Good eats for road life

Cooking on the road can be a chore, but after a hard day of climbing you need to eat big and eat quick; a PB & J just won’t cut it. As plush as your truck’s tailgate may be, it’s no kitchen. After traveling around for years in my van, I’ve compiled and developed a handful of go-to recipes — they’re quick, simple, and healthy. These vegan meals are my favorites, not only for their health benefits, but also because they can easily be adjusted for larger groups, stick to one pan for easy cleanup, and most of all are fast and filling. On the road, vegan ingredients tend to be less expensive, thereby preserving the bank account, and non-meat items store much more easily, rarely requiring a cooler. Below, you’ll find three dishes that offer easy storage, prep, and clean up while providing all the nutrients required to refuel for the next climbing day

SHILLYTOE DAHL
A Brit living at the crag in El Chorro, Spain gave me this recipe. In Spain lentils and tomato sauce are abundant and cheap, so it became a staple while traveling through Europe. Serves 4.

• 1/2 yellow onion (diced)
• 4 cloves of garlic (diced)
• 1 can lentils
• 1 small carton tomato paste
• 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 lemon
• 2 Tbsp curry powder

Sauté the onions and garlic in oil over medium/high heat until the onions are soft and clear. Drain the lentils and add to pan, then sprinkle the curry powder over the top. Cover the mixture with the tomato paste and drizzle with balsamic.

WORLD-FAMOUS VEGAN BURRITOS
This meal has won a cook off in Southern Illinois and has been prepared for large crews in Hueco Tanks. It’s my go-to meal on the road. It’s quick, easy, and makes enough for the tent mates next door. Makes 6 burritos.

• 1/2 block of tofu (8 oz.)
• 1 Tbsp chili powder (or any mix of Mexican style seasonings)
• 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 can black beans
• 1/2 cup couscous
• 1/2 cup water
• Tortillas

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium/high heat. Drain and mash the tofu and add to the frying pan. Let cook 3-5 min, add the chili powder and nutritional yeast and mix it into the tofu. Add the can of black beans with the liquid. Sprinkle the couscous over the top of the pan to cover the mixture. Add a little water, and let the couscous absorb the moisture as it cooks. Add spices to taste. Cover the frying pan with a couple tortillas to soften them. Serve with Vegenaise (this is the secret ingredient!), salsa, and hot sauce.

CLASSIC STIR-FRY
Stir-fry is standard fare for the road. It’s quick, easy, delicious, and incredibly filling. It’s also a perfect dish for getting those veggies. Serves 4.

• 1/2 block of tofu (or tempeh)
• red onion
• garlic
• broccoli
• carrots
• red cabbage
• red bell pepper
• kale (chard or bok choy are good also)
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil, but olive or saffl ower work well also
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 Tbsp Sriracha sauce (aka The Rooster)

Start by cubing the tofu into 1-inch cubes. Fry the tofu in ample oil over high heat to brown the sides. Turn the heat down to medium and add the onions and garlic and sauté a couple minutes. I like to hit it with some soy sauce at this point and give it a good shake (it’s all in the wrist action) to coat. Then chop up enough veggies to fill the pan. I chose the above vegetables for their color array (taste the rainbow). Add the harder veggies like carrots and cabbage first and let cook a few minutes. Next, add broccoli then finally bell pepper and leafy greens. Sprinkle the nutritional yeast atop the veggies, pour in the rest of the soy sauce, and mix in some Rooster to your heat preference. At this point, I like to add a little water and cover the pan with a plate or lid, turn down the heat just a little, and let everything simmer until the leafy greens have started to wilt. Serve it up solo or over brown rice or quinoa.

[Editor’s note: Justin has appeared in literally dozens of UCMag photos over the years. This is because he just gets around…as much or more than anyone we know. He’s personally educated staff members in the ways of making vegan food on the cheap and using ingredients found in foreign grocery stores. His roadtrip- cooking skills are truly dialed.]

10 INGREDIENTS EVERY ROAD WARRIOR NEEDS TO COOK AND EAT RIGHT:

• Tofu: easy to use and good source of protein.
• Tempeh: a fermented soy product with great texture.
• Quinoa: whole grain that cooks like rice, 2 cups water to 1 cup quinoa, great taste and a complete protein.
• Nutritional yeast: I love to add this to a lot of foods. It has an almost cheesy taste making it great for popcorn, or on burritos. A good source of B12.
• Tamari soy sauce: can go into everything from stir-fry to burritos to curries
• Coconut oil: imparts a great flavor to your food and has MCFA, medium chain fatty acids, which are a good source of energy for the body.
• Braggs Liquid Aminos: used like soy sauce but has a different fl avor so you can mix it up.
• Goddess dressing: a tahini-based salad dressing. This will add a new dimension to your stir-fry.
• Agave nectar: use it to sweeten it up.
• Sesame Seeds: add great texture and crunch, plus they have tons of calcium.