Overlanding and Gluten Free

  • HTML tutorial

OverlandOzzy1

Rank V
Member

Enthusiast III

1,627
Durham, NC, USA
First Name
Jonathan
Last Name
Osborn
Member #

24489

Not sure how many folks struggle with a gluten allergy or intolerance. I am completely allergic to gluten and cannot tolerate any of it. Any folks care to speak up and provide some insight on preparing meals at camp? Staying gluten free can be tough sometimes.
 

Boort

Rank V
Launch Member

Member III

2,779
Colorado
Member #

9314

Not sure how many folks struggle with a gluten allergy or intolerance. I am completely allergic to gluten and cannot tolerate any of it. Any folks care to speak up and provide some insight on preparing meals at camp? Staying gluten free can be tough sometimes.
@OverlandOzzy1
I roll with one person (some times 2) who are Gluten free, one who is a life long vegetarian and a couple of others who have other dietary restrictions for various reasons. (One who can not stand anything that has avocado in it. :D ) As an omnivore I generally tune my meals towards who's coming and roll with it. My favorite vegan recipe is one that I found for one of these trips Sweet Potato Falafel over an arugla & spinach salad. Had to mod from sandwich to salad as no GF pita pockets and be a bit careful making sure all of the spices were GF but the recipe is now one of my favorites.

Many of the recipes on celiac.org and celiac.com can be easily made on the trail.
Vegan Nicoise Salad With Gluten-Free Croutons is an enjoyable one
The Vegan Blueberry Muffins can be made in a dutch oven in metal muffin cups, It does not work well as a bread loaf in the dutch oven middle was too hard to get cooked w/o burning the outside.
Louisiana-style Red Beans and Rice

For the trips I do I often prep as much as possible the week or 2 before, portion it out and freeze it.
So for the Falafel: I made it up in the food processor, baked it for ~2/3rds the time in the recipe put the balls in to aluminum take out containers with tops, into the freezer in a gallon ziploc bag. Cook the tins in the coals or on the camp BBQ while I make the salad and prep the toppings. Serve up for the group. Avocado cut last and placed on the side for those who want it.


For less work find GF bagged meals you like. the ones I'm talking about are the 60-90 second in the microwave meals, the if they are not boil in bag follow the stovetop instructions.
I like ones from Tastybite, LomaLinda, and Seeds of Change (Don't think many SoC are GF so be careful with them)
For more classic backpacking type (lighter add water and boil) meals AlpineAire Foods and ReadyWise offer gluten free options. These are like the Mountain House boil in bag and are more shelf stable but taste suffers so best to have fresh ingredients to help level up the meal.

How did I forget Breakfast!
If early morning hiking or photography is in the cards it's Bobo Bars! (or if I have more time... eggs over easy in bell pepper rings with re-fried black-beans from the night before and fire roasted jalapeno's on the side)

Boort
 
Last edited:

Ubiety

Rank VI
Member

Explorer I

5,221
Sammamish, WA, USA
First Name
Greg
Last Name
Ubiety
Member #

6193

Ham/GMRS Callsign
Ribs
I understand there are different levels of "gluten free" and my wife is mostly gluten free as that diet helps with inflammation. What do you eat at home? Pick the easier recipes and go with that. Make sure you have food/recipes to cover yourself so that you don't have to rely on someone else who does not understand your allergy. Be self sufficient and enjoy when you don't have to be.

Oatmeal for breakfast or a cobbler in the dutch oven
G Free bread - sammiches
Quinoa / g free noodles for spaghetti
Lettuce wraps
Meat
Vegan dishes - we are digging some coconut vegan "whipped cream" right now (costco)
A vegetable medley

Totally agree with @Boort - keep some ingredients separate so folks can pick and choose based upon their needs (we do that daily, but I mostly eat anything)
I'm sure you know the drill :)

Gotta run - gluten free homemade tortillas / burritos for dinner. :)
 

Ubiety

Rank VI
Member

Explorer I

5,221
Sammamish, WA, USA
First Name
Greg
Last Name
Ubiety
Member #

6193

Ham/GMRS Callsign
Ribs
And everything tastes 1000 times better out camping so you can go really simple and it will be great. Warm is good.
@Heidi says pre-cook and prepare stuff ahead of time.

The g free tortillas were EXCELLENT! Direct message me and I'll see if I can pry the recipe out of @Heidi's hands ;) She would gladly share.
 

Berkshires

Rank V
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

2,191
Berkshire, MA, USA
First Name
K
Last Name
L
Member #

13160

Lots of great suggestions here - My wife is vegan and I'm gluten-free. We have an ARB 50qt fridge and prepare a lot of food before heading out, we are also both pretty good cooks. Some suggestions:

- Wild Rice - too long to cook at campsite, but we make a wild rice, edamame, cilantro salad. High in protein and very tasty.
- Lots of corn tortillas - I was never big on bread or pasta, so going gluten free was easy.
- Hummus, tofu salad, tempeh salad, tuna fish (only for me)
- Breakfast we often have leftovers or make a potato hash with lots of veggies - good with tortillas.
- Cold camping we make soups - miso with tofu and rice noodles.
- If you do miss bread, there are some good alternatives - my favorite is Bfree, they make a great brown bread, pitas, etc. Available in many supermarkets and Walmart.
- I have never found a GF pasta that is any good.
- There is a lot of freeze-dried backpacking meals that are gluten free- expensive, I only go that route when backpacking.
 

MMc

Rank V

Influencer II

1,749
San Dimas, Ca.
First Name
Mike
Last Name
McMullen
Member #

18647

I am keto, my girlfriend is gluten free. We eat veggies , and proteins. A standard meal will be a steak, chicken, pork, a veg side, zucchini, squash, cabbage, brussel sprouts. And a salad. I cook on the fire or stove.

As a example: 1)Last trip dinner one night grilled pork chop, I dry brined it in the morning. Veggie foil pack. Foil with a coupled pieces of bacon first with onion, red cabbage, tomatoes, cauliflower, zucchini , tomato’s paste, (from a tube), some basil, oregano, rosemary, Worcestershire, salt and pepper, and cheese Wrap and put over the fire indirectly cook and finish with balsamic vinegar. Salad.

Another night 2) Steak, red cabbage and apples, cucumber salad. Steak cooked in a frypan in. good bit of oil. 9 this will brown it up well, cover with foil while cooking. Red cabbage and apples, onion sliced and sautéed, add the thin sliced red cabbage and apple ( I grate mine to speed up cooking). Add vinegar and stir really well, most will add a bit of sugar now, we skip this. Add garlic, nutmeg, clove cinnamon, and cook till tender. Cucumber and onions sliced thin and put in to you favorite dressing, I do this first so it has a bit of time to combine while make the rest do dinner.

I will cook most anything on the road that I would cook home. I don’t prep a home, and most meals are a product of what I have on hand. Cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts, broccoli, radish, squash, cucumber. green beans will last longer than leafy greens so I eat them first, pre-done salads will last for about a 4 days stay away from iceberg lettuce. If you use a 1/2 of a veggie on using the other half the next night. Cherry style tomatoes are easier to use because you can just use what you need. If you wrap the veg. in clean news print it will last longer, paper towels will work in a pinch.

You can always add rice or potatoes if you want starch. Rice is 1.5 or 2 times water to rice ratio, it’s on the package. Cook for 16 to 20 mins at a low simmer. Potato’s have a million ways to cook.
 

Ubiety

Rank VI
Member

Explorer I

5,221
Sammamish, WA, USA
First Name
Greg
Last Name
Ubiety
Member #

6193

Ham/GMRS Callsign
Ribs
I am keto, my girlfriend is gluten free. We eat veggies , and proteins. A standard meal will be a steak, chicken, pork, a veg side, zucchini, squash, cabbage, brussel sprouts. And a salad. I cook on the fire or stove.

As a example: 1)Last trip dinner one night grilled pork chop, I dry brined it in the morning. Veggie foil pack. Foil with a coupled pieces of bacon first with onion, red cabbage, tomatoes, cauliflower, zucchini , tomato’s paste, (from a tube), some basil, oregano, rosemary, Worcestershire, salt and pepper, and cheese Wrap and put over the fire indirectly cook and finish with balsamic vinegar. Salad.

Another night 2) Steak, red cabbage and apples, cucumber salad. Steak cooked in a frypan in. good bit of oil. 9 this will brown it up well, cover with foil while cooking. Red cabbage and apples, onion sliced and sautéed, add the thin sliced red cabbage and apple ( I grate mine to speed up cooking). Add vinegar and stir really well, most will add a bit of sugar now, we skip this. Add garlic, nutmeg, clove cinnamon, and cook till tender. Cucumber and onions sliced thin and put in to you favorite dressing, I do this first so it has a bit of time to combine while make the rest do dinner.

I will cook most anything on the road that I would cook home. I don’t prep a home, and most meals are a product of what I have on hand. Cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts, broccoli, radish, squash, cucumber. green beans will last longer than leafy greens so I eat them first, pre-done salads will last for about a 4 days stay away from iceberg lettuce. If you use a 1/2 of a veggie on using the other half the next night. Cherry style tomatoes are easier to use because you can just use what you need. If you wrap the veg. in clean news print it will last longer, paper towels will work in a pinch.

You can always add rice or potatoes if you want starch. Rice is 1.5 or 2 times water to rice ratio, it’s on the package. Cook for 16 to 20 mins at a low simmer. Potato’s have a million ways to cook.
I want to camp (eat) with you! :) Sounds yummy!

Love this one. Brown pork chops in a skillet and then throw them into a pot of cream corn and simmer for ~45 minutes. They come out tender and juicy and you have a side dish right there waiting to be slopped onto the plate.
 

MMc

Rank V

Influencer II

1,749
San Dimas, Ca.
First Name
Mike
Last Name
McMullen
Member #

18647

If I might suggest a little take on Greg Eigsi meal. I would pull the chops and add some stock or water and scrape the bottom add the corn heat bit and toss in the chops and finish as he says, adds flavor and only one pot.

When are frying any protein and you have a perfect base for a sauce. Finish cooking the meat add a bit of wine, stock, or water fruit juice to deglaze the bits on the bottom and boil it down. Add a little mustard or mayo. as a emulsifier. Add a fat, butter, oil, cream. Make sure it’s cold and stir a lot. Pour over the protein, your are a hero.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Ubiety and Boort

Ubiety

Rank VI
Member

Explorer I

5,221
Sammamish, WA, USA
First Name
Greg
Last Name
Ubiety
Member #

6193

Ham/GMRS Callsign
Ribs
If I might suggest a little take on Greg Eigsi meal. I would pull the chops and add some stock or water and scrape the bottom add the corn heat bit and toss in the chops and finish as he says, adds flavor and only one pot.

When are frying any protein and you have a perfect base for a sauce. Finish cooking the meat add a bit of wine, stock, or water fruit juice to deglaze the bits on the bottom and boil it down. Add a little mustard or mayo. as a emulsifier. Add a fat, butter, oil, cream. Make sure it’s cold and stir a lot. Pour over the protein, your are a hero.
Thats the great thing about recipes - they (can) evolve to get better! Awesome suggestion, will give a try. BTW, @Heidi made home made cream corn for Thanksgiving and it was cosmic! Don't know if I can eat the canned stuff anymore.
 

MMc

Rank V

Influencer II

1,749
San Dimas, Ca.
First Name
Mike
Last Name
McMullen
Member #

18647

Thats the great thing about recipes - they (can) evolve to get better! Awesome suggestion, will give a try. BTW, @Heidi made home made cream corn for Thanksgiving and it was cosmic! Don't know if I can eat the canned stuff anymore.
And it is so easy to make... so is cream spinach. Add a little nutmeg.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ubiety