There are a few things that can take a camping holiday from good to great – the perfect combination of family and friends, a relaxed atmosphere, lots to do and see and of course delicious food that’s easy to prepare. When it comes to camping, there are many foods that are easy to reach for, but won’t provide you with the nutrition and fuel to enjoy your day; be it hiking, bush walking, mountain biking or swimming. With this in mind we’ve decided to share some of our favourite healthy and EASY camping recipes.
If, however, you decide to book one of our overnight camping tours, including our Mt Warning Sunrise Adventure Tour, Overnight Escape Tour, Bike ‘n Hike Adventure Tour or the Ocean to Summit Adventure Tour, we’ll take care of all your food and snacks leaving you to simply enjoy the experience!
Brekkie Omelette to Go Go…
Love a cooked breakfast but love a sleep in too? This recipe is perfect for making ahead of time and having ready to go in your eski. Excellent for large families or groups, this recipe can easily be personalised to suit everyone’s tastes and the best part is there will be very little washing up!
You’ll need:
- Zip-lock freezer bags (note they must be FREEZER bags so they won’t melt)
- 2 eggs per person
- Assorted fillings e.g. capsicum, cherry tomatoes, shallots, ham, chorizo, shredded BBQ chicken etc.
- A handful of grated cheese
- Salt, pepper and herbs to taste
How to:
- Crack your 2 eggs into the bag, add your fillings and write each person’s name on the front of the bag. Zip-lock the bag and shake.
- Boil a pot of water on a camp fire or BBQ and place 1 or more bags into the boiling water for 13-15 minutes until cooked through.
- Serve as is or with salad and bread.
One Pan Fresh Seafood Paella
Believe it or not, paella is a super easy dish to make when you’re away camping and can easily be modified to include whatever fresh local produce you can collect. A drive to nearby Brunswick Heads for some fresh seafood or a stop off at the Byron Bay Farmers’ Markets will have you coming back loaded with some amazing local ingredients to add to this basic recipe base. Think fresh prawns and white fish, organic Byron Bay Farm Garlic and fresh seasonal vegies. Packing your dry ingredients (rice, spices and stock powder) won’t take up a lot of space in your kit and if you’re planning to stay for a few weeks, will not go bad in this time.
You’ll need:
- Olive oil
- 2 brown onions sliced
- 2 cloves of garlic diced
- Generous amount of Paprika – sweet or smoked
- Stock powder – to make 3 ½ cups of stock
- Fresh or dried chilli to taste
- 2 cups of rice, preferably Arborio
- 1 cup of chopped vegies e.g. peas, asparagus, beans, carrots, capsicum etc.
- White Wine (optional) ½ cup
- Lemons for squeezing over at the end
- Plus your fresh feature ingredients. You could use prawns, firm white fish, mussels, chicken, chorizo, tofu
How to:
- Heat the pan, add the oil and sauté onions and garlic (also add chilli if using).
- Add your vegies, fry until soft (approx. 5 mins on med heat).
- Add chicken or tofu or chorizo and spices.
- After a few minutes, add your prawns or fish if you are using.
- Add the rice, white wine and stock and let cook for approx. ½ hour stirring every few minutes to stop the rice sticking.
- Cook until the rice has absorbed all the stock and is no longer hard (add a little more water sparingly if needed) and until the rice begins to get a sticky sheen.
- Serve in a bowl or share together straight from the pan!
Mason Jar Refreshments
Relaxing camp-side or beachside with a cold drink over a few laughs is the essence of a holiday. Here are a few combinations that you can make ahead of time in mason jars. When ready to drink, simply add a little ice to chill them off and voila! We’ve included versions for the kids and the adults using fresh fruit you can bring from home or pick up roadside on your travels.
Beachside Berry Blista: For everyone
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup lemon juice
- Fresh strawberries and raspberries
- 2 teaspoons of sugar
- Slices of lemon
Lime Prime Time: For everyone
- Juice of 4 limes and 2 limes sliced
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup coconut water
- 1 diced green apple
Easy Summer Sangria: For the grown ups
- ½ cup of red or white wine
- 3 tablespoons of your favourite white spirit
- Slices of orange and lime and 1/3 cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- 1 diced peach
- Top up with sparkling mineral water to serve
Individual Almond Butter and Chocolate Brownie Orange Pots
Chocolate and orange are a match made in heaven and this no mess, no fuss and totally mouth-watering recipe has to top the lot for simplicity, flavour and fun all rolled into one. To save time, mix up all the dry ingredients (cacao powder, sea salt, baking powder) and store in a zip-locked bag or mason jar.
You’ll need:
- 1 orange per person with the top cut off and hollowed out
- 2 cups of almond butter
- 1 ¼ cups honey
- ½ cup cacao power
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 cup choc chips or chunks
How to:
- Simply mix all the ingredients in a bowl and spoon into the individual orange pots.
- Add the orange lid and wrap in foil putting onto the BBQ or straight into the campfire.
- Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until brownies are risen and cooked but still gooey.
Whether you’re staying in a hotel, Holiday Park or camp ground while visiting Byron Bay, we have an overnight camping tour suited to you. Using your current accommodation as your ‘home base’, we’ll take care of all your overnight tour camping needs including tents, sleeping bags, snacks and food. Leaving you to enjoy our many adventure tour experiences including hiking at dawn to watch the sunrise over the most easterly point in Australia, kayaking with dolphins, rainforest mountain biking, swimming at the bottom of ancient waterfalls, bush walking through national parks and much more!
