How to camp with a vegan

The weekend was touted as the ‘Wild Women’s Adventure’ weekend; two females, a 4WD, a tent and mountains. What could possibly go wrong? In our eyes absolutely, nothing but our husbands might have been thinking something different.

Despite being open minded, there is still a level of concern about two females alone in the wilderness minus a man to protect them. It seems it’s still a males duty to want to protect their loved ones. Don’t get me wrong I’m all up for that, if anything I am so fortunate I have someone who cares that much about me but what I also know is females these days are fiercely independent, confident and more than capable to survive (& thrive) in the wildness alone. We were, and I am those kinds of females.

When planning a weekend away, how prepared do you need to be? You definitely don’t need anything and everything when camping but a few key essentials will make all the difference. I am no Bear Grylls when it comes to outdoor adventuring however I know enough to get me by.

Key items packed in the 4WD

• Canopy
• Tent
• Hammer
• Broom & Shovel
• Mattress
• Bedding: underlay, sheets, doona/sleeping bag
• Table and chairs
• Gas stove top
• Pots, pans, crockery, cutlery, cooking utensils
• Washing up items (bucket, detergent, wash clothes, tea towels)
• Spade (for fire & toilet)
• Firelighters / matches
• Folding toilet seat & paper (good way to avoid drop toilets)
• Water (for drinking and cooking)
• Wood (only if you don’t have access to an axe or chainsaw)
• Battery or solar powered lamps
• Headlamp
• Toiletries
• Towel
• First aid kit
• Insect repellent
• Floor mats
• Warm and waterproof clothing
• Waterproof footwear/thongs

The above sets up base camp and like your home you set up camp based on rooms; bedroom (tent), kitchen (canopy) and living room (fire). Camping is like living in a studio apartment, everything is within arm’s reach making this style of living the ultimate simple life.

The gluten free vegan camper

We weren’t camping for a prolonged amount of time, 2 days and 2 nights therefore we were able to get by with our food and drink in an esky filled with ice. No fridge. This also meant we could bring and cook REAL foods not rely on dehydrated foods where you just need to add water.

The menu had been planned to consider dietary requirements; vegan, gluten and fructose free. Our meal ideas were vast; we had a gas stove and a fire as well as pots and pans so cooking and heating foods was not going to be an issue but we did need to be somewhat prepared to make everything easier.

Meal Ideas

Dinner

• Mexican: Nachos, tacos and burritos
• Mac n cheese
• Fried rice with vegetables and tofu
• Baked potatoes
• Corn on the cob
• Rice burgers
• Sweet potato wedges
• Chilli with quinoa
• Grilled ratatouille kebabs

Breakfast

• Pancakes with rice malt syrup and blueberries
• Muesli with coconut yoghurt & fruit
• Toast with avocado and tomato
• Scrambled tofu

Pre-dinner nibbles

• Dips & chips
• Nut cheese with crackers
• Trail mix
• Nuts & seeds
• Vegetable crudités

Before we set off for our trip a selection of food was prepared: kale, bok choy and broccoli chopped and diced, coriander chopped, ginger minced, carrots grated, cos lettuce washed and sliced, capsicum diced and rice cooked.

In little containers we had: savoury yeast flakes, corn flour, almond feta, tamari, olive oil, sesame oil and dashi stock. We packed bonsoy, refried beans, avocado, potatoes, corn, pasta and salt & pepper. We were not going to go hungry.

The key is being prepared

After long adventurous days on the trails, the last thing we wanted to do was spend hours preparing food. Doing the small things like chopping and cooking some of the ingredients beforehand meant we could just throw everything into the pan and have our meals ready in less than 10minutes.

Adventure weekends

These weekends are all about thriving in the vastness of the mountains, enjoying each other’s company and pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone. Not to mention eating and drinking well as climbing over 1800m can really build up the appetite.

On this particular weekend, two females survived hiking, climbing and running the mountains, we didn’t see any snakes but we did have flat tyre and changed it without the help of a man. Adventure was the operative word for this trip and we took everything that was thrown at us in our stride. There was no room for whinging, this was a trip to be enjoyed no matter what. And there was no doubt about it; two vegan & gluten free females can go camping and survive to tell the tale.

Planning a weekend away?

Do you need help putting together a shopping list & menu for your next adventure? Get in contact, we love talking food and especially helping you fuel your next trail exploration.