Best Recipes for Van Living

Finding the best recipes for van living can be overwhelming, especially with limited space and resources, but there’s good news: there are plenty of delicious recipes that only require a stovetop! Whether you are a seasoned van traveller, or this is your first adventure, having a selection of easy recipes and one-pot meals can make your culinary adventures both enjoyable and stress-free. In this guide, we’ll break down our go-to dishes that are perfect for van life. These recipes are designed to be simple, using minimal ingredients, yet packed with flavour.

Breakfast

For our first breakfast option we are keeping it simple, packed full of vitamin C, E, K and B6, as well as healthy fats to keep you fuller for longer!

Avocado Toast-

Ingredients-

• Bread
• 1 Avocado
• Lemon Juice
• Paprika
• Salt and Pepper

Steps-

1. Toast your bread of choice by warming up a pan on the stove and placing your bread in the pan until it is at your desired toastiness.
2. Smash your avocado, then add your salt, pepper and paprika to taste.
3. Add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to your smashed avocado.
4. Spread your beautifully seasoned avocado onto the toast.
5. Enjoy!

Our next breakfast favourite is for our fellow sweet tooths, it may have less nutritional value, but this recipe is for the soul!

Pancakes-

Ingredients-

• Pancake Mix
• Berries
• Greek Yogurt
• Honey

Steps-

1. Follow the steps on your favourite pancake mix, then flip to see the gorgeous golden-brown pancake.
2. Once you have cooked off your pancake stack, plate up then add Greek yogurt and honey.
3. Top with your berries and enjoy!

One Pot Recipe

First up we have the perfect comfort soup for a cold day. If you are feeling under the weather, you need this recipe, as it is simple and quick to make!

Pastina Soup-                                                  

Ingredients-

• Chicken Stock Cubes
• Small Pasta/ Pastina
• Parmesan

Steps-

1. Bring water to a boil in a pot.
2. Add your stock cubes and whisk with a fork until the cubes are fully dissolved.
3. Add your pastina to the chicken broth. You can make this as thick or watery as you like depending on how much pasta you add.
4. Once your pasta is fully cooked, add parmesan to your heart’s desire and stir.
5. Finally, plate up and enjoy!

The next one pot recipe is a guaranteed crowd favourite! For a veggie option, just substitute the minced beef for a meat-free equivalent.

Mexican Beef and Rice Pot-

Ingredients-

• 1 Onion
• Minced Beef
• White Rice Pack
• 1 Tin of Tomatoes
• 1 Tin of Black Beans
• 1 Tin of Corn
• 2 Chicken Stock Cubes
• 1 Mexican Seasoning Packet/ Taco Seasoning
• Shredded Cheese

Steps-

1. Heat your preferred cooking oil in your pan.
2. Add onion and cook for 2 minutes, then add minced beef and cook until browned.
3. Move beef to one side of the pan and add white rice to the other side. Cook for 2 minutes then add tinned tomatoes, black beans, corn and seasoning packet. Further season with salt and pepper then stir to combine.
4. Pour your prepared chicken stock, bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes.
5. Top with a cheese of your choice, let it melt for 2-3 minutes and then enjoy!

Dessert

We all need a sweet treat after a long day, so here is our favourite dessert recipe that you can make in your adapted van!

Frying Pan Chocolate Cake-

Ingredients-

• 40g Plain Flour
• 25g Cocoa Powder
• ¼ Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 70g Sugar
• 30g Butter
• 1 Egg
• 60ml Chocolate Milk
• Nutella

Steps-

1. Melt the butter in a heavy bottom frying pan, once melted take off the heat, add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth.
2. Still off of the heat, add the sugar and egg. Whisk well.
3. Add the flour, baking soda, milk and whisk until smooth. Don’t forget to scrape down the sides with a spatula!
4. Place pan on the stove, cover with lid and cook on a low flame/heat for 10-15 minutes. You know it is ready when you can insert a cocktail stick and it comes out clean/with just a few crumbs on it.
5. Cover the pan, remove from heat and allow to cool at room temperature.
6. Once cooled poke holes in the cake and pour over the chocolate milk (this will help keep the cake moist).
7. Lastly ice the top of your cake with Nutella or your favourite icing and enjoy!

With these easy recipes and one-pot delights, you can enjoy delicious and nutritious meals without the stress. From the simplicity of avocado toast to the comforting warmth of pastina soup and the hearty enjoyment of Mexican beef and rice, these dishes prove that great food can be made with minimal resources. Don’t forget to treat yourself to the indulgence of a frying pan chocolate cake after a long day. Embrace the joy of van life cooking and discover how a little creativity can go a long way in making your culinary adventures both delicious and fulfilling.

Happy cooking!