Vegan, Plant-Based Food for Camping

Last night I returned from a fun-filled camping trip.  My ladies and I car-camped for a night and set off for hiking and swimming along Scott Mountain trail in Oregon the next day.  As you can see, it was beautiful and a lot of fun with great friends.  However...  

Me, Anna, Jodi and Maggie at the summit of Scott Mountain, Oregon.

We made sure we were eating an abundance of whole, plant-based foods to sustain us during our trip (it was more like an adventure really) because traditional, American camp food is crap.

I'm talking traditional hotdogs and hamburgers for lunch and dinner, s'mores for dessert,  scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast and chips and pretzels for snacks.  If you're lucky, there might be some baked beans in there.  

Where are the vegetables!?  The plants?  In these traditional eats?

To incorporate more whole, plant-based meals while camping, try these healthy, plant-based dishes to satisfy your hunger instead.  

Plant-Based Camping Recipes/Easy Meals

Breakfast: Oatmeal.  Bring little baggies filled with regular rolled oats, raisins and cinnamon.  Then, all you need is hot water to pour on top of your pre-made mix (in a bowl of course).  Next, chop up a banana or a piece of fruit for on-top.  This is also an excellent breakfast for a day of hiking.

(Psst.. you don't want to use 'thick' oats when cooking this way. You'll risk having hard, thick oats instead of soft and chewy!).

Lunch:  If you're on the trail, fill your hiking pack with a boxed soup and a baked sweet potato.  If you're hanging around camp with the kids, make veggie-hummus or -avocado sandwiches.  Spread oil-free hummus or 2 slices of avocado on 100% whole-grain bread, and top with sliced cucumber, carrot and lettuce.  Fresh fruit for a side-dish or again, boxed soup.

Snacks:  I brought lightly salted edamame beans, fruit, baked sweet potatoes and boxed soups that I could eat straight from the carton, or warm up on the fire on our camping trip.  Slices of watermelon were perfect in the heat!

Dinner:  Mexican tortilla wraps.  Combine canned beans, canned corn and salsa in a pot and place on the fire until warm.  While this is cooking, warm tortillas on the fire.  Then, simply add the warmed mixture to the tortillas and bam you have dinner (just don't forget your can opener!).  Takes less than 15 minutes. 

In addition you can, heat corn on the cob on the fire.  Leave the husks on, and once it's cooked, eat plain or spread a lime wedge along the corn and top with your favorite seasoning.  Mine is taco or cajun seasoning.  

Marinated veggie skewers are also a great addition and 100% whole-grain pasta with a can of tamato sauce (oil and sugar free) is also easy and quick to make.  

Dessert:  Fresh fruit like watermelon, peaches and seasonal summer fruit are always delightful.  

However, if you're looking forward to making something around the camp fire, try a roasted banana boat s'more.  Slice the length of a banana's peel with a knife length wise and insert a tablespoon of dark chocolate or peanut butter along the banana's flesh.  Close the peel and place on the grill on the fire or on a hot rock.  Open once warm and enjoy directly out of the peel with a spoon or, spoon out onto graham crackers instead of using marshmallows (marshmallows are horrible for you and your kids and ya'll should NEVER eat them!).  Replace all your marshmallows with campfire bananas (they're even sweeter this way!).  

Now I'd love to hear from you.  Please answer today's Take Control Now question in the comments section below and then click 'like' to show me some love and let others know, "that hey, there's valuable information here!".  Thanks.

Take Control Now

What's your favorite, healthy, plant-based meals for camping?  What unhealthy (treats) food are you serving that you shouldn't?

Answer in the comments section below and find me on social media.

How to Freeze Blueberries

One of my favorite things about summer is the blueberries.  From July to September blueberries are freshly picked in Oregon and I eat them on everything.  I go into complete berry overload!

I put blueberries on my oatmeal in the morning, on salads for lunch and dinner, in my banana ice-cream for a summer cool-down treat, in my blueberry breakfast crisp or just plain as a snack.  

Blueberries are soo good for you too!  They've been shown to improve memory in humans (1), protect against the progression of cancer (2), atherosclerosis, ischemic stroke and neurodegenerative diseases of aging (2).  

Blueberries are so wondrous for our health because there are so many health promoting compounds in blueberries.  Blueberries contain (3)...

• fiber
• calcium
• magnesium
• phosphorous
• potassium
• vitamin C
• folate
• choline
• vitamin A
• beta carotene
• lutein + zeaxanthin (carotenoids)
• vitamin K
• a ton of flavonoids and proanthocyanidin (disease fighting compounds)

The list doesn't stop here.  Blueberries also contain many trace amounts of additional vitamins and minerals that are not included in this list (3). 

One way to get a lot of blueberries in your diet, is to always have them around.  However, they can be expensive, so the least expensive way to have blueberries year round is to freeze them.    

How to Freeze Blueberries

1.  Buy freshly picked blueberries.  You can buy them in the store, however, they will cost less if you buy them directly from a farmer, especially in large batches or even better, if you pick them yourself (find your local U-Pick blueberries).  I prefer organic blueberries but if you can't find or afford organic, non-organic is better than not eating blueberries at all!

2.  Spread the berries evenly as one layer onto a cookie sheet or pie pan.  Don't pile blueberries on-top of each other.  They'll freeze together in clumps this way.  Pick out any stems or leaves.  Don't rinse the berries before you freeze them.  This will make the skins tough and not as tasty.  

3.  Place in the freezer for at least 3 hours or until hard.   

4.  Remove blueberries from freezer, remove any additional stems and store in plastic sealed containers or zip lock bags.  Write the date you froze them on the bag or container (you can also use a piece of tape).  This way you'll know how old they are when you find them years later in the back of your freezer!

5.  When you're ready to eat your frozen blueberries, rinse them, and then cook!

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Top left: packaged frozen berries, Top right: berries about to go in the freezer, Bottom left: picking stems off berries post freezing, Bottom right: berries on my oatmeal this morning

Take Control Now

How do you freeze blueberries?  Have a different method you'd like to share?  Or, what's your favorite way to eat blueberries?

Put your answer in the comments section below.  I'd love to hear from you.  And please like this article or pass it on if it was of any use to you!

References

1.  R. Krikorian, M. D. Shidler, T. A. Nash, W. Kalt, M. R. Vinqvist-Tymchuk, B. Shukitt-Hale, and J. A. Joseph. Blueberry supplementation improves memory in older adults. J. Agric. Food. Chem., 58(7):3996{4000, 2010. 

2. Neto CC. Cranberry and blueberry: evidence for protective effects against cancer and vascular diseases. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2007 Jun;51(6):652-64. 

3.  Blueberries, raw 09050, USDA Nutrient Database, United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, Accessed online July 2014 at http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/2244?fg=&man=&lfacet=&count=&max=&sort=&qlookup=&offset=&format=Full&new=&measureby=

How to Make Blueberry Breakfast Crisp

It's berry season in Oregon which is the perfect time to make cobbler or crisps.  Crisps that are  so delicious and nutritious, you can even eat it for breakfast... or dinner!  I made this Berry Breakfast Crisp for meat lovers this 4th of July weekend and they loved it!  

Click the below video to learn how to make the crisp or just keep reading on!

Most crisps and cobblers contain white flour, butter and loads of sugar -- foods that will not help you lose weight (and keep it off) and will not help your family members struggling with diabetes or heart disease.  In order to stop the progression of chronic diseases and help you lose weight permanently, it's imperative you begin to incorporate whole, plant-based meals into your daily diet.

This includes desserts as well.  Just because plant-based desserts don't (or shouldn't) include a lot of fat; animal products like butter and eggs; and refined foods such as white flour, oil and sugar; this doesn't mean dessert won't taste amazing (or sweet!) as you'll find out with today's Blueberry Breakfast Crisp.    

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I adapted this recipe from Cathy Fisher's Apple-Pineapple Crisp.  She's an amazing chef that makes plant-based meals without added salt, sugar or oil.  

Here's what you'll need for my Blueberry Breakfast Crisp.

Ingredients, Crisp Filling:

• 3 cups blueberries (rinsed)
• 1 cup blackberries (rinsed)
• 9 dates, chopped
• 3/4 cup water (or 100% juice of your liking)
• 3 TB freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Ingredients, Topping:

• 1 1/4 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 6 dates, chopped
• 2 TB water
• 1/2 ripe banana, diced

Directions:

Turn the oven to 375 degrees.  Add all 'filling' ingredients into a bow and mix gently.  Pour into a pie pan or baking dish.  Place topping ingredients into a blender or a food processor and pulse only a few times just until the mixture is blended together (you don't want the oats to turn into flour).  Spread the topping mixture over the filling evenly and press down gently.  Cook for 30 minutes (when the topping is slightly brown).  Let the crisp sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe extras:

- I drizzled honey on top of the crisp fresh out of the oven.

- You can save and store the crisp for up to 5 days in the fridge.  

- This tastes delicious with my banana ice-cream on top!  

- Eat for breakfast, dinner or dessert.

I'd love to hear from you about this Breakfast Blueberry Crisp.  Type your feedback in the comments section below.

Take Control Now

Would you make this recipe?  Ever eaten a healthy plant-based dessert?  Does this crisp look yummy?  Even better -- make it and let me know what you think!