Summer coming up I thought it is the time for camping and two compilations of cooking on which fire and which pot to take along are out. And trust me, there are a lot of options to choose from. The longer you are having a home, the more stuff you can buy whereas being away years on end, there’s only what you took or bought along the way. I think I have all possible solutions by now.
It took me a long time to come up with a decent meal cooked in camp. Having eaten pasta with sugared tomato paste for over a year I knew that should not have to be repeated ever again but how do you cook a tasty meal when you are not a cook and one that is also low on gas and water consumption?
It took me quite some figuring out how to beat the constipation of camping food after I started wholesome healthy home grown food diet.
Before I can write a story about a kickbike travel, I first need to go on a tour (it’s in the planning). For now, let me allow you to share a very short story about Llama.
Thinking back about Atacama reveals it was the best ride ever! Reason enough to share this post. I had this short write-up done as ‘The story behind the pouch (my creative embroidery projects)’, so you’ll see some creativity pass by. Don’t let that withhold you, its really about the good old cycling lifestyle. Fully emerged and a total ball of bliss! WOOOOOHAAAAAA….
You have subscribed to CyclingCindy because you are interested in cycling. Yet cycling is the least that I can offer you now, this is no story about cycling adventures you are going to read. Instead, it is what I am able to do because I stopped cycling (or, how we served Corona time). Read more…
When Geo and I were in South America we often ate bread which was not too memorable, not when it comes to quality. Soft, white, sugared dry bread is what South American countries offer.
As simple as it may sound, I was inspired by Heike to add beans from a tin to my meal. I decided to go a step further and not heat them, and instead prepared a quick, easy and quite okay meal. After I asked Heike how she prepares meals while hiking she said: ‘I often go without proper meals but when I can I buy a lot of stuff and prepare it soon after I purchased it.’ This makes so much sense, because you need a lot less than you think and carrying food just for the sake of ‘in case’ is only extra weight.
While hiking it becomes quickly clear one has not much capacity to carry food. As for me, I get blocked quickly when I swerve from my way of eating and regularity at home (something I can in no way continue while touring). But I have to let the worry of not having enough food go. I get better over time and dare to be without a stock of food in my backpack.
Protein: beans, peas, lentils, tuna, quinoa, seeds/nuts, nut butters, eggs, beef/mutton, cheese, (Greek) yoghurt, chicken, beef/mutton…
Carbs: couscous, rice, bulgur, pasta, quinoa…
Fat: preferably cold pressed olive oil/olives, nuts and seeds, beef/mutton, feta/cheese, avocado, salmon, full fat cheese, butter, dark chocolate…
Acid: lemon, vinegar (might come in a small jar with preserved capers for example)…
Flavor: spices, dried herbs, olives, fresh parsley and oregano one of the most beneficial…
This meal is not extraordinary fantastic but it does the job when you have an appetite. Depending on what ingredients you can get, it might become much better when adding herbs. In Hungarian village shops I could not find more than this:
The only cooking that needs to be done is the pasta. The carrot needs to be cut in very thin batons, the onion sliced thinly. The tin of tuna can be emptied with it’s oil contents and the beans too, after the liquid is discarded. I add salt and coarse black pepper (that I took from home).
Chickpeas + Cucumber + Parsley + Lemon
White Beans + Roasted Red Pepper + Basil
Black Beans + Corn + Red Onion + Lime
Pinto Beans + Tomato + Cilantro
Lentils + Smoked Salmon + Dill
Chickpeas + Sardines + Lemon Zest
Fried Beef + Couscous + Raisins + Curry Powder
Fried Beef + Rice + Soy Sauce + Sesame Seeds
Green Beans + Cherry Tomatoes + Shallots
Edamame + Carrot + Sesame
Potatoes + Pickles + Dill
Couscous + Chickpeas + Raisins
Fried Beef + Bulgur + Dried Tomatoes + Oregano
Fried Beef + Chickpeas + Paprika + Garlic Powder
Rice + Edamame + Mango
Pasta + Peas + Ham (something I never eat)
The comments do not match this post. My blog is full and therefor I have to overwrite posts.
Is South America on your wish-list of countries to travel through, perhaps by bicycle, then I hope I can inspire you. When you like to see pretty, soothing or curious photo’s, here they are.
An overrated name for a bread but besides that, a very welcome change! When you have had enough fluffy bread, walnut sourdough, chapati’s, baguette and whole grain healthy staff of life, or when you need just that little bit of difference in your daily diet, and you have the luxury of an oven or something alike, try the Life Changing Bread.
One thing I never go without is masala chai. In every country cycling through I produce it, or it is produced for me. I always have my own roasted and pounded spices with me. Always! Except nowadays in South America: I can not find cardamom, and if I do, it is crazily expensive!
How to repair a zipper
Nothing as annoying when the zipper of your tent derails, leaving you with flapping doors. Nothing quite as disappointing when your expensive tent is prone to wearing out, just as any other brand.
Have you heard of the online magazine from Grace? It is a free magazine about cycling touring where she features people who are on the road, people with stories, tips and idea’s and beautiful photographs. A source of inspiration and a good read. I’m proud to announce that Grace featured me. Grace used a photo I made from one of the best cycling experiences I had.
Bread on a tiny stove
How to bake bread on a tiny stove. Practice had me bake the perfect bread. Follow these instructions and your camp experience will enhance. Read more…
Thepla
Thepla is an unleavened bread that needs a lot of work and a simple time-off kitchen but is worth the effort.
Paratha on any burner and a fire
When able to carry a bit more weight and not able to buy bread as regularly as you’d wish, this is a good option. Be aware, it is not a fast way of bread making
Campsite recipes
Recipes for the road; easy cooking with common ingredients. Quick, healthy and delicious. Read more…
Baking bread in camp
Simple and more refined bread patties, in a frying pan (a pot will do too) or buried in a pile of burning embers.
Cycling South America and it’s long stretches made me start trying several ways of preparing bread. I was in need for fat. On fat you can cycle, long and without feeling empty. Now, unfortunately I can not do without bread as a diet avoiding grains is difficult while cycle touring, and besides, it is more expensive.
Embroidering is listening how the wind howls.
How to make a hobo stove
When stoves break down, often exactly when you really need them, it has you think: ‘This is not the time for you to break down’.
Updated March 2025: none of the animal derived pouches are for sale. I placed them in a frame to look at for myself. Plenty others are made and those are all possible to be purchased at CINDYneedleart
Besides cycling, cooking a decent meal and making plenty of selfies, I have one other activity: creating art.
Always being bitten by mosquito’s and awake for hours while trying to sleep, itching myself until bleeding and ever so often on the search for any kind of repellent.
Each country cycled through; one best photograph
On this tour I wanted to stay close to the Netherlands. I cycled from the Netherlands to Istanbul and back. I did so between May and November 2015. Here we go:
A pity that in the beginning of the trip I focused more on cycling than on making photo’s. Making a good photo takes time: you need to get off the bicycle most of the time, you need to take quite a few to have the exact right frame setting -although often the first picture is the best-.
I choose rice over pasta. I had my share of pasta while cycling South America, and am fed up with it up to this day. Any rice is fine and if I can get my hands on wild or brown rice, I use that.
For this recipe in particular, you need:
Bring a pot of water to the boil in which you have placed the rice. The rice should be about 1.5 centimeter below the water, this way it will boil dry.
While the rice is softly boiling, cut the asparagus and mushrooms. Slice the dried tomatoes and add these to the pot of rice.
When the rice is nearly done, add the asparagus, Parmesan tomatoes and/or -paste. Add salt, pepper and dried herbs. At last, add the mushrooms. Give everything a good stir and the dish is ready to be eaten.
By no means a camping food but when you find yourself having a kitchen, however simple, you can enhance your bread a lot.
Thepla’s are something in between a chapati and a paratha. The recipe I mention here is not the exact one but comes very close and you won’t need things you can not easily get without a supermarket and full kitchen at your hands. You do need a rolling pin, but I used a cup. It’s a lot of work but super delicious.
You need:
Cut the coriander and spinach, along with the garlic, chilli and ginger as small as possible. Mix together with the salt, spices and yoghurt. With very small increments add the water to form a sticky dough (I use a spoon or fork). Add water very careful and very little by little. The spinach may be moist a lot already so you need not as much water as you would think. It will be a sticky moist ball.
Let it rest for half an hour and preferable covered by a tea towel.
Form smaller balls.
To flatten them you need some wheat flour to avoid sticking the thepla’s to the surface. Here I used a cup to flatten them into small rounds of about 10 centimeter.
Place them in a frying pan. While one side is getting ready, place one teaspoon of oil on top and spread it out. Then turn the thepla and repeat the small spoon of oil by spreading it gradually over the other side of the thepla. When little blisters appear, it means you are doing it good. Flip back and forth a few times.
