Month: September 2013

5 Fantastic Fall Camping Recipes

Without a doubt, fall is my favorite time of year to camp. I love sitting by a campfire bundled in a wool blanket on a crisp fall evening.

5 Fantastic Fall Camping Recipes - Dutch Oven Pumpkin Corn Bread, Apple Cider Toddy, Campfire Baked Apples, Salted Carmel Hot Chocolate, Veggie Chili

Here are some great looking recipes that I’m planning on making this fall.

1. Campfire Baked Apples

5 Fantastic Fall Camping Recipes - Baked Apples

Bake up Family Spice’s campfire apples for a fall treat.

2. Dutch Oven Pumpkin Corn Bread

5 Fantastic Fall Camping Recipes - Pumpkin Cornbread

Nothing says fall like pumpkin. Try this dutch oven pumpkin cornbread from Overland Trailer.

3. Veggie Chili

5 Fantastic Fall Camping Recipes - Veggie Chili

My veggie chili is the perfect meal to warm you up on a crisp fall day.

4. Salted Carmel Hot Chocolate

5 Fantastic Fall Camping Recipes - Salted Carmel Hot Chocolate

Check out this Salted Carmel Hot Chocolate from one of my favorite blogs, A Beautiful Mess.

5. Apple Cider Toddy

5 Fantastic Fall Camping Recipes - Hot Apple Toddy

Try an Apple Cider Toddy from The Boys Club as you sit around the campfire.

12 Camping Beauty Tips

It may seem a little strange to worry about how you look when you’re in the woods camping. But when you think about the number of photos that are taken on camping trips, it makes sense. Here are my tips on how to look your best, even when the showers are miles away.

12 great camping beauty tips

Hair

  1. Start Curly: If you have straight hair, curl it before you leave your house. It prevents your hair from getting really flat. I’ll often curl my hair on Friday. By Saturday it’s just wavy, and on Sunday it just has a little extra volume. I use a technique like this.
  2. Dry Shampoo: If your roots start to look greasy, use some dry shampoo. It’s super easy to use. Just spray it in, wait a few minutes and then brush the powder out. Pssssst! Dry Shampoo is $6 and it works great.
  3. Pigtails: When my hair begins to get a bit flat, I sometimes put it in pigtails. They tend to look less slicked back than a ponytail. Just make your pigtails really low or you’ll look like Punky Brewster.
  4. Hat: If all else fails, cover up your hair with a hat, scarf or bandana. I love my straw cowboy hat, It comes with me on every camping trip.

Skin

  1. Makeup Removing Wipes: Sometimes it’s hard to wash your face at night. My old roommate tipped me off to these Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes and I really like them. They are meant to remove makeup, but they work equally well on dirt and oil. They are a great way to clean your face without water. 
  2. Baby Wipes: Baby wipes are useful for freshening up other parts of your body when you can’t shower. They’re also really good at removing soot from your hands. I buy them in small packs like this.
  3. BB Cream: BB Cream is great because it moisturizes and evens out your skin. It’s lightweight and perfect for a no-makeup look. I use L’Oreal Studio Secrets Professional Magic B.B. Cream in Light.
  4. Mascara: When I’m camping, I leave my mascara on for a few days. I use L’Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tube Technology Lash Extension Effect Mascara, Blackest Black. I skip the white base and it stays on until I wet it with warm water. Then it removes in pieces and doesn’t smudge all over your face. 

Clothes

  1. Running Gear & Yoga Clothes: In addition to my usual jeans and shorts, I love to pack a running tank top and shorts. They’re flattering and work well whether I’m hiking, kayaking or biking. I even sleep in them at night. In colder weather, I opt for yoga pants, a tank top and a fitted sweatshirt. Pick synthetic fabrics if possible. If you get wet they’ll dry quickly. Target has some nice, affordable activewear.
  2. Flannels: Flannels are the quintessential camping shirt for a reason. They are cosy, lightweight and perfect for nights around the campfire. I find most of mine at Goodwill.
  3. Tank Tops: I always pack a few tank tops for every camping trip. I like the fit of AE tank tops. These racerback bras work really well under a tank top.
  4. Flip Flops: In addition to hiking boots, it’s great to have a pair of flip flops that you can slide on when you step out of the tent. I’ve had these
    Reef Stargazer flip flops
    for years. They’re durable, comfortable, cute and you can hose them off if they get dirty.
    Also check out my camping checklist for a complete list of what to pack.

What’s your secret to looking cute while camping?

Veggie Chili

My southern Grandma’s veggie chili is my all time favorite. It’s got tons of healthy stuff in it: zucchini, squash, peppers, tomatoes and beans.

Chili is perfect fall camping food, especially when there’s a chill in the air.

Maybe that’s why they call it ‘chili.’ Or maybe not.

Great Veggie Chili recipe for backpacking or camping

I made a batch of chili and dehydrated half of it for our recent camping trip on the Wisconsin River. Dehydrating is a great way to go, but if you’re planning on car camping you can freeze the chili instead. It freezes well and it’ll keep your cooler cold until you’re ready to thaw it.

To make dehydrated chili, start by cooking up a batch of chili at home. Then leave it in your dehydrator overnight.

Great Veggie Chili recipe for backpacking or camping

At camp start by covering the dehydrated chili with water. Let it soak for about 15 minutes. Lay in the sand, recline in a camp chair, etc.

Great Veggie Chili recipe for backpacking or camping

Then heat it over a stove or fire. So easy!

Dehydrated Veggie Chili
Vegan

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
28 oz can crushed or diced tomatoes
2/3 cup salsa
2 teaspoons chili powder
pinch of crushed red pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 cans (15 oz each) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 large red bell pepper cut into 1/2″ chunks
1 large zucchini cut into 1/2″ chunks
1 medium yellow squash cut into 1/2″ chunks

At Home:

  1. Sauté onion. Add tomatoes, salsa, chili powder, crushed red pepper and salt. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes
  2. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer 50 – 60 minutes.
  3. Let chili cool slightly and then spread over solid ‘fruit roll’ dehydrator trays. I dehydrated half of a batch of chili, but if you have enough trays you could dehydrate a full batch of chili. Set dehydrator to 135 degrees. Once chili is dry (about 8 hours), put it in an air-tight container or zip top bag.

At Camp:

  1. Cover chili with water and let sit 15 minutes, or until it’s nearly rehydrated. 
  2. Heat and serve.

Camping Recipe - Veggie Chili