Living on the road and trying to eat well are not always conducive to one another. Quite frequently, once the dinner bell rang, tired eyes after an active day would sway us toward the short-lived immediate pleasure of instant ramen or mac and cheese. Unfortunately, post-meal lounging—a necessity for any chemically enhanced carbo-loading—is never met with an “I feel great about myself” attitude. But quite frankly, we live in a van. We don’t have room for a walk-in pantry and our spice rack consists of five mason jars with an abundance of little more than cinnamon and paprika. Still, we weren’t totally out of resources.
Memories of the debilitating effects of the classic ‘food coma’ had left us motivated to find a creative alternative. Better yet, we had Good To-Go’s wide assortment of dehydrated meals tucked away under our front passenger seat (go to van storage). And just like that, late one winter afternoon as golden light had sank and settled within Flagstaff’s charred Ponderosa Pines, an idea was hatched. Our Good To-Go fine dining collection was alive. Here are 5 van life recipes to ensure you are still eating well while living on the road.
Korma Lettuce Wraps
- 1 serving pouch of Good To-Go’s Indian Vegetable Korma
- 1 packet instant ramen noodle soup (you will just be using the noodles so any flavor will work)
- 8-10 Boston bibb or butter lettuce leaves
Step One:
Prepare Good To-Go’s Indian Vegetable Korma.
Step Two:
Crumble ½ cup dry instant ramen noodles.
Step Three:
Portion out Indian Vegetable Korma (fully rehydrated) onto lettuce leaves and sprinkle the crumbled noodles atop for a crispy crunch.
Cast Iron Enchiladas
- 1 single serving pouch of Good To-Go’s Mexican Quinoa Bowl
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1 onion, sliced
- 4-5 corn tortillas
- Shredded cheese (Monterey jack, Colby, cheddar, etc)
- Salsa
- Sour cream
Step One:
Prepare the Good To-Go Mexican Quinoa Bowl. While waiting for rehydration, dice the bell pepper and onion and sauté in cast iron pan with your choice of butter or olive oil.
Step Two:
Fill and roll tortillas with onions, peppers and shredded cheese then place side by side in cast iron.
Step Three:
Pour Good To-Go Mexican Bowl over the tortillas and top first with desired amount of salsa, then a liberal amount of shredded cheese. Simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes with lid and serve with sour cream.
Back Road Chicken Marsala:
- 1 single serving pouch of Good To-Go’s Herbed Mushroom Risotto
- ½ lb boneless chicken breasts (1-2 breasts)
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced (if not available, most any mushroom will do)
- 2 oz fresh parsley, chopped (if unavailable break out that spice rack!)
- 4-5 oz prosciutto, thinly sliced (thinly sliced salami is a great substitute when on a budget)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Liberal splash of last night’s leftover red wine (or ¼ cup Marsala wine if you’d like to keep it traditional)
Step One:
Prepare Good To-Go’s Herbed Mushroom Risotto. While debating with your dining partner about just how big the universe is, slice 3-4 the cremini mushrooms
Step Two:
Heat cast iron skillet with a bit of olive oil on medium heat and sear chicken breast on for 8-12 minutes on each side (or until chicken is cooked through).
Step Three:
Turn the burner down to a simmer and spread Good To-Go’s Herbed Mushroom Risotto in skillet around the chicken breast. Add prosciutto and sliced mushrooms. Grace the dish with a liberal splash of last night’s leftover wine and cover. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Step Four:
Top with freshly diced parsley and devour!
Country Chicken Parmesan
- Double portion of Good To-Go’s Classic Marinara with Pasta
- ½ lb boneless chicken breasts (1-2 breasts)
- ½ cup marinara sauce
- ¼ cup fresh basil, torn by hand
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese (adjustable, we love our cheese)
Step One:
Prepare Good To-Go’s Classic Marinara with Pasta and dice fresh mozzarella into ¼” cubes.
Step Two:
Heat cast iron skillet with a bit of olive oil over medium heat and sear chicken breast on for 8-12 minutes on each side (or until chicken is cooked through).
Step Three:
Turn the burner down to a simmer and add Good To-Go’s Classic Marinara with Penne around the chicken breast. Add the extra marinara sauce and roughly half of the basil. Let simmer for 5-8 minutes over low heat (uncovered).
Step Four:
Add mozzarella on top. Cover and let simmer for an additional 5-8 minutes (or until the cheese is melted).
Step Five:
Uncover, garnish with remaining fresh basil and wow your backcountry guests!
Stovetop Apple Crisp
*Recipe for 8x8” dish or medium-sized cast iron
- 2 single portion bags of Good To-Go Granola
- 7 apples
- ¼ tsp Cinnamon
- ½ cup melted butter
- 1 cup flour
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup white sugar
- ½ cup water
Step One:
If oven is available, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degree C). Otherwise break out that cast iron!
Step Two:
Place sliced apples in an 8x8” pan. In a medium bowl mix together white sugar, just 1 tablespoon of flour and ground cinnamon. Add water and mix. Pour liquid mixture evenly over sliced apples.
Step Three:
Combine dry Good To-Go Granola (do not add water as directed on back of pouch), remaining flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter. Mix thoroughly (this can be done right in the Good To-Go pouch). Crumble evenly over apple mixture.
Step Four:
Bake at 350 degrees F for roughly 45 minutes. Otherwise simmer on lowest heat with lid (or an additional cast iron in place of a lid). Let cool and enjoy!
As simply as that, fine dining can be brought to your forest, desert, or mountain-based home on wheels. Enjoy, and always remember to share!
Story, photos and recipes by Good To-Go ambassador, Rachael Galipo
