This is an easy and delicious treat for lunch or dinner. The creamy butterbean sauce smothered in cheese is the perfect texture for crispy sourdough toast.
In a bowl add the sliced red onion, sliced chilli and sugar. Season with salt and drizzle the apple cider vinegar over the top and give it a good stir with a teaspoon.
Leave to one side to soften up.
Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a pan on medium heat.
Finely chop the ginger and garlic and add to a pan along with 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin and 1 teaspoon of medium curry powder.
It is important to cook out the spices to bring out the flavour yet take extra care not to burn the garlic.
Cook for about 1 minute.
Add the butterbeans and the cheese to the mixture and season generously with salt and pepper.
When the cheese starts to melt remove from the heat and allow to cool for 2 minutes.
Stir through the cream and chopped coriander.
If you have a grill, toast a couple of slices of sourdough bread under it or if not use a pan and fry the bread with a little olive oil.
Make your toast and place on a plate.
Pour your butterbean mixture over the toast and top with a generous amount of the pickled onion and chilli.
Add extra salt and pepper.
Yum!
We are very excited to feature our first family of vanlifers! What could be more exciting for children than camping every day in their very own campervan. Make sure to follow the families adventures on Insta @van_chula_travels
Meet the vanlifers…
A pretty certain thing about a home on wheels is that it is a tiny home. However, that doesn’t mean it is filled with any less love than a home made of bricks. Meet our featured vanlifers, The Howls. Annie, Luke, Hugo & Sacha have given us some insight to their home on wheels and their family experiences living in their self built campervan.
The family live full-time in their van Chula, and are based in the UK. They originally decided to travel full-time in their van but currently to allow their children to attend school they limit their travelling to the weekends and holidays but enjoy full-time vanlife nonetheless. They make the most of having their home on wheels by parking up at local beauty spots during the week, close enough to do the school run. Then at the weekend, the world is their oyster!
One of their favourite places to visit is Cornwall. A particular place they recommend is St Michael’s Mount. It is a great place to visit with children, and there is something magical about being able to cross a stone path which is only there when the tide is low.
Their van kitchen
The family eat an almost vegan diet, with a few dairy products. Due to this type of diet they manage without a fridge in their campervan. They have an emphasis on eating fresh meals, little convenience food & minimal washing up! Sounds perfect for vanlife. The family plan meals ensuring the fresh products are used up first after a shop, and adapt their meals towards the end of the week to use up leftovers and other remaining items.
Mum Annie, likes to cook meals requiring one pan so the family tend to eat meals such as vegetable stews, curries etc. Washing up after 4 is never fun even with a large sink and unlimited hot water, so it makes perfect sense to keep washing up limited in a family home on wheels.
Some of the family favourite meals include, risotto, soup and pasta. They enjoy cooking curries but eat them with naan bread rather than rice to save on pots and pans. One of their favourite family meals to make in their campervan is cheesy mashed potato, roasted butternut squash and gravy. Ultimate comfort food!
Family vanlife meals
One of the family’s most memorable meals in Chula was on a cold winter’s day in Snowdonia National Park. Their diesel heater had broken and what better way to heat up than a big bowl of soup. A bowl of hot sweet potato & lentil soup soon worked it’s magic and was declared the best soup ever!
See The Howls Vanlife recipe here. Omnia Roasted Butternut squash & Cavolo Nero, served with cheesy vegan mash and Mango, chilli dressing.
There are a few essentials in this van family’s pantry. Being as the family like to use up leftovers as the week progresses, gravy granules are classed as a definite essential. They can turn some leftover roasted vegetables into a yummy meal. Hugo & Sacha love overnight oats for breakfast with some ginger marmalade, nuts and seeds. This makes porridge oats another essential in this family’s van kitchen. Finally which UK pantry would be complete without baked beans!
Of course cooking in a tiny home doesn’t come without it’s share of disasters. Annie admits that cooking in a small space with children around can come with it’s challenges. One of the most memorable mishaps happened when cooking a family favourite, curry. A pan full of chickpea curry not only ended up on their new rug, but the children also ended up wearing it.
Tips for future vanlifers
What tips do The Howls have for families about to embark on a vanlife adventure?
Keep things simple, minimal and as easy as possible.
2 pairs of shoes each are enough. Only pack what you need and wear.
Have a box for muddy things so they can be dealt with later on (tiny living = easy mess!)
If meat & dairy are not a big part of your diet, then a fridge is not always required in a van build.
Finally…..
We all know vanlife doesn’t come without a few hiccups, and this was no different for The Howls. They were so excited to set off for their full-time adventure that they forgot one thing…… their toilet! Their first week was spent in a remote location, needless to say the children were not impressed with having to poop outside. Stories like this is what makes the vanlife experience and it has not hindered the families enjoyment of it at all.
This vegan Omnia roasted squash with mango, lime and chilli dressing is a great stove top meal. This is perfect for meat free Monday, or any other day of the week. With the squash roasted to perfection in the Omnia and cheesy mash, that’s vegan too! The lime and chilli dressing adds a sharp, spicy flavour that cuts through the sweetness of the roasted squash.
A great dinner for the family, full of nutrients and good flavours. You can vary the level of spiciness to adapt to smaller taste buds if required. A great thing with this recipe is that you can add whatever you want, a great way to use up leftovers.
Omnia roasted squash with lime & chilli dressing
van_chula_travels
Vegan, Vegetarian
Some really yummy dishes can be created from ingredients that do not need to be refrigerated.This meal has some simple but really tasty elements. Roasted butternut squash & Cavolo Nero, served with vegan 'cheesy' mash & Mango, lime & chilli dressing
Peel the butternut squash and cut into 2cm cubes. Peel and cube the potatoes.
Put the potatoes in a pan of water and bring to the boil, leave to cook for 20 minutes or until soft
Meanwhile coat the cubed butternut squash in a small amount of oil and sprinkle with the cumin and paprika. Season with salt & pepper
Place the squash into the Omnia oven and roast over a medium heat for around 20 minutes
While the squash and potatoes are cooking make the dressing. To make this blend the mango, apple cider vinegar, a dash of oil and the juice of the lime. Add as much chilli as you like depending on the spice level required.
After 10 minutes add the cavolo nero to the butternut squash and cook for a further 10 minutes.
When the potatoes are soft, pour away the water and mash. Add vegan butter and cheese plus seasoning.
Place the mash on the plate. Place the roasted butternut squash and cavolo nero on the top. Drizzle the dressing and voila!
The ultimate comfort food and this recipe is bursting full of rich zingy flavour that will leave you drooling away whilst it bubbles away on your van stove.
Use your Zyliss Easy Pull to blend up the mushrooms until they are finely minced.
With a splash of olive oil in a pan add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Fry stirring constantly for 5 minutes and then remove from the pan and set aside.
Use the Zyliss to blend the Onion, the garlic cloves, the chilli and only the stalks from the fresh coriander. Add a little more oil to the pan and add the red onion, garlic, chilli and coriander stalks. Cook for about 5 minutes.
Roughly chop the celery and the red pepper and add to the pan and stir up the mixture.
Add the spices (chilli flakes, bay leaf, oregano, cumin, star anise, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper) and mix everything up so the veg is coated in the spices.
Add the red wine, soy sauce, tomato puree and balsamic vinegar and reduce the liquid down by leaving the lid off the pan. When the liquid has reduced right down add the tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens up.
Return the minced mushrooms to the pan along with the maple syrup, the chocolate, drained kidney and black beans. Reduce the heat to a gentle low simmer and cook for about 15 minutes until the sauce is a thick rich mixture.
Remove the bay leaf and the star anise, stir through the fresh coriander and serve with rice or nachos!
This guacamole recipe is ideal for a campervan kitchen. No cooking required and using the manual blender, means no power required either! It tastes delicious too, win win!
Using your manual food processor (such as the Zyliss Easy Pull) finely chop the onion, chili and most of the coriander.
Squeeze the lime half into the mixture taking care not to get any pips into the mixture.
Cut the avocados in half, remove the skin and stones and scoop into the manual food processor. Use about 5 or 6 pulls on the cord to give a chunky blend of avocado.
During our vanlife adventure in Sardinia we discovered Fregola, tiny pearls of pasta made by hand which originate from the Italian island. Fregola is a very versatile ingredient and can be used in soups, stews, salads and in this recipe made into a risotto-like pasta dish.
It is one of our favourite campervan kitchen staples. So much so we brought plenty back with us! However, you can find it online (amazon), in posh supermarkets and Italian delis. Although you could substitute it for Orzo or Arborio rice, you may need to add more stock/water.
This recipe can be easily adapted to suit your tastes, camper kitchen supplies and diets - it can be made totally vegetarian and vegan.
Recipe from Meg, from Flora & the Novice Explorers
Heat a saucepan (preferably heavy based) on a high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil.
Begin to sauté the prawns, onions and garlic, adding a little colour/caramelisation. Add a pinch of chilli flakes, healthy grind of salt & pepper and slowly allow the aromas to be released.
When the prawns are cooked and have turned pink remove from the pan and set aside.
Reduce the heat and add a tablespoon of tomato paste. Stir into the hot pan of onions and allow the paste to cook out for a few minutes. Add the jar of passata and chicken stock and bring to the boil.
Now add the Fregola to the pan and stir every few minutes - sometimes it has a tendency to sink to the bottom, stick and burn as it swells.
On a low heat, simmer for around 15 minutes, constantly stirring. The fregola is cooked when the tiny balls of pasta are soft but still have a little chew, or a little bite - “Al dente” as they say! Check for seasoning as the pasta itself is pretty bland - as most pasta is. It takes on the flavour of a punchy sauce!
Turn off the heat and allow it to rest for a few moments, as it soaks up any remaining liquid as it finishes cooking.
Whilst you are waiting, roughly chop the sun dried tomatoes and the capers, add them to the pan along with the previously cooked prawns.
Finely chop the fresh herb of choice and stir some into the tomato fregola and save the rest to scatter on the top.
Serve up, add a wedge of fresh lemon and enjoy a little taste of Sardinia. Perhaps with a glass of wine!
We love using leftover bananas to make cakes. Without an oven in our van, the Omnia oven makes that all possible. In this one I decided to swirl some nutella through it for extra indulgence (not sure our waistlines appreciate it though!)
Looking for a low carb breakfast or lunch that's high in healthy fats? I'm sure that's why this recipe was invented! Egg and avocado are a match made in heaven and in this simple recipe we fire things up with some cayenne pepper and paprika!
Pre-heat your mini oven to a medium heat. (around 160 deg)
Evenly cut your avocado in half and remove the stone. Place face up on a baking tray. With a sharp knife score vertical and horizontal lines inside the avocado. This is so the egg can seep into the avocado.
Break an egg over the top of each avocado half, aiming for the yolks to sit in the stone cavities. Break into a cup first if this is easier for you.
Sprinkle with cayenne pepper, paprika, thyme and nutritional yeast flakes.
This little bowl just bursts with coconut curry flavours. It's quick and easy to make and use your favourite stir-fry veggies or whatever veggies you have leftover in the fridge. Our version here is protein packed and makes two medium bowls.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a nonstick pan over a medium heat. Add the diced tofu cubes into the pan and fry evenly on each side. Once golden brown remove from the heat and set aside on some kitchen paper.
To the pan add your selection of veggies or use a pre selected stir-fry pack if it's easier for you. Cook for 2-3 minutes and then remove from the pan.
Add another tablespoon of avocado oil to the pan and add the sliced garlic. Lightly fry for 1 minute and then add the curry powder, ground ginger and the tumeric. Stir continuously and cook the spices for 2 minutes and then add the coconut milk and bring to the boil.
Return the pre cooked veggies back into the pan and cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Taste the broth and add soy sauce and lime juice to your taste.
Remove from the heat.
In a second pan soak the vermicelli noodles in boiling water for 2-3 minutes until soft. Drain the water and split the noodles between the two bowls.
Add the veggies & coconut broth to the two bowls and top with the crispy tofu. Scatter a few cashew nuts on top of you like. You are salivating... Enjoy!
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a pan and bring to a medium heat.
Add the can of chopped tomatoes, the tomato puree and the sugar, season with salt and pepper and give it a good stir and let simmer.
Meanwhile, peel and thinly slice the butternut squash. About 2mm slices or as thin as you can get it. Keep the slices and dispose of the peelings and seeds. Have a tidy up.
Finely chop an onion.
On your second hob, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and gently fry your onions until translucent.
Add the 2 minced garlic cloves.
Add the Vegan mince some salt and give it all a good stir. Cook for about 5 minutes.
Tip the pan of tomatoes into the mince mixture, add a handful of torn basil and let simmer.
Wash the pan that had tomato in it and then over a low heat combine 2 tablespoons of oil with 1/4 of a cup of flour. Mix for about 4 minutes into a paste.
Turn off the flame and add 1/3 of your milk to the paste and carefully stir until combined.
Turn the hob back on, add the next third of milk and switch to a whisk to stir the sauce. Once combined add the last third of milk and whisk until smooth and creamy.
Add the Vegan cheese to the sauce and give it a good mix until the cheese has melted into the sauce. It should be smooth and creamy. Add salt and pepper.
Remove the pan of meat sauce from the heat and drizzle some of the liquid into the bottom of the Omnia silicone insert.
Layer the bottom with your first layer of sliced of butternut squash.
Add your one layer of meat sauce.
Add a layer of cheese sauce.
Add a layer of butternut squash.
Add a layer of cheese sauce.
Sprinkle some dried herbs on the top and cook in your Omnia over a medium heat for 40 minutes.
We suggest serving with a peppery salad, flat bread or some garlic bread.
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