Need a break? Fresh air? Moments of solitude and stillness? You truly don’t need to go miles away to feel very far away from “it all”. Over the weekend, my lovely friend Sam (yes, we are both Sam’s!) and I packed up our things, loaded her car and headed just 1.5 hours away to Cattai National Park. It was spectacular! As soon as you enter, your phone reception dwindles, you hear the sounds of lyrebirds and rustling trees, you breathe in the fresh air and take in the gorgeous views of the Hawkesbury. Not to mention coming face to face with Kangaroo’s! There is something about being surrounded by tree’s and the autumn leaves without a building in sight, you just feel calmer.
To compliment a relaxing weekend away resting mind and body, it only seems fit that you would support your detox with delicious, healthy food. Without a fridge and all the utensils, it can seem a little daunting. Must we resort to drive through food on the way? Sausages on the BBQ? Soggy sandwiches? No, no, NO! That would never do for two nutritionists in the making! We hustled the night before and came up with a beautiful menu that served us very well for the weekend. We ate like queens!
So to take the pressure off you, and to encourage you to plan a camping getaway yourselves, I thought I would share some good ideas to take with you on a trip. These can be applied to any getaway you have in mind, really. Overall, it is important to take into consideration how long your stay is to work out how much you need to bring, and structure when you are going to eat what by working out what keeps the best. For a 1-3 night stay, these options will all work perfectly!
Helpful supplies:
- A gas stove with a large pot (helpful for heating up food, teas etc)
- Esky/cooler with ice packs (Definitely need)
- A chopping board
- Bread Knife
- Paper/plastic bowls, plates, cutlery (or some from home, if you only need a few)
- lemon squeezer/juicer
- Glass Tupperware, for storage of the below meals, and/or double as serving bowls
- Napkins
- Tea towels
- Sponge
- Detergent
- Hand sanitizer
Menu ideas:
BREAKFAST
- Green smoothie – e.g. 1 cup water, ½ lemon juice, 3 cups leafy greens of choice, 1 large stalk celery, ½ cup frozen mango, ½ banana, 5 drops vanilla stevia
- Bircher muesli, soak the oats in coconut water
- Chia pudding
- Pre-made muffins
- Sliced bread with smashed avocado, lemon juice, salt and pepper
- Warm breakfast? Bring oats or quinoa, banana, stevia and cinnamon and make a porridge with water on your stove top
LUNCH/DINNER
- Kale and brussels sprout salad with cherry tomatoes, avocado, herbs, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast (this will last well for 2 days as the dressing breaks down the tough raw kale/brussels) with roast sweet potato
- A whole raw sweet potato, to roast on the fire’s embers, in tin foil (if permitted)
- Pre-made veggies burgers/patties with salad or roast veggies
- Bruschetta – bring a loaf of quality bread, avocado, chopped tomatoes, basil, pomegranate, hummus, pesto, antipasto veg etc.
- Zucchini Lasagne
- Cooked quinoa with stir-fried veggies, heated up on the stove or eaten cold
- Vegetable stock soup with lentils, chopped kale and wild rice or millet, heated on the stove
- Pumpkin soup, heated on stove
- Tempeh stir-fry, heated on stove
SNACKS
- Carrots, celery, capsicum, other veggies of choice
- Hummus, pesto, or dairy-free dip of choice
- Corn chips/Crackers
- Seaweed (nori) sheets
- Olives
- Fresh fruit that doesn’t require chopping e.g. berries, grapes, apples etc.
- Bliss balls
- Vegan chocolate
- Homemade muffins
- Raw nuts
- Dried fruit
- OR make a platter with all these things for a lunch-time picnic, like us…
BEVERAGES
(This is where the stove is handy!)…
- Filtered water
- Lemon, for your morning warm lemon water
- Green smoothie
- Kombucha
- Herbal tea
- Chai tea with almond milk
Make healthy choices prior to your trip so you have plenty of options whilst you are there. This really is an example of food prep setting you up right. Indulge a little! Chances are, you are going to want something sweet around the fire 🙂 so have your dairy-free, refined-sugar-free chocolate, bliss balls or chai tea handy, and enjoy them. Most importantly, embrace your time away and don’t stress about the finer details.
