Glamping with Style

by Chef Cathy McLellan

Photos by: Cathy McLellon

Do you love camping? Would you like to up your camping game? I thought so - hey, great minds think alike. Days of endless hot dogs and marshmallows are over; glamping with style is the new and cool way to go. I love everything about camping - the trees, the water, the quiet time, the outdoors, the leisurely walks, beaches, campfires, games, swimming, snorkeling, and paddling, to name a few wonderful things about camping. Did I mention the food? Oh yeah, the delicious, easy to make, healthy (mostly) delightful plant-based dishes (that's what we spend most of the time doing!). I love it all. Each trip is unique; the location, the vibe, access to water, extra services or off the grid – always different and yet somehow the same. Sitting in the forest, breathing in the fresh air, bathing in the sunlight, and eating great food is probably one of the most relaxing things to do. Why not eat healthily and have beautiful, high-energy food while you soak up nature – it's good for the body and the soul. I choose plant-based ingredients; they're healthy and much easier to store!

Sound complicated or like too much work? Not to worry; with a few tips and some yummy food ideas, you too can be some of the coolest campers around. Everyone will want to come to your site for some yummy eats. Don't say I didn't warn you. Ok, let's get busy and make your next camping trip your best camping trip ever.

Five Tips to Glamping Success

Plan, Plan, Plan

Planning is the key to most success. Yes, you can wing it, and it can be fun to be spontaneous, but I find overall, if I want to truly relax on my camping trip, planning will be involved. The more prep and planning I do, the more time I have for swimming, kayaking, and doing nothing - all my favorite stuff. Plus, the mealtimes are super relaxed, needing only to do a few things instead of a lot to create a delicious meal. Where do you start? The first thing to decide is where you are going, for how long, and what resources you will have access to (power, water, fire). There's no point in planning everything around the campfire only to find out that outdoor cooking and fires are prohibited. Once I know the basics, I will think about how many meals we will eat overall for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Then I create a general menu to start thinking about what I will need to take, buy, and prep ahead of time.

Prep, Prep, Prep

I will prep as much as I can for my menu and repackage all my condiments and extras like peanut butter into smaller containers with the amount we will need; this is a huge space saver. I make a couple of full meals like lasagna, lentil loaf, kofta balls, falafels, or Shepard's pie ahead of time and then freeze them; they are super easy to heat up. I throw together a side salad with the Shepard's pie: add some hearty bread, and you've got a beautiful meal in minutes. Frozen prepped foods can also be part of your strategy for keeping your cold food cold until you want to eat it.

Sauces are the key to a great dish with more complex flavors. I prepare several sauces that will take our meals from ordinary to extraordinary. Usually, I make my marinades, BBQ sauce, curry sauce, cheese sauce, and gravies, to name a few. Prepping makes less work when I am glamping and less ingredients to take or forget to take. For desserts, I bring lots of seasonal fresh fruit. BBQ pineapple is delicious, and I always make a homemade pie. If you have access to ice cream, that just takes your pie right over the top!

Plan to use Leftovers

We usually have leftovers from our dinners, and I always plan to use those in the morning for breakfast (I love leftovers for breakfast). Leftovers will also make a great lunch or an addition to a soup or salad we might be having. If it's tofu, you know I am having an amazing tofu sandwich the next day for sure. Sometimes I will repurpose the leftovers, and sometimes they are just good as is. It's all part of my food plan.

Eat Seasonal and Local

Seasonal shopping is a must for your glamping experience. Source out the freshest veggies, herbs, and spices to add color, texture, nutrition, and flavor to your meals. I rob my garden just before we head out of beets, carrots, potatoes, chard, spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, and lots of fresh spices. Wash everything up, store in between paper towels, and cover to keep the insects away. Organic is the best. You know you are eating food that is nourishing your body and giving you energy for all the fun you are having.

Plating, Plating, Plating

What really takes your food over the top is plating. Take two to three minutes extra to plate your food in a pleasing way by adding color and texture, and garnish to finish. We eat with our eyes first. Bring a couple of pretty plates that are fun to use to add a bit of sparkle to your table. Treat yourself like you would your best friend. You deserve it. Get out there, live, enjoy, feast, have fun, and glamp your way through the summer and into total, heavenly bliss.

Great Meal Ideas

• Charcuterie Board • Lentil Loaf with Seasonal Salad • Mac and Cheese with Plant-Based Sausage • Stuffed or BBQ Portobello Mushrooms • King Oyster Mushroom Scallops and Alfredo Pasta • Pulled BBQ "King Oyster Mushroom" Sandwich • Roasted Veggies with Grilled Tofu • Lasagna with Fresh Salad • Shepard's Pie with Corn on the Cob • Stir Fry Veggies and Tempeh with Forbidden Rice • Soup and Sandwiches • Soaked Oats for Breakfast • Pancakes with Fresh Fruit • Smoothies • Make-Your-Own Tacos • Tofu Scramble with Rustic Bread & Fresh Orange Juice • Plant-Based BBQ Dogs and Burgers