Camping is not something I do too often and theres a couple reasons for that. First, I dislike tents (and people for some reason are always really opposed to me sleeping by the fire- which is where Im most comfortable) and second, I love food too much to suffer through canned chili and fucking trail mix for days on end. Well, I can finally put one of those issues to rest- I was sent a cookbook to review and I am smitten with it. This is no ordinary recipe book…this is a cookbook for me and for all the other folks out there that want to camp but are unwilling to settle for sub par meals while enjoying the outdoors.

Far from your usual showcase of glossy photographs and stylized script, this books value very much lies in its substance. It’s utilitarian, simple, fantastically executed, uniquely informative & inspiring- “Another Fork in the Trail: Vegetarian & Vegan Recipes for the Backcountry”  is downright brilliant- it makes eating well easy, anywhere. Chock full of delicious recipes that are especially geared toward camping- each is broken down into what to prep “At Home” followed with instructions on how to finish it when one arrives “At Camp”. Author Laurie Ann March beautifully guides through every step of the process in order to insure that backpacking/camping as a vegan/vegetarian means more than subsisting on peanut butter sandwiches & Newman O’s- this is real nutritious food. The recipes are not only interesting but they’re smart as well- the author even considers & accounts for pack weight + space. 

Some recipes that caught my eye- Pumpkin Hummus, Butter Bean & Kale Ragout, Pear & Fennel Slaw, Indian Carrot Salad, Mushroom Burgundy, Lemon Rosemary Cupcakes, Blueberry Lavender Biscuits, Quinoa Berry Muffins.

And heres a recipe that I tried out.

Jicama & Red Cabbage Slaw

3 cups jicama, peeled & coarsely grated

1 1/2 Tbsp fresh cilantro

3 cups red cabbage, shredded

1 jalapeno pepper, minced

1/2 cup corn

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2- 1 tsp chili powder

1 Tbsp mango or red wine vinegar

3 Tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 tsp agave nectar

juice of 1 lime 

salt & pepper to taste

At Home:

Grate the jicama on a coarse grater. Place on dehydrator trays to dry with the cilantro. Shred the cabbage and dry it on separate trays lined with parchment. Dry the minced jalapeno pepper and corn on separate trays. When the jicama, cabbage, and jalapeno are dry, place them together in a ziploc freezer bag. Put the vinegar in a leakproof container and put that in the bag with the cabbage/jicama mixture. Add the vegetable oil to the oil you will take with you on the trip and do the same with the agave nectar. Pack a fresh lime right before your trip.

At Camp:

Add boiling water to cover the corn and let it rehydrate for about 30 minutes. Shortly before you plan to eat the salad, rehydrate the remaining ingredients with cold water using a ratio of 1 part dried mix to 2/3 part water. Check the salad after a few minutes and add a little more water as necessary. Drain any excess water once the cabbage & jicama have reconstituted and dress with a mixture of 1 Tbsp vinegar, 1-2 Tbsp fresh lime juice, 1/2 tsp agave nectar & 3 Tbsp vegetable oil. Adjust to suit your taste. Season the slaw with salt & pepper.