For the multi-day hiker who carries everything on their back!
10. Nettle Soup
Nettles are forgeable and grown everywhere in the UK. This simple recipe is lightweight and won't cost you much. You also don't have to pre-portion anything before your hike because of the few ingredients.
Cook time: 20minutes
Fresh nettles
Oil – whatever you have
Medium onion or dried onion
Medium potato
500ml (2 cups) of water
salt and pepper (optional)
stock cube (optional)
Chop onion and saute with whatever oil/ butter your using - or use a small handful of dried onion
Chop potato roughly into small chunks.
After a couple of minutes add the water, along with the potatoes, stock cube, salt and pepper and bring pan back to the boil. Once it is boiling turn down to a simmer and wash and chop the nettles.
Preparing nettles is a simple art once you know how. Wash and shake off any excess water. Pick the leaves off the stems and roughly chop them up.
After about 15 minutes of cooking the contents of the pan, add in the nettles. Stir in if needed and allow to cook for a few more minutes. I always mash down as its cooking with my fork so that its nice and smooth at the end.
9. Pad Thai
Noodles are pretty standard for a multi-day hiker but here is an easy to make camp fire pad thai when standard noodles just don't cut it anymore.
Cook Time: 10minutes
Noodles (whichever you fancy)
Two cloves of garlic (garlic granules)
Oil – whatever you have
Sugar or Honey
Soy sauce
lime juice
Anchovies (mash up)
Vegetables – beansprouts, carrot; any dehydrated vegetable will work (onion, mushroom, peas)
Roasted peanuts
Cook your noodles and drain
Heat the oil in your biggest pan and add the garlic. If any of your vegetables are likely to need cooking for longer, then add them now. Stir-fry for 3 or 4 minutes.
Add a tablespoon each of sugar, soy sauce, lime juice and the anchovies. Throw in the noodles and the rest of the vegetables. Stir till everything is heated through. The vegetables should still be crunchy, but not raw.
Taste and add more sugar or sauces to get that perfect balance of sweet, salty and sour.
Serve with bashed up peanuts and some dried onion
8. Spicy Chickpea and Sweet Potato Stew
By far and away the heartiest of the recipes on this list and will keep you going for a long time. I like to have my recipes pre portioned out into little dinner bags. This way you don't have to bring all the spices with you - this works especially well if your using garlic granules and dried onion.
Cook Time: 1hr
Oil
2 cloves garlic
1 onion or dried onion
Chilli
1 Tbsp curry powder
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
pinch red pepper flakes
Can diced tomatoes
1 small sweet potato
Packet of dried peas
Can chickpeas
Vegetable broth (stock cube and water)
Peel the sweet potatoe and cut into 1-inch cubes. Drain the chickpeas.
Saute onion and garlic (if using fresh ingredients)
Add onion, garlic (if dried), chilli, curry powder, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes to the pot and continue to stir and for 1-2 minutes to toast the spices.
Add the potatoes, peas, diced tomatoes (with juices), and chickpeas to the pot. Pour the vegetable broth over top, then stir until everything is combined.
Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to medium-high, and allow it to come to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and allow the soup to simmer with the lid in place for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
After 45 minutes, stir the stew well and smash the potatoes against the side of the pot to help them break down and thicken the stew.
7. Mushroom Rissotto
Who doesn't like risotto - change the mushrooms for any flavour you want - pumpkin is nice with some dried cumin and cinnamon.
Cook Time: 30minutes
Oil and/ or butter
1 onion, diced or dried onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed or garlic granules
120g arborio rice
500ml vegetable broth (stock and water)
16g dried mushrooms
1 tbsp dried parmesan cheese
Add oil, along with onion and garlic. Cook for a couple of minutes on a low heat until translucent but not coloured.
Add rice and stir for a minute to coat with the oil, onion and garlic mixture.
Start adding your stock, 1/4 at a time, stirring continuously. Add your next batch of stock just before the current one is totally absorbed - not allowing the stock to completely absorb will help prevent the risotto sticking to the stove, which happens more easily when the pan is dry. Give the base and corners a good stir as you go to help prevent the risotto sticking.
When you've used 3/4 of your stock, add your mushrooms.
Once all the stock is in and close to absorbed, turn off the heat. Stir through the butter (or olive oil), along with the parmesan cheese. Cover and leave for a minute to allow the cheese to melt into the dish.
6. Tapas Selection
Feel like your eating more than you are. This meal is great if you can't be bothered cooking an entire meal and could easily graze.
Cook Time: 20minutes
Chapati
Sundried Tomato
Olives
Cheese Selection
Salami or chorizo
(add veg, fruit, dip or whatever you like)
Oil
Salt
60 ml Water
125g flour
Sift together flour and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Stir in small dash of oil and the water, and then knead until firm and elastic. Divide into four balls, and roll as flat as possible.
Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chapati on both sides until golden brown, about 1 minute per side
Tip: I like to add oil, garlic, dried parmesan and chilli to the top and make a sort of chilli, cheese garlic bread.
The entire tapas is up to you - get inventive and cook the chorizo with some garlic or cut up a potato and add 'chips'.
5. Onion Bajhi
Nice and easy - also they taste so good I haven't got tired of them yet.
Cook Time: 20minutes
85g gram flour (no egg needed)
1 tbsp ground coriander.
Pinch of cumin seeds.
Pinch of salt.
Water to form the batter.
1 large onion, thinly sliced.
Oil for shallow frying.
In a bowl mix the gram flour, spices and salt with the water to form a smooth, pouring batter.
Add the onion to the batter and leave to stand for 15 minutes.
Over a high heat drop half the mixture into a lightly oiled pan forming a pancake. Cook on both sides until brown and no liquid surfaces when pressed with a spatula.
Repeat with the remaining half of the batter.
4. Ramen
oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried ginger
2 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon white miso paste
4 medium mushrooms or dried mushrooms
1/2 a cup of edamame beans
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 carrot, grated
Chilli (for serving)
1 servings dried ramen noodles
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil (or you can use a bit of vegetable broth if you’re avoiding processed oil) in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and saute for a minute, being careful not to burn. Add the vegetable broth, soy sauce, and miso paste, and whisk to combine. Gently simmer over low heat. That’s it for the broth!
Add the mushrooms, edamame beans, onion and carrot
Meanwhile, cook the ramen noodles according to package directions but do not use the seasoning packet. Drain noodles.
To serve, divide the noodles among serving bowls. Arrange toppings on top of and around the noodles. Pour the warm broth over the noodles and garnish with chilli
3. Energy Balls
This is all prepped before you go on your walk. Work for any meal or as a snack when you can't cook. They last for a week (2 weeks if it's cooler)
Oats
Nut Butter (pick your fav)
Pure Maple Syrup (or honey)
Dried Fruit or nuts (pick your fav)
Chocolate Chips
Desiccated Coconut (optional)
Throw everything except the coconut in a bowl. Mix until you have an even consistency.
Roll the balls in the desiccated coconut and leave in the fridge overnight to set. You don't have to leave them in the fridge but it makes them go hard and I find they keep better on the trail if they've hardened up, otherwise sometimes you might get a bag with one giant energy ball and not the 4 you put in there originally.
2. Damper and Dip
Bread on a stick! What kind of Aussie would I be if I didn't have damper on the menu? Feel free to use the damper recipe and make a sweet option by adding nutella or jam.
Damper
1 cup self-raising flour
1 tsp sugar
Butter
pinch salt
Dip
can of corn ½ tablespoon oil 1 jalapeno (canned works) 1 bell pepper (canned works) ¼ cup red onion 1 can black beans, drained 1 can black-eyed peas, drained
if you can - forage some coriander
honey
chilli
lime juice
salt and pepper
Damper
Rub the butter through the flour until it is all crumbly.
Mix the salt, sugar and kneed until it forms a dough.
Divide into two pieces and roll into a snake shape. Wind around a clean, dry stick. Hold over the campfire to cook.
Dip
Place everything in a bowl and mix thoroughly.
1. Grilled Fish and flavoured Cous Cous
Ok this is my favourite because it involves you catching your own fish. But please do remember to make sure your fish is fully grown and abides by your local fishery laws. Nice, Simple and Flavoursome.
Your Fish (freshly caught and gutted)
ginger
garlic
butter
lime juice
cous cous
chilli
rep pepper
onion
mushrooms
1. Crush your garlic and ginger well, add your lime juice and butter. Mash into a paste, now depending on how you have prepared your fish, you can either stuff this paste into the fish and wrap in al-foil and throw on your fire. Or spread onto the top of the fillet and grill on your camping stove.
2. Chop your vegetable and pan fry. Cook your Cous Cous and mix through the vegetables.
I hope you like trying out these simple camping foods. All the ingredients can be bought dried, dehydrated or in a condition suitable for multi-day hiking. Add your own spices and vegetables too make it your own and so you don't get bored.
Please feel free to send me your own camping food ideas and Ill send you photos when I have tried them out.
Happy Trails
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