Vegetarian Camp Without Coolers

Vegetarian Camp Without Coolers

By Lacey Anderson

Davida Books  2020

172 pages

a Carolina Paddler book report by Pam Borden (vegan) and Alton Chewning (no mammal products, except ice cream)

Lacey Anderson has enjoyed plenty of opportunities to refine her cooking and meal planning skills.  She has decades of experience guiding rafters and backpackers in the US, Central and South America.  Her first book was “Camp Without Coolers” and in this new book she provides a vegetarian take on the same topic.

The book revolves around an 18-day meal plan, with recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Her plans broaden the dinner menu to include an appetizer, side dish and dessert in addition to the main course.  Lacey makes a good argument for these niceties, “After a day of activity, it is fantastic to pull into camp and immediately satisfy grumbling tummies with an appetizer.  It puts a smile on people’s faces, and it tides them over until dinner.” Desserts make an entertaining end to a dinner and provide extra calories for hard workers.

In addition to recipes, Lacey gives tips on packaging food for expeditions (or weekend trips) and for dealing with harder to keep items like cheeses or vegetables.  Her shopping lists contain many ingredients available from local supermarkets like Hungry Jack dehydrated shredded potatoes or Napa cabbage and a few exotic online items like Ova Easy Egg, NIDO dry whole milk powder or Bega canned cheddar cheese.  She discusses the use of freeze dried or dehydrated ingredients and when each is appropriate.  Many practical tips are given such as choosing durable vegetables like jicama and chayote, dealing with flatulence and using stick margarine as the cooking fat.

Meals can be shifted around within each week of the 18-day plan but not between weeks.  Each week’s plan is built around using the most perishable foods next and saving the durable ones.

The recipes are geared to four servings and assume you’ll have a bit larger cook set with items like a frying pan and larger pot.  Recipes for the final week tend to be simpler as ingredients and ambition wain.

Here’s an example of a medium difficulty recipe, one more involved than boiling a package of ramen noodles but still within reach of most camp cooks.

North African Couscous with Harissa

This recipe has lots of fresh ingredients, so it is best prepared on one of the first nights of your journey.    4 Servings.

½ Medium size onion, chopped

½ Red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 (7 ounce) can diced tomatoes (do not drain)

1 ¼ cups grated carrots or 1 package (4 ounce) shredded carrots

1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, dressed

¼ cup dried cranberries (craisins)

1 ½ tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon paprika

½ tablespoon ground cinnamon

¾ cup dry coucous

¾ cup water

Pinch of salt

½ teaspoon margarine

½ cup chopped cashews or peanuts (optional)

Harrisa (spicy condiment)

2 small cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 limes, juiced

¼ teaspoon to 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes

3 tablespoons dehydrated tomato powder

Prepare the Harissa first:  combine finely chopped garlic, pepper flakes, lime juice and tomato powder in small bowl.  Add water slowly, a tablespoon at a time, while mixing to desired consistency.  It should be a thick sauce.  Set aside.  Note: you can substitute 1 can (6 ounces) of tomato paste for the tomato powder and water.

Prepare the Vegetables and Beans: Chop the fresh vegetables.  Combine the onion, bell pepper and tomatoes (with juice) in a large saucepan.  Bring to a boil; cover and simmer until onions are soft and translucent (about 10 minutes). Add the garbanzo beans, carrots, raisins, cranberries, cumin, paprika, and simmer for 5 minutes.  You may need to add water to prevent sticking.

Couscous:  as the vegetables simmer prepare the dry couscous.  Bring the water, salt and margarine to a boil.  Add coucous, stirring quickly.  Remove from heat and cover.  Let stand for 4 to 5 minutes.

To Serve:  fluff coucous with a fork and add to vegetable mixture. Mix well.  Top individual servings with Harissa and optional cashews or peanuts.

Author, guide and cook Lacey Anderson is a veteran “river gypsy.”  Her life has been celebrated in articles in American Whitewater Journal, NRS Duct Tape Diaries, Canoe & Kayak and more. 

Lacey has a third book for trekkers who want to go even simpler, “Camp WITHOUT Coolers or Stoves.”  Tasty meals with absolutely no cooking!  www.nocoolers.com