake week! In the show they made a swiss roll, a malt loaf and an anti-gravity showstopper. Let’s see what our van bakers made…
@maxineoutdoors
@fablabnomads
@great_big_exploring_old_hector
@the.vandersons
Winner of Van Bake off Week One
This week’s star baker went to Lesley of @stillyoungatart for her beautiful heart shaped cake for her husband Richard. One of the things we love about food here at Vanlife Eats is the power food has at bringing people together, and showing how much you love someone. Just like this cake! If you would like to replicate this is your van, then be sure to click on the recipe here.
We decided to make the most of some blackberries we foraged on our recent trip away to the Cotswolds – You can see what else we got up to here! So we decided to add them to a basic sponge recipe to make a delicious Blackberry cake.
If you want to try this recipe yourself, you can click here. This can be cooked in a conventional oven also, if you don’t yet have an Omnia then you need to enter Van Bake off to be in with a chance of winning one!
Van Bake off – Biscuit week
So week 2 in Great British Bake off and Van Bake off is biscuit week! On the show we saw them create some impressive brandy snaps, jam-filled biscuits and a biscuit replica of a favourite childhood toy – 3D too obviously! We were excited to see what our van bakers came up with. They didn’t disappoint.
@stillyoungatart
@brownbirdandcompany
@forkintheroadbex
@great_big_exploring_old_hector
Winner of Van Bake off week 2
The winner of this week’s van bake off had to go to @vanvistas. They managed to replicate Brandy snaps – in their Omnia oven. A feat neither us or Brown Bird were willing to take on. Recipe coming soon….
We decided to keep it simple for biscuit week, a week we always dread in van bake off – as it means batches and batches in our Omnia Oven. We made these delicious 3 ingredient nutella cookies.
Van Bake Off – Bread week
Week three on The Great British Bake off saw the contestants baking focaccia, ciabatta sticks and a milk bread display.
Here is week one’s star Baker of van bake off. Week one was cake week and Lesley of @stillyoungatart made this gorgeous looking victoria sponge for husband Richard. She chose to use a traditional raspberry jam as filling and even included some fresh strawberries.
You can cover in icing sugar to keep with tradition, or add whipped cream and grated chocolate for extra indulgence.
Show the one you love just how much you love them with a heart shaped cake. This recipe is a victoria Sponge recipe, but uses less sugar than a standard sponge.
If it's a bit thick add a drop of milk to give the consistency of batter
Pour into 1 or 2 sandwich tins. Bake at 170 -180°C for 20 mins or until a skewer comes out clean once inserted into the centre
Turn onto a wire rack to cool. If baked in 1 piece cut into half (either way is fine to give 1/2 a deep cake or a full shallow cake)
Once cooled spread one 1/2 with jam (raspberry is traditional) and the other 1/2 with whipped double cream
I also added a layer of strawberries to the jam. The top is usually sprinkled with icing sugar but we didn't have any so I topped it with more whipped cream then finely grated some chocolate on top
Join the organic movement and support local organic farmers while enjoying tasty meals. In this post, we celebrate Organic September by going over what organic means, why you should shop organic and five tips to help you on your journey after this Organic Month.
Check out our recipes tab for inspiration of van-friendly meals you can make with fresh organic produce in a tiny van kitchen or using an outdoor cooker. We are constantly adding new meals to our Vanlife Eats recipe database, so there are always plenty of meal ideas to choose from when you are planning a trip away.
We realise that funds and resources may be limited when on a van life adventure, but there are many reasons why consuming organic products are better for your health and the enviroment.
What is Organic Month?
Organic Month, aka Organic September! The Soil Association has dedicated September to championing the benefits of organic foods and sustainable farming without pesticides for farming that is better for our health, local wildlife and the planet.
So as September ends join us and begin to shop more organically when you travel on the road in your van and make some easy swaps to reduce your environmental impact with nature-friendly foods every month – let’s not limit it to one!
What Exactly Does ‘Organic’ Mean?
The term organic when referring to crop production is farming using methods that consider the whole ecosystem. This means that farmers must consider how their farming impacts the soil, ecosystems, wildlife, water sources and the people who live near the farm or consume the foods. For a farm to certify as organic, the government must inspect it annually. In order to pass inspection, this is what the farms must consider:
Using fewer or no pesticides. Pesticides are chemicals applied to crops to eliminate pests such as insects that eat the crops or weeds and fungus, which can kill the plants. Organic farming uses natural means of protecting the crops and encourages biodiversity rather than punishing it with chemicals.
Using no synthetic fertilisers and instead focus on using natural products, such as animal manure and compost.
Avoid using antibiotics for animals.
Typically GMO-free.
Why You Should Swap To Organic Produce
Better for the Planet
Organic farming reduces the impact of agriculture on local ecosystems as it uses fewer chemicals in the soil and does not leach harmful substances into the water supplies.
Better for Wildlife
Decreasing pesticide dependence can help preserve wildlife populations and sustain (and hopefully increase) local biodiversity.
Better for the People
Pesticides can also be harmful to humans to ingest, and there is also a risk of antibiotic resistance.
5 Top Tips Choosing Organic Goods When Travelling In Your Van
Some tips about supporting the organic farming movement may suggest growing food at home, in an allotment or in communal gardens. However, living and travelling in a van makes it challenging to implement these ideas, so we have come up with five easy ways you can get involved in Organic September and in the future.
Choose Organic Fresh Produce
Of course, the most obvious way to help the organic movement is to vote with your pennies and purchase organically grown foods. Make conscious choices to choose organic varieties of your favourite fruits and vegetables at supermarkets or, better yet, find organic farmers markets and support local sellers and independent shops.
When you are on the road, look out for the word ‘organic’ on packaging, check the UK-origin produce number – it should say GB-ORG-XX when the food is certified organic – or look out for the EU organic logo, which is a green symbol with stars in a leaf shape.
Volunteer at an Organic Farm
The beauty of travelling in a van is that you can choose a destination where you can volunteer. This is a great way to support farmers, meet new people who share your values and learn about the importance of organic farming.
Use WWOOF UK to connect with almost 400 organic farms all over the country and lend a hand along your trip. They have also partnered with 132 countries worldwide, so you can find communities living sustainably on organic farms almost anywhere you plan to travel.
Support Organic Cafés and Restaurants on the Road
Do your research about the area you are travelling to or any stops along the way and pinpoint any places using certified organic produce on their menus. The Soil Association has several examples, or you could search on Google or using social media hashtags to find places on your route.
Eat Seasonally
Eating seasonally is another way you can reduce the environmental impact of your food as the food is likely to have been grown more locally, use less packaging in transportation, and use less water. Not only this but eating foods in season actually taste better and may even contain more nutrients as the flavours are able to develop when picked at peak times of the harvest.
Check out the HUBBUB guide to eating seasonally for more information about what foods are in seasons locally to you or where you are travelling.
Shop for Sustainable Beauty and Cosmetics
If you have nailed shopping for organic food, how about considering your beauty, cosmetic products, or even cleaning supplies? Just like you can avoid the overuse of pesticides and contribute to farming practices that harm wildlife when you shop for organic food, you can avoid products that use harsh chemicals and test on animals. Instead, you could opt to make your own products or take a peek at the Soil Association’s cheat sheet to find beauty and wellbeing products.
Summary
Happy Organic September van lifers and travel enthusiasts!
Hopefully, you have gained some new knowledge about what it means to be organic and how to support organic farming and sustainably grown food.
Let us know your favourite way to shop organic on the road or if you have had any experience volunteering at an organic farm. We would love to share your experiences on @Vanlife_Eats on Instagram.
Choosing appropriate food and snacks to bring with you on a hike will help you maintain energy and keep you enjoying your day out. If you don’t bring the right type of food, you could find yourself burnt out with a few miles still to go. The best hiking food is lightweight, nutritious, and full of calories to keep you energized. This post will take you through the best hiking snacks and give you some ideas for lunch.
Have a plan
To provision for your day hike, you need to plan where you will be hiking. You need to know how long it will take and how much you are going to be ascending or descending. This will directly affect how many calories you burn. If you are planning a big day out with long miles and lots of ascent, be sure to pack a few extra snacks. It can also be useful to know what the weather is going to be like so you can plan how much water to bring, and what layers to pack.
Planning for a day hike can be done in several ways. Use maps, like OS maps, to scope out trails and what the terrain may be like. There are also a few great mapping apps like Alltrails and Viewranger. With these you can plot your course for the day to find out how far your hike will be. With your plan established it’s time to choose, and pack, some food for your day hike.
Park your van safely
You’ll likely be gone for a good few hours, if not the whole entire day so make sure you have parked somewhere safe such as a public car park with CCTV.
If you park your van in a remote and secluded spot your risk a break in.
What are the best snacks for a day hike?
Choosing the best snacks for a hike is important. It could be the make or break of your walk. They will give you the extra boost to push you further up the hill or get you further along the trail.
Its also vital to keep your brain stimulated and to increase your awareness of your surroundings and actions. Choosing the right snack will help keep your wits about you.
The best hiking snack should be:
Nutritious: High in carbohydrate, protein, fibre and electrolytes.
Minimal cooking required: Snacks should be food on the go
Lightweight: Keep your snacks light in weight and easy to carry in your bag
Filling: Slow release energy will help avoid any crash and burnouts
Bring a little extra: You never know when you might need a snack whilst hiking
While it can be tempting to fill your backpack with an assortment of gummies and sweets, this isn’t the wisest choice. Sweets are a great boost to energy, but they provide this over a short period of time. If you are planning to spend 8 hours in the mountains, you need slow-release calorie dense hiking snacks.
It’s also important to get the right balance between savoury and sweet snacks. If you only pack sweet treats you will soon have cravings for salty food, and vice versa. Try to pack an even split of sweet and savoury so that you can satisfy your appetite.
Here are some of the best hiking snacks to help maintain your energy while on the trail.
Fruit and nut mix. Also known as trail mix, this really should be your go to hiking snack. Nuts are loaded with healthy fats to give you slow-release energy. While fruit, like raisins, dried mango and banana chips are full of natural sugar to give you a quick kick of energy.
Jerky or other dried meats. Savoury, salty hiking snacks are just as important as sweet ones. As you sweat you will lose salts and electrolytes, savoury snacks like beef jerky can help replenish these.
Cheese and crackers. This is a great snack because it is a little more filling. Pre-slice some chunks of your favourite cheese to lay over some crackers. Store this all together in a small Tupperware box in your backpack.
Homemade flapjacks. Flapjacks are packed with oats, which is arguably the king of slow-release energy. These also take up virtually no space for the amount of calorie punch they pack. Flapjacks are another top shelf hiking snack.
Snack bars. There are so many different types of snack bars around these days, there is bound to be something you like. Take a trip to the supermarket and pick out two or three to pack into your bag.
What type of food should I bring for lunch while hiking?
During a day hike you won’t typically want to cook anything for lunch. It’s better to have something pre-prepared that you can bring in your backpack. Your lunch choice should consist of a good portion of carbohydrates. This will provide that oh so important release of energy. The best carbs are pasta, rice, wraps or bread. These are all great when cold which means you can prepare something the night before.
You also want to include a form of protein for your lunch. Protein is a macro-nutrient that helps build and repair muscle and as your muscles will be under a lot of strain whilst hiking, you might want to give them some attention.
For vegetarians or vegans, chickpeas, beans, spinach, nuts, and lentils are all great choices. These can be combined with one of the carbohydrates above, and some sort of dressing or sauce for flavour. For meat eaters it’s best to prepare something the night before and eat it cold on the day. Chicken is one of the better choices as it can be adapted to different flavours to suit any dish.
There really are a ton of great options for lunch while hiking, your imagination is the limit. Here are three ideas for lunch on your next day hike.
The classic sandwich. The age-old classic sandwich is a viable hiking lunch. However, avoid using thin white bread with drab toppings like cheese slices. Pick out a more filling sourdough or wholewheat loaf and fill it with delectable toppings. Salami, turkey slices, halloumi, pesto, nut butters and humous are all great ideas to stuff into your sandwich.
Pasta salad. This is a personal favourite. Pasta is a great choice for lunch on a hike because it is delicious even when cold. Stay away from egg-based products like mayonnaise as they don’t keep well out of the fridge, instead use a dressing or vinaigrette. Pasta salad can be loaded with fresh veggies for a healthy and filling lunch on the trail.
Chicken or veggie wraps. Wraps are fantastic because they are hard to squash. This means if they end up at the bottom of your backpack, or get sat on, they won’t be ruined. Sliced chicken can add protein to your lunch, or you can stick with a fresh veggie wrap.
Pre-hike meal
Something that is often overlooked is what you consume before you set out on your hike. Loading with carbohydrates will help ensure you have energy for the day ahead. A big breakfast, like pancakes with fresh fruit, will set you up for your adventures.
Complex carbs, high protein and fibrous foods are the best nutrition for a pre hike meal for the slow release of energy throughout the follow hours. Whole foods such as wholemeal bread, nuts, berries and Greek yogurt will give you a long release of energy to keep you energised on your hike.
While you are eating make sure to get hydrated as well. Try to drink a litre of water before you even start hiking.
Hopefully this post has given you some ideas for hiking meals, and what type of food to bring with you on a day hike. Let us know what your favourite hiking snacks and lunches are!
Bonus tip
There is little better than a hearty cooked meal after a long day of hiking. The trouble is you are exhausted and don’t want to cook anything!
We can’t recommend enough the Wonderbag for times like this. Throw together a stew style meal before you head off, place it in the wonderbag and when you get back from your hike you have a delicious slow cooked meal ready to warm you up.
Although mushrooms are delicious simply sautéed in a little butter, there is so much more you can do with them. Celebrate mushroom month with us and explore the multitude of uses for fungi.
September is ‘mushroom month’ so why not experiment with new varieties of mushrooms and expand your palate with these recipes using mushrooms. You might even wish to grow your own mushrooms at home and incorporate them into a delicious recipe.
What is Mushroom Month?
Mushroom month was organised to raise awareness for these incredible fungi and their uses. Not only can we enjoy the taste and texture of mushrooms in many foods but they also offer health benefits when eaten. Most mushrooms are high in vitamin D, which can aid calcium uptake and improve bone density.
Mushrooms are also used for their ability to dye materials, clothing or wool, and their medicinal purposes. They have even been known to extract harmful radiation from the soil.
Grow Your Own Mushrooms
An excellent way to celebrate mushroom month is to experiment growing your own fungi at home. Although you might think you need a garden to grow your own mushrooms, you can use a ready-to-grow home kit that is small enough to fit in your van.
Merryhill Mushrooms offer kits to grow chestnut mushrooms, white mushrooms, shiitakes and beautiful yellow or pink oyster mushrooms from home. These kits make a great gift idea for yourself or a loved one.
All you need to do is add water and watch your small batch of mushrooms grow right before your eyes! If you are lucky enough to have a fridge on board your campervan you can also keep your box chilled for many weeks to give you ample chance to utilise your homemade mushrooms.
Featured Mushroom – Giant Puffball
The puffball mushrooms are one of the safest mushrooms to forage as they are easily identifiable. Giant puffballs can only really be mistaken for a football!
Puffball mushrooms are in season at the end of the summer into early autumn and are edible from young.
Looking at a Giant Puffball you’ll see that these mushrooms could be a meal in itself. This year (2021) there has been multiple posts on social media of people finding massive giant puffball mushrooms so keep an eye out on your adventures for these humongous beauties!
Of course, we had to start this list off with a double mushroom recipe that is perfect for autumn. This mushroom pie uses shiitake and chestnut mushrooms, along with other simple ingredients such as onion, tomato, ale and ready to roll pastry to make a vegan pie you can whip up in just 10 minutes. Then cook in an Omnia Oven on the stove top and serve with creamy mashed potato, gravy and veggies.
Drown your meat feast with this thyme and mushroom peppercorn sauce that you can make in just 5 minutes. The sauce is rich and balances several flavours, including fresh herbs, garlic, cream and lemon, for a winning sauce to compliment any meat dish.
Woah! Before you skip this recipe for sounding too fancy, would it surprise you to know that it’s a very straightforward recipe to recreate at home in your van? The truffle flavour comes from truffle salt, rather than the fresh fungi, which is an easy seasoning to keep in your van kitchen cupboard and add into any recipe.
You can also add this truffle seasoning on vegetables, risotto, meat and even popcorn! Once you purchase a dried truffle salt, it can last for months.
Risotto is a great recipe for after a long day. It’s filling, hearty and easy to prepare. Of course, you do have to nurture your dish by continuously stirring the rice to reach a thick and creamy sauce, but it’s simple enough that anyone can make this recipe. Plus, you can have a great excuse to open a bottle of white wine mid-week!
Swap out the chicken for butternut squash or pumpkin and use vegetable stock to make this risotto recipe vegetarian friendly.
If you’re looking for the ultimate comfort food, this mushroom stroganoff served with pasta or rice and a sprinkle of parmesan is your best bet. Plus, as this recipe uses tinned mushrooms rather than fresh, it can be a lot more affordable and a great recipe to make when you struggle to find a supermarket.
Another comfort food we love is this chilli, as it is entirely vegan! And gluten-free when you swap out the soy sauce for tamari or another gluten-free alternative. The flavours in this bean chill will have you drooling over the stove, waiting for this pot to be ready. This is a great meal to make when entertaining guests as you can bulk it out with cheap ingredients such as beans and tomatoes and serve with rice, avocado, salsa and sour cream (or soy yoghurt for a vegan alternative).
Frittatas are among the easiest, cheapest, and most protein-packed meals you can make on the road. You need about 2-3 eggs per portion, and then you can customise the frittata to any vegetables, mushrooms, meat or cheese you need to eat up. You can even add some sriracha sauce to (quite literally!) spice things up.
Not only is chicken broth ramen excellent for when you feel you may be coming down with the flu, but it’s a delicious, warming winter dish to cosy up in bed with after a chilli day. This ramen is a no-fuss recipe for this Asian dish with incredible flavours.
It is also high in protein from the egg and chicken. Simply swap the chicken broth to vegetable stock and use tofu instead of chicken things for a vegetarian alternative that is equally packed with flavour.
Van pan pizza is a great option when entertaining guests or cooking for small children because you can add toppings and customise your pizza to your taste buds. Add cheese, mushrooms, meats and more. This recipe on our website is for the base to get creative with the additional extras. You could even swap out the tomato base for pesto!
Happy Mushroom Month!
Wishing you a happy mushroom month, and we hope this post has inspired you to try a new recipe with mushrooms this September. And, don’t forget to tag us in your mushroom recipes on Instagram @Vanlife_Eats so we can share your creations to our story and inspire other people to try your recipes.
*Please do NOT pick wild mushrooms without professional guidance, as some may have adverse health effects.
This steamed dorada cooked in a pepper and ginger sauce is a great meal for any campervan. The dorada fish is part of the bream family and any white fish can be used. A great simple dish full of flavour!
Make sure to read our article on ventilating your campervan if you want to ensure there are no fishy smells left after cooking!
Easy, pretty and tasty fish dish. Steamed whole fish is very popular in Asia, almost as popular as deep fried version of it. It can be Pomfret, Tilapia, Dorada or any other small to medium size fish. Dorada is my favourite because of its nice firm flesh and absence of small bones.
5 from 1 vote
10 Ingredients or less – 30 minute meal – Stove top meal
Delicious recipe of cauliflower and spinach dahl with homamade naan bread is ideal for the colder nights setting in. Warming, delicious, vegan and gluten free. All you need is 2 pans! This makes it a great campervan recipe, and ideal for those who have been out exploring all day. This dahl & naan bread recipe can be made on a hob or even an open fire. Recipe from Jen @spirit_wren
Cauliflower and Spinach Dahl with homemade naans
spirit_wren
Vegan, Vegetarian
This dish is such a warming one for these cooler nights and such a fresh taste. The Naans are gluten free but don’t have to be made that way.
It’s vegan and gluten free.
This quick pasta dish has such a lovely fresh taste, is really quick to do with minimal ingredients, but ALL the taste. I used gluten free pasta, to make the dish GF.
5 from 1 vote
10 Ingredients or less – 30 minute meal – Stove top meal
Two pans. One for boiling spaghetti, frying pan or shallow pan for sauce.
Ingredients
200gCherry Tomatoes
1Lemon (juice and zest)
2servings of Spaghetti
100gCapersplus the water from the jar
1onionpeeled and finely chopped
2clovesof Garlic peeled and chopped
1tablespoonof olive oil
Fresh basil leavesoptional
Instructions
Cook the pasta according to the instructions.
Place the onion and garlic in a pan over a medium heat, with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Mix well and cook for 5-10 minutes until soft.
Once soft, add the capers, caper water, lemon zest, lemon juice and tomatoes ( I halved mine)
Cook everything together for a further 10 minutes until the juice begins to bubble.
A delicious recipe which helps you get your veg intake in for the day. Quick to make, simple and best of all minimal washing up!
Halloumi stack
Mid_van_crisis
Vegetarian
A quick and easy meal that is a firm favourite with us who consist of one vegetarian and one meat eater. Lovely lunch if having only one stack but double up or add sides for a more filling dinner
Peel and de-stalk the mushrooms, add these to grill/pan first whilst preparing other ingredients, turning regularly
Thinly slice the red onions, these can then be added to grill alongside the onions or can be served raw depending on taste, carry on with preparing the remaining ingredients
Open, drain and slice the halloumi (thickness depends on personal preference and how many portions needed)
Slice the tomatoes
Add the halloumi after the mushrooms and onions have been on for 5 minutes and the tomatoes a couple of minutes later
Continue to turn all ingredients regularly for roughly a further 10 minutes
You can’t really go wrong with times as it can all just be done to personal taste- either well done or lightly done
Open the buns and place a bed of rocket on the base
Once the ingredients are grilled to your taste stack them up on top of the rocket- mushroom, halloumi, tomatoes and onions
Finish off with generous portion of mayonnaise and sweet chilli sauce
Serve open so your guests can admire your handiwork!
There is nothing that quite beats that smell of freshly baked bread filling your van. But how can you bake bread in a campervan kitchen? And what if you don’t even have an oven? Here are our favourite tricks to getting that soft, warm, freshly baked bread in the comfort of your campervan.
Bread is one of the best foods you can learn how to make, to take your cooking to the next level. And it might not be as complicated as you’d expect. You don’t need a special bread maker or even an oven for that matter.
Bread at its core is just flour, yeast, water and a dash of salt. You can get creative and add your own twist of flavour such as chilli, garlic, herbs or even flip the script and make a sweet cinnamon roll.
From flatbreads to homemade pizza to dessert sweet treats, there is a recipe in here for every occasion. Hopefully, this post inspires you to try a new recipe this week and discover a new favourite bread recipe you didn’t even know you were missing out on.
Supermarket pre-sliced bread and fresh bakery bread are not even in the same league. Nothing beats the smell of fresh bread filling your campervan home or campsite.
To be honest, it may be easier to walk down to the local bakery in the morning and grab a loaf or a few rolls for the day. However, there is something magical about making bread at home and having full control over the flavour. Then knowing you prepared your meal entirely from scratch. Plus making your own bread is likely to save you money which is always a bonus when you’re travelling or living on a budget.
If you are ready to get experimenting, these are our tried and tested recipes that you need to try out.
Although it sounds simple, bread can be tricky to master. But trust us, once you become a pro at making your own bread and perfecting your recipe to your own taste you will never go back.
As a camper or van lifer, you are probably more creative than the average person. The minimalist van life often lends itself to adventurous, creative personalities who are experts at finding new ways to cook traditional foods in a tiny van kitchen. Whether you are cooking on an outside wooden fire or inside on a stovetop or in a crockpot
Here are our top 7 bread recipes you can cook in your van today.
One of the best ways to bake bread in your campervan without an oven is by using the legendary, infamous….(can you tell how much we love it?) Omnia Oven.
Baking bread is 100% possible in a van by only using the stove top and we love being creative with bread flavours. By replicating the classic cheese and onion crisp sandwich we came up with this Cheddar and Spring Omnia Loaf recipe and has turned out to be a go to when we are away in the van.
With van kitchens being pretty minimal we had to start this list off with our 2 ingredient flatbread. Yep, all you need is self-raising flour and natural yoghurt in equal parts to create this versatile Turkish bread. Add a drizzle of oil, butter, ghee or coconut oil, or maybe even some garlic, chilli flakes or fresh herbs to compliment your main dish. This recipe couldn’t be easier for a van kitchen or a beginner baker.
This pizza dough recipe is fully tailored for van kitchens, as it is cooked over an open fire. Not only does this make it excellent for cooking on the road but it also adds a smoky flavour and crisp texture. Homemade pizza is also a great option when entertaining guests as there is always an option to customise the toppings to suit everyone’s taste.
Naan bread is something you can make in no time with just two ingredients! All you need is self-raising flour and Greek yoghurt. Find the full recipe for this easy naan bread on VanlifeEats.com as well as a simple garlic butter with coriander. This is a great recipe to make while you are cooking up your curry, as naan bread is fried on a dry pan this can be done on a stovetop or campfire.
Bread on a stick is the ultimate campfire bread for a simple yet delicious and fluffy baked bread. This bread doesn’t need kneading so it is great if you have limited tabletop space or just want an easy alternative to a loaf or rolls. The recipe is pretty simple but it does require some patience while you wait for the yeast to do its magic and allow the dough to rise.
Best of all is that you really can use what is around you in nature and use sticks. Just make sure you sterilise them first by heating them over the fire before you wrap your dough around them. When the dough is brown and crispy on the outside it should be light and fluffy on the inside. Cook all sides evenly and serve warm as is, or with some butter or homemade jam.
Calling all cinnamon lovers! This delicious cinnamon bun recipe is perfect for those big, fluffy rolls topped with a drizzle of vanilla frosting that soaks into each groove of the rolls. The secret to the fluffiest cinnamon rolls is bread flour. Serve these as part of an indulgent brunch or as a dessert. The only downside is that you will need an oven for this recipe but it is certainly worth checking out if you have this luxury.
Ok maybe some of you will argue that banana bread is a cake but it just had to make this list as an honourable mention. You could serve this as a grab and go hiking snack, a warm dessert with cream and extra chopped banana and walnuts, or even toast it with some butter or yoghurt and blueberries for a sweet breakfast.
Our super simple 6 ingredient banana bread is van friendly if you have a crockpot/instant pot on board and is arguably a much healthier alternative to most banana bread recipes. The peanut butter in this healthy crockpot banana bread adds a creamy sweetness as well as some healthy fats and protein.
Add best of all, there are minimal steps involved. Great for anyone who is less confident in the kitchen or just having a lazy afternoon. Pop 5 of the ingredients in a blender, stir in your favourite peanut butter and you are as good as done. Top with sliced banana, crushed nuts such as walnuts or pecans or a sprinkle of granulated sugar for an extra crispy topping, and bake for 2-3 hours in your slow cooker.
The Omnia stove top oven makes baking bread in a campervan without an oven just so easy.
As with the recipe above, banana bread is a great throw together and it works so well with the Omnia oven.
This recipe is a monthly treat for us. Served with warm custard of course!
This post was all about baking bread in a campervan kitchen.
Let us know if you have tried any of these mouth-watering bread recipes. Feel free to send us DM on Instagram if you need any help with your baking, we understand making bread in a van can be tricky but we are happy to share our tips with you to make it as easy as possible. Our favourite thing to do is chat all about food and van life cooking.
South African classic street food that originated from India. Curry in a roll!! Amazing! We first tried this at our very own Vanlife Eats Big Picnic and had to replicate it in our own van.
Featured Vanlifers Katie & Jason share their experiences of selling their house and travelling full-time in their motorhome with their cat Elsa.
Find out where these featured vanlifers have visited and their travel plans for the future. You should also follow their adventures on instagram @katieg_gross
Why did Katie & Jason decide to go full-time?
Changing from a 9-5 lifestyle, with a nice home and then downsizing to a home with 4 wheels instead of 4 walls, has many advantages. Katie & Jason tell us about their experiences.
There are many reasons to live vanlife or motorhome life full-time. One of the most popular reasons we hear is that people are keen to live a more simplistic life. This was one of the reasons Katie & Jason decided to make the change in their lives. Another is that the couple decided to live life to it’s fullest.
Katie has been diagnosed with cancer 3 times in the last 18 years, 3 separate diagnoses. This can understandably make you look at life differently. With Jason also having a stressful job the pair decided to pack up and head off for a full-time adventure. Along the way Katie has raised awareness of cancer and raised several thousand pounds for Cancer Research. The Daily Mirror have covered her story which can be found here.
“we wanted to make some drastic changes in our life and start to live for today and not wait until we were retired”
With Covid giving everyone time to evaluate their lives and lifestyle, including Katie and Jason, their plan was made. They purchased a motorhome, a 2020 Hymer BMC T-580 to be exact in October 2020. After much deliberation they settled on a name for their new home, Björn after being inspired by the series Vikings.
They made some changes, such as having the cab wrapped, adding an LPG system, solar power and some bad-ass tyres.
Katie & Jason’s motorhome adventures
Imagine being all packed, and prepped and then having nowhere to go! Well, featured vanlifers Katie & Jason ended up spending the first 10 weeks of motorhome life in lockdown on a campsite! As soon as they were able to they began enjoying the joys the U.K can bring. Katie is a big fan of water, and so they have enjoyed many trips around the UK coastline. This has given her plenty of opportunity to do some cold water swimming and paddle boarding, 2 of her hobbies. They have enjoyed Devon and Cornwall, and take their fold-away bikes to make the most of exploring the area.
After spending the last winter in lockdown they have decided not to spend another winter in the U.K. They have big plans for their motorhome in the future. They will be heading to Europe later this year for some more exploring, and have plans to get the van to North America within the next couple of years.
Elsa is looking forward to some more global adventures, and is building up to being off her harness in the wilderness one day soon!
Cooking in a motorhome…
As those of us with tiny homes know, facilities and space can be limited in a van kitchen! Katie & Jason have a pretty awesome set-up which helps when cooking in a tiny space. They have a 3 burner hob, FULL-SIZE fridge freezer (not that i’m jealous or anything!), plus lots of storage options including under the floor!
Katie & Jason’s favorite thing about their motorhome kitchen are the freezer, as they say everyone needs ice cream in their life. Plus they can have a steady supply of ice for their G&T’s! They are also very grateful for the underfloor lockers.
Even with the extra storage, space is still the thing they find most limiting about cooking in their motorhome. They have had to make adaptations from cooking in a big household kitchen, and have embraced these changes. They see it as a challenge to continue to make great food in a tiny space. They love that they can cook anything, all it requires is a little imagination and creativity.
Katie & Jason are lucky not to have experienced any cooking disasters yet! They have a couple of meals they are proud of, especially that they were made in a tiny home. One being a lasagna – made in an airfryer! The second being Egg’s Benedict for Jason’s birthday breakfast. Another firm favourite is spicy chickpeas served with mint yogurt sauce with a wrap and homemade red cabbage coleslaw.
Check out their spicy chickpea recipe here, and keep scrolling for a bonus recipe!
Cheesy coleslaw
Red cabbage
Carrots
Apple
Onion
Grated Cheese
Greek yogurt
Mayonnaise
Salt & Pepper
Garlic salt
The beauty with this recipe is you add the quantities you want, and for how many you want to serve.
Thinly slice all the vegetables
Add the greek yogurt & mayonnaise
Add salt, pepper & garlic salt
Mix well
Put in the fridge until ready to serve
In the motorhome kitchen
One of their favourite gadgets at home was their coffee machine, and so naturally they needed one in their motorhome. They now have a WACACO Minipresso NS portable espresso Machine which doesn’t need any power – perfect for a tiny home on wheels. The latest gadget they are in love with is their airfryer – they go as far as to say it’s almost life changing. If it means you can eat lasagna it’s got to be a winner!
Katie did say they could maybe do with a dishwasher, until they make a van friendly version they’ll have to do the dishes themselves.
What do Katie & Jason like to make sure is in their motorhome cupboards?
Chickpeas
Crispy onion
Pasta ,Grains & Rice
Indian / Thai pastes
Loads of herbs & spices
You will always find lots of Garlic and onions
Cornish garlic sea salt
Obligatiory tin of rice pudding
Katie & Jason’s tip for fellow vanlifers
“If you’re dreaming about this lifestyle then just go for it. Definitely don’t have a plan B or you’ll never do it.
So Get out and enjoy the the world we live in AND always respect the 7 leave no trace principles ❤️”
Plan ahead and prepare.
Travel and camp on durable surfaces.
Dispose of waste properly.
Leave what you find.
Minimize campfire impacts (be careful with fire).
Respect wildlife.
Be considerate of other visitor’s
Most of all pick up any other litter that’s not yours.
Want to be featured on vanlifeeats.com?
To apply for a featured post on vanlifeeats.com simply follow this link and fill out the application form. We promote all featured van lifers across all our social media networks, we send out a “featured Van Lifer” sticker for your van as well as awarding you a prestigious badge for your profile on our website.
Quick and delicious, an easy one-pan meal making it an ideal campervan recipe. This recipe is from featured vanlifers Katie and Jason of forevercopilots. You can read their feature right here and check out their Instagram here. If you want to make this into a delicious curry add a tin of coconut milk!
Spicy Chickpeas
forevercopilots
Vegan, Vegetarian
Delicious Chickpeas, super easy to make and super tasty
4.50 from 2 votes
No fridge – No water – One-pan – Stove top meal – Tinned food
Latest featured vanlifers Carl and Sally-Anne of @motorhominglife are some of Vanlife Eats biggest fans. They have provided so much support to us, and we are very grateful to them. Carl has experienced a number of health issues, a brain tumour, strokes and a heart attack. During his time in hospital, Carl and Sally-Anne focused on their ambitions to travel in a motorhome, and this must have provided some much needed motivation to recover.
Their dreams became a reality and here they share an insight into their travels with their motorhome Pegasus. This couple enjoy adventures full-time in their motorhome.. read to find out more, you won’t be disappointed…
Who are motorhominglife?
Carl and Sally-Anne decided to leave their corporate careers behind them when they reached their late 50’s, and after some health issues. What better way to celebrate their health and enjoy early retirement than travelling Europe and experiencing all that comes with it. That is exactly what this couple decided to do.
The couple had been doing just this when Covid struck and ruined these plans. They were enoying their time in Portugal, and Sally-Anne decided to visit her family in the UK for Christmas. All was going well…. until she couldn’t get back to Carl! Carl began living solo vanlife while grounded in a campsite. There he began sharing his love of food with fellow stranded vanlifers. He took the time to learn about different cultures and cuisines in order to make meals for them all to enjoy. Poor Sally-Anne had to miss out on all the campsite meals.
As soon as the borders were reopened, Carl set about driving across Europe to rescue his damsel in distress. In May this year they were finally reunited. Currently making the most of being grounded in the UK, they are catching up with friends and family. It won’t be long til they head off on their next European adventure though, so make sure to follow their adventures on Insta and YouTube (links at the bottom). Be sure to keep an eye out for adventures from when Vanlife Eats meet Motorhominglife!
Carl and Sally-Anne’s adventures
Carl and Sally-Anne decided to take their tiny home with them at all times. They saw this as the perfect opportunity to make their life more simple. There are no televisions in Pegasus and they took the opportunity to downsize and minimize their ‘junk’. Instead they use their time to enjoy the surroundings and people around them and Sally-Anne is a keen reader.
Carl is a massive fan of Scalextric fan. One of his ambitions was to set this up on a beach in the Mediterranean, and he has now accomplished this! This hasn’t been their favourite part of their travels so far though…
The couple keep everyone entertained on their YouTube channel and regular Instagram posts whilst on their adventures. During their European adventures they each found their own favourite places whilst on their travels. They have such a lovely way with words we’re going to let them do the talking and paint the picture for you.
Carl’s favourite place:
Hort De Soriano Spain
A free 2 night maximum stay Aire. In the middle of an ‘orange ocean’. Right in the middle of an orange forest, with millions of orange groves, millions of oranges.
The Aire is in a recreational area, once used as part of the orangery (van spaces on terraces), at the side of an enormous roman styled villa, once orange baron. No water, no electricity but a toilet, and places to sit and picnic. There are remains of an orange museum, and signs of opulence from the early 1920’s.
Walking into the mountains, you can see the enormity of the ocean, the horizon is almost a straight line, orange meets blue..
Every place we’ve been to in France, Spain and Portugal has had its own individual beauty, pleasing to the eye, and some smells associated with food and flowers. However, this area was an assault on the sense we don’t often use. Orange blossom, orange, almost cointreau-like. It was there, on your clothes, in the van, in the wood, buildings, I guess a good way to describe it, was like standing in the Jo Malone factory, leaning against a vat containing orange blossom body lotion.
You went to bed with it, and woke up smelling of orange blossom.
Being deaf, my other senses work much harder, so I ‘heard’ through my nose, my sensory fibres tingling with delight.
Sally-Anne’s favourite place:
Merida,
West Spain
‘Rome of Spain’.
This spectacular city was once the home of retired Roman warriers. The evidence of occupation and opulence runs throughout the city, ruins, remains and renovated Roman architecture around every corner.
Amphitheatre, temples, fortress and the outside and inner remains of what must been a hippodrome (chariot racing circuit ) to match anything in Rome. We walked around it, and according to our FitBit it was exactly 1,500 m around the circuit.
When you think you’ve seen every thing and eaten some of the most amazing croquettes “ever”, the National Roman Museum and Crypt awaited to bend our minds. Firstly the architecture of the building itself is enough to impress the greatest architect in the world. But the artefacts! How did the Romans make mosaic floors the size of football pitches without computer aided software. Statues the size of houses, glassware, gold, pottery, tools, the list is endless. “Just shows you what the Romans did for us”. 3 days just wasn’t enough. There are a number of basic aires in the city, but we found the local camping site was adequate. After all, you only slept and showered there.
We met fellow motorhomers Lynn and Chris (Scottish) at this camper park, and enjoyed a glass or two of local wines. We have kept in touch and will undoubtedly meet again, to finish off that bottle of Scotch.
During their travels they have enjoyed visiting a number of places, and have even managed to accumulate a hive of bees and an olive tree (they don’t transport these in the motorhome for some reason!)
In Carl and Sally-Anne’s kitchen
Sally-Anne confesses that Carl does most of the cooking in this motorhome, and she is more than happy to be sous chef and chief taster! When asked what they like best about their tiny kitchen, they said, that it is the biggest kitchen in the world! That is what they love about it. There are no limits. Carl is a keen chef and is always looking to try new recipes and gadgets. The fact they don’t have an oven in their van hasn’t held them back at all. Carl even managed to make a giant yorkshire pudding in their Omnia oven.
Their favourite kitchen gadget for their travels has been their Hell’s handle fish slice from Mercer. They are also very keen on sampling local wines when travelling so a corkscrew / bottle opener is also a firm favourite.
The couple like to cook outdoors and so one of their favourite things about cooking in their motorhome kitchen – is that they don’t have to!
What do Carl and Sally-Anne cook in their motorhome?
You may know Carl is a big fan of honey and his daily pollen, but what does he like to cook?One of their most memorable meals they have cooked outside was a fish dish – cooking fish in the van isn’t always the best plan. They enjoyed fresh monkfish tail caught that very day and cooked with local garlic and onions. They enjoy eating fresh, local produce. As such a salad nicoise is a definite favourite for them when they can get the freshest ingredients.
When shopping locally there are some key items they always ensure to purchase from the local supermarket:
-Local Garlic
– Local Onions
– Local Tomatoes
– Low fat, low suga digetives
– Anti-bac wipes
Those of us that like to cook in the van they know there is always a fair share of cooking disasters, and Pegasus has witnessed a few. One was when Carl decided to use the beloved Omnia oven on a fire pit. He attempted to make a cake using a cake mix, and is certain this is the reason his Omnia now looks like a spaceship on it’s re-entry from space. Good job he got a sparkling new one for his birthday recently!
If you are subscribed to their YouTube you may remember this video..
This amazing looking yorkshire pudding was the third attempt, the first two were not so picture perfect shall we say. The great thing with their previous experiences in their working lives means they are nifty with editing videos. Just as well as Carl managed to combine the best bits from all 3 attempts to create the perfect video!
As with other vanlifers Carl and Sally-Anne have their favourite go-to meals. One is beans on toast with grated cheese and HP Sauce! They also like to be well prepared for those situations where you are lost, have little water and power left – we’ve all been there! In these cases they are prepared with an ‘armageddon’ meal, essential boil in the bag meals. Ideal for these situations.
The things they love to make the most are nice fresh salads with chicken. Outside the van they love to cook fish and seafood. This is what they avoid cooking in their van though, alongside anything that needs to be fried.
Let’s face it vanlife wouldn’t be vanlife without some ups and downs. Sally-Anne didn’t find it funny at the time, but now it is something they can laugh about together. This story is better told in their own words.
“We missed the turning for Apibericos (heading for a beekeeping experience) in the mountains surrounding the Douro Valley. This road was Pegasus wide. Wing mirrors in, steep gradient, raining, cobbled road, “dead end”. In a farm yard on a slope, in sand. By this time Sally-Anne realised her mascara wasn’t waterproof. A ‘26 point turn’ was needed.
The automatic gear box struggled.
Not so simple though, as we had were following Portugal EasyCamp’s wine experience route, every bottle of wine we bought (just left our 5th vineyard) we put in the back. Pegasus beached like a whale.
So in the rain, on a gradient, in sand on top of wet cobbles, we unloaded the wine. (Didn’t realise how much we’d bought), took out my Scalextric, (I have a lot, 40 kilos of it), quite a number of 6 litre bottles of fresh water, tables, chairs, etc and put them inside the van, in the front seat well, front seats and the under table. Pegasus breathed a sign of relief and she raised a good 12cm at the back. Weight at the front, traction control on, off, on, off. Bingo!
Not quite.. Because we had to go back down the way we came, we started to slide, handbrake on, wing mirrors in, and in reverse gear.
I was disappointed that Sally-Anne wouldn’t let me put the GoPro on, nor the phone in the front bracket to film the event. I was in complete control. This is what Vanlife is about. Adventure. There was a 50 mts drop on the other side, to make it more adrenaline pumping.
Half an hour later, we were sitting by beehives, drinking coffee with honey and pollen, eating Pastel de Nata. “Oh, we hadn’t realised you had such a big van” the host said.
After our stay, we had to reverse out”.
Carl and Sally-Anne’s advice for fellow vanlifers
“Stretch, listen, respect the local rules, don’t believe everything on social media, engage with the local people, value and absorb traditions, and eat local fresh foods.
Invest in an Omnia, Skillet, unlimited WiFi and never stop exploring…”
To apply for a featured post on vanlifeeats.com simply follow this link and fill out the application form. We promote all featured van lifers across all our social media networks, we send out a “featured Van Lifer” sticker for your van as well as awarding you a prestigious badge for your profile on our website.
Heat a little olive oil in a pan and add the red onion. Cook for 3 minutes until the onions have softened.
Sprinkle the smoked Paprika over the onion and give it a stir to make sure everything is coated. Cook for 2 minutes.
In the 2 minutes waiting take a saucepan and add 2 cups of water and turn up the heat.
Add 1/4 cup of white wine to the onion. Smell how good that is!
Drain and rinse 1 tin of chickpeas and add to the skillet. Give it a mix.
Add 1 cup of bulgur wheat to the now boiling water and turn off the heat.
At this point add the cayenne pepper to the skillet and some salt and pepper to the bulgar wheat
Cube cut a whole block of vegan feta cheese and add it to the skillet pan. Give it a mix. The feta will melt giving a rich creamy texture.
Cut 4 fresh figs in half, Scoop out the flesh from the skin with a spoon and cut the fresh figs into chunks. Add them to the pan.
Take a handful of coriander and chop it all up. Add most of it to the pan leaving only a little for garnishing your plate.
Add some salt and pepper and give it all a good mix.
Drain your bulgur wheat which should have now soaked up all the water. Add this to the skillet pan and again give it a mix. Add a little squeeze of lemon if you have one!
5 sustainable hacks all vanlifers NEED to know! Sustainability sometimes comes hand in hand with cooking and eating a plant based diet. Both of these can be an expensive way to live. Here Alexandra Tsuneta of @gooftrooperz explains how anyone can make these changes in an affordable way. Her book ‘Cooking Tiny’ is the perfect tool for any of those wanting to make sustainable changes to their diet.
Sustainable vanlifers
Being vegan and living a sustainable lifestyle can seem overpriced and out of reach for the average person, more so for the average van lifer. Sometimes it seems like the $12 green juices are what veganism is all about, instead of there being an emphasis on making a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle affordable for everyone.
This is why I wrote Cooking Tiny, a Vegan Cookbook for Nomadic Souls, because in order to create lasting change, veganism and sustainability must be feasible for all budgets and be more inclusive. In an effort to help show how affordable and easy veganism can be, I’ve compiled some simple recipes that can help you skip a trip to the store, save money, and live more sustainably.
For more recipes like this, check me out on Instagram and order my book, Cooking Tiny, via this link! Available now!
Sustainable hack for vanlifers #1
Make your own milk!
Homemade Oat Milk
Oat milk is not only the best milk alternative (in my humble opinion), it is also the most sustainable milk alternative!
That being said, oat milk can run you about $4-$5 a half-gallon, which in my house lasts about a week (we’re big coffee drinkers). So, I found a way to make oat milk for a fraction of the price and it lasts about a week as well! It is the simplest recipe and takes about five minutes to prepare.
Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats
4 cups water (or less for creamier milk—I use 3 cups)
1 pitted date or 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional, for sweetness)
1 pinch salt
And whatever add-ins you want: vanilla for vanilla milk, a handful of berries for berry milk, cocoa powder for chocolate milk — all of these are optional but fun!
Method
Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend for about 30 seconds.
Strain into a large bowl using a cheesecloth.
And there you have it, lasts up to one week in the fridge and is the most delicious oat milk you’ll ever drink!
Sustainable hack for vanlifers #2
Save money and plastic by making your own hummus
Homemade Hummus
Buying hummus at the store is bananas; it is the easiest thing to make and a small amount of hummus at the store can cost anywhere from $4–$8, while canned chickpeas will only cost you a buck. Make your own!
Ingredients
1 can garbanzo beans with a small amount of aquafaba (the liquid from the can)
1 tablespoon tahini
½ tablespoon olive oil
½ lemon, squeezed
Water (about ½ cup, but add as you go for the consistency you like)
And whatever seasonings you want! I usually add two cloves of garlic, but go wild! Add some harissa or jalapeño peppers, or anything that sounds delicious to you.
Method
Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
The easiest and best hummus you’ll ever have. Keeps in the fridge just like store-bought hummus but costs way less and tastes way better.
Sustainable hack for vanlifers #3
Make cleaning a breeze with your own van-made cleaner
Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner
Okay, stop and hear me when I say this: Different cleaners for different rooms is such a sham! You do not need a thousand different cleaners for your home, just one, reliable, all-purpose cleaner. Try this one for super easy cleaning.
Ingredients
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
15 drops whatever essential oil you like, if you want a specific scent (optional)
Method
Add all to a 16-ounce spray bottle and shake to combine.
That’s it, it’s so simple and it will last you the same amount of time as store-bought cleaner. Also, 128oz of white vinegar costs under $3 — that’s a lot of all-purpose cleaner!
Sustainable hack for vanlifers #4
Very Easy, No-Knead, No Stand-Mixer Bread
For my baking challenged people, this one is for you. You don’t need any fancy equipment to swap out store-bought bread and the plastic it is wrapped in for a delicious homemade version that can be easily modified to your taste.
Ingredients
3 cups flour
2¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
2 teaspoon salt
½ cups water
Then, whatever add-ins you like. I like to add garlic and vegan parm for a garlic/parm loaf — or, super-secret trick: 2 teaspoons of everything bagel seasoning is incredible.
Method
Add ingredients in order (very important because water impacts the yeast). If you are including additional add-ins, put those in before water.
Slightly mix with a fork until dough is combined.
Cover with a lid for 30 minutes.
Open up and fold your dough over itself, cover for another 30 minutes.
Open up and fold again, cover for an hour.
Scrape the dough out onto a well-floured kitchen towel, shape into a loaf, and let rise for 45–60 minutes. While this is happening position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat at 475°F for at least 30 minutes (longer if you are using a baking stone).
Lower the heat to 450°F and bake for 35 minutes.
Most of this recipe is just letting the dough sit on the counter. You can sub out ¾ white flour or bread flour for spelt flour or whole wheat flour for a heartier loaf!
Sustainable hack for vanlifers #5
DIY Plant Fertilizer
Not only can you make plant fertilizer for all of your indoor/outdoor plants but you can do it by not wasting other throw-away compostable scraps! Here are a few methods to make plant fertilizer at home and without all of the non-vegan additives and grossness (chicken bones, ew).
Coffee grounds: Instead of throwing these away, save them, and fertilize your plants with them.
Rice water: The water you rinse your rice with is full of nutrients and can also be used to fertilize/water your plants! Also, side note: It makes a great rinse for your hair, or you can wash your face with it.
Banana peels: Take your old banana peels, put em’ in a mason jar with water, and let sit for a day. Water your plants!
What are you waiting for?
All of these are so easy and you can reuse old kitchen scraps instead of wasting them.
The great thing about all of these recipes and ideas is that they are all zero waste. You can create, reuse, and save a lot of money on basic items by making them yourself! All of these ideas are extremely simple and can be used and implemented with very limited effort and basic household supplies.
Let us know your sustainable hacks vanlifers need to know in the comments below!
If you want to write for us drop us an email at hello@vanlifeeats.com
Latest featured vanlifers Sarahkai and Sam tell us about their experiences in their van Vinny the Van Diesel. Find out what these Aussie vanlifers like to cook and eat in their van. Also, their ups and downs of being vanlifers.
Sarahkai and Sam have one of our favourite Instagram accounts. They post regularly, take great photos and make incredible looking food – it looks too good to have been made in a van! You can check out their Instagram right here and follow along on their travels too.
More about featured vanlifers Sarahkai and Sam
Sarahkai and Sam are a couple travelling Australia full-time in their van, Vinny the Van Diesel. This couple have been experiencing vanlife for the last 2 years. Travelling Australia in a van was something the couple had dreamed of for a while. After a difficult period in their lives – their life exploded around them in their words, they decided to make something positive from it. They knew then that this was the time for them to start their vanlife journey.
That’s when they saw Vinny. Vinny was a 20 year old van who had already completed a lap of Australia with his backpacker owners, now it was time for him to share the journey with someone else!
He had the very bare necessities of a bed and some shelves. Sarahkai and Sam worked hard to save for their travels whilst Sam converted the van at the same time. The build was completed on a budget to maximise their travel fund. Sam built a pull-out kitchen and pull out wardrobe, they added a water supply and solar power, and Vinny was ready for another adventure!
Their van… Vinny the van diesel
Doing the build themselves gave Sarahkai and Sam the opportunity to make Vinny as they wanted him. They love the homely feel Vinny has, which is essential when it is your home, even if it is on wheels. The wood inside and warm colours adds to this homely feel for them. As well as this they have a mini garden on their dash, and some momentos they have collected during their travels.
This couple like to go off grid and having a 110l water tank enables them to do this. They also like to do a lot of walking and hiking, so having a shower is essential to them as it can get pretty hot and sweaty hiking in Australia.
When vanlifers go offgrid…
Sometimes being off grid has it’s disadvantages though! After driving through the desert in 40c heat for hours the couple found a great park-up. Sweat and red dust is not a good combination for getting into bed so the couple decide to freshen up and set-up their shower outside before bed. It all sounds pretty perfect so far, the sun is setting there is no-body around – except a tonne of flies and the odd cockatoo. The couple decide to save time and not set up the tent but just shower in nature. Taking it in turns to cover each other should anyone turn up, Sam goes first. Once nice and refreshed, he gets dressed and gets ready to hide Sarahkai. She gets undressed gets under the shower, Sam switches it on for her and ‘CLUNK’
The couple suddenly realise the seriousness of the situation, they have no water and they are in the desert in the heat. The water pump had broken so they had 100l of water that they were unable to access! Plus Sarahkai was still covered in dust. After a very uncomfortable night, taking tiny sips of the drinking water they had left, they set off in search of a service station. 200km later they found one, which was shut! They managed to get some water, although it was labelled ‘non-potable’. They had no choice but to drink it,although it isn’t something they would recommend they lived to tell the tale. It took a whole month to get a new pump!
Their van kitchen
The advantage of doing their own van build meant they could have their kitchen just as they wanted it! Sam created a kitchen which pulls out from under the bed. This stores their pots, pans and the kitchen sink. They prefer to cook outside, but do have a camp companion (similar to jet boil) for when they need to cook indoors.
When cooking outside they like to cook with a campfire and quite often dig a hole for their dutch oven and create some yummy baked goods! Most recently they built their own outdoor pizza oven using flat rocks, and a mud slurry from the river bed. The pizzas looked epic and they left the oven with a note for the next campers to enjoy.
Vinny, Sarahkai, Sam and food!
If you follow Sarahkai and Sam on Instagram or YouTube you will know that food is very important to them. They like to eat healthy, clean food and they seem to eat with their eyes as much as their mouths – it all looks fabulous.
Sarahkai is a cancer survivor and a trained chef specialising in health foods – this means the couple strive to eat a super healthy diet. They generally eat a vegan, gluten free diet but not exclusively. They do eat dairy products and meat on occasion, but definitely avoid junk or processed foods.
Every day the couple have a smoothie bowl, packed full of vitamins and nutrients. Having solar power means they have enough power for the nutribullet, which is one of their favourite van kitchen accessories.
Sarahkai does most of the cooking and meal prep, and her favourite thing to make at the moment are buckwheat flat breads. They are very versatile and can be used for tacos, served with houmous or even as chapatis for curry night! A wine bottle comes in useful to double up as a rolling pin for these!
Check out their amazing recipes right here on our site!
Vanlife can bring the most amazing experiences as Sarahkai and Sam agree. They love the freedom vanlife brings, and being immersed in the nature around them. The couple really feel this helps heal their mind, bodies and spirits. They enjoy watching the sunrise & sunsets, as well as the nature around them, all from their tiny home. What’s not to love?
The ever changing views in their ‘loyal old stead’ means they are looking forward to a long time of adventuring ahead of them.
Vanlife does come with it’s own issues on occasion however – a problem that many vanlifers have experienced – leaks! In the Daintree rainforest Sarahkai and Sam experienced a few weeks of rain in a humid environment. They woke one morning to leaks and mould on the wood lining. The left the humidity and drove to the dry outback, parked up in a caravan park and stripped and rebuilt Vinny.
Where to find featured vanlifers Sarahkai and Sam…
Sarahkai and Sam leave painted rocks on their travels, so if you find one on your travels be sure to take a photo and let them know!
To apply for a featured post on vanlifeeats.com simply follow this link and fill out the application form. We promote all featured van lifers across all our social media networks, we send out a “featured Van Lifer” sticker for your van as well as awarding you a prestigious badge for your profile on our website.
A delicious recipe from featured vanlifers @vinny_the_van_diesel. This recipe is not only delicious, but it is vegan and gluten free too. It requires no cooking, so an ideal campervan recipe.
You could try adding chopped nuts as a topping, or even try mixing up the flavours. Let us know what flavour combinations you come up with below in the comments. This recipe requires a freezer and blender.
This isn’t the only delicious vegan dessert these guys have come up with. Click here to see more about them and see their raw chocolate & peppermint tarts!
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