…happy in a raspberry patch in New Brunswick, Canada

I am just settling back from a 10 day camping trip with my family and dear friends.

We journeyed by car through New Hampshire, Maine, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Quebec, camping all the way. We saw some spectacular spots! One of our favorites was Tadoussac (Quebec), where our campsite overlooked the spectacular, wide mouth of the St. Laurence River. We saw Minke, Beluga and Humpback whales swim majestically by. It took my breath away!

I love camping, I hadn’t done more than a 3 day camping trip before this journey – we don’t even own a camping stove – but this trip turned me into a committed fan.

I love being outside so much, sleeping in nature and cooking healthy food at the campfire.

One of the many things I appreciate about camping is that I can make healthy meals for my family no matter where we are. We are not at the mercy of restaurant food.

Here are 4 things that I learned on this camping trip in regards to food:

  1. Wherever we went, I asked when and where the local farmer’s market was taking place. This is the easiest way to find wonderful local food, people, and other great stuff!
  2. Cabbage is a great travel food that lasts for a really long time without refrigeration. Near the end of our camping trip I made my favorite coleslaw from all the food we had which lasts well without refrigeration.
  3. Everything tastes better when you are sitting outside relaxing in nature.
  4. It’s amazing how fast you can clean up from a meal when it starts to rain!

Here are three super-easy healthy dishes I made while we were camping – but you can try them at home too!

Roasted cauliflower, yellow squash and onions: (make this with any hearty veg)

Simply …

  • cut Cauliflower, Yellow Squash and Onions.
  • sprinkle with Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper.
  • wrap it up in foil
  • put it on the grill until it’s soft and delicious (about 45 minutes)

I did this with sliced potatoes, onions and a bit of goat cheese too. It was scrumptious!

Use a double layer of foil so it doesn’t burn. That’s Dulse seaweed on the side, crisping up for a lovely salty snack.

Yum! (even though the open fire pit burnt it a bit)

Mesclun Mix salad from the farmer’s market in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

Mesclun mix salad:

This is the easiest way to create a superb salad.

  • Buy fresh Mesclun Mix from a farmer’s market. This one had Nasturtium  flowers in it! Nasturtiums are edible and have a lovely, peppery kick to them.
  • Wash. Believe it or not, I brought my salad spinner on our camping trip!!! I was so glad I did, it made veggie washing and prepping a snap.
  • Sprinkle a bit of Salt, toss;  a drizzle of Olive Oil, toss;  and a generous squeeze of Lemon Juice (in that order).
  • Ta-da: a beautiful fresh salad and dressing

Quick and Easy Guacomole:

This is my shortcut, perfect for camping guacomole.  If you want to see the pros do it, check this out.

  • Cut up 1 avocado
  • Cut up 1 tomato
  • Add 2  to 3 tablespoons of Muir Glen Organic Mild Salsa
  • Salt and pepper to taste, a little lemon or lime juice is nice too.
  • Mix it up and enjoy.

We used this Guacamole for a Veggie Burrito meal that was a hit with adults and kids alike.

I would love to hear your healthy camping recipes! We are heading on another camping trip in 2 weeks.

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Nina Manolson, MA, CHC, certified Health Coach and Psychology of Eating Coach believes that every women deserves to feel good in their own body. She helps women create a healthy and positive relationship with their food and body so they can love their body and life!  She’s the founder of NinaManolson.com and NourishedWomanNation.com 

She helps busy women look and feel their best. She specializes in working with women over 40 who have tried other diets and approaches but are still struggling with their body and food. She helps women step into a new wellness paradigm that makes self-care real and do-able and turns it into sustainable healthy habits that

She’s the author of “Feed Your Kids Well In A World That Doesn’t: an everyday guide to make healthy food happen in your home and beyond”. She’s also the recipient of the prestigious Health Leadership Award from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

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