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Luncheons

“Oh no, not peanut butter and jelly again!”, that disappointed whine echoes in my mind; it was a daily ritual with me as a child, opening up my Pac-Man lunch box, sighing, and slowly emptying its contents. While it may be a comfort food to many, personally, I have had so much of it that today, even the smell of peanuts makes me sick. I’ll eat it if I have to, but hey, it beats gnawing off my own arm! ;)

Sandwiches
Show the word that the kids at Subway aren’t the only Sandwich Artists out there! Since most of the prep work can be done at home, all you’ll need to do is set everything out nicely and watch as your hungry campers help themselves! Offer fancy sandwich rolls, thinly sliced deli meats and cheese (veg options always available!), Romaine lettuce leaves, sliced veggies, sprouts and fast food condiment packets. Be sure to have your wash basins out so everyone can wash their hands before they handle the food! ;) A personal favorite of mine is to call it a wrap - a wrapped-up sandwich, that is! Here's what I like to make a mean vegan wrap:
Tribe 40 Spices Hummus, sliced avocado, dried cranberries, salted sunflower seeds, very thinly sliced onion, sliced mushrooms, diced green pepper, Romaine or red leaf lettuce, sprouts, fresh basil leaves, balsamic cranberry vinigarette dressing and salt and pepper to taste, wrapped up in a burrito-sized flour tortilla. Dee-lish and ends up being the size of a football!!!

Relish Trays
In addition to, or in replace of sandwiches, offer a healthy feast in itself of nothing but finger foods! Think Thanksgiving afternoon and you’ll know where I’m going. At home, prepare a freezer bag full of carrot and celery sticks and another of broccoli and cauliflower florets. Offer a jar of pickle spears and black olives, a bag of your favorite snack chips or crackers and sliced meat and cheese; don’t forget the dip! You can also add some fresh fruit, such as apples, bananas, oranges and grapes in a large bowl for a nice presentation, perhaps garnished with berries. Remember to pack a small portion of this for the car ride to and from your camp site for a fresh and healthy alternative to truck stop junk food.
Here's a vegan and delicious veggie dip recipe that's Omni-approved and easy! Just dice up a bunch of green onions and mix it in a container of Tofutti's Better Than Sour Cream and add a touch of powdered garlic. Works everytime!

Soups and Stews
Do away with the can! Nothing says comfort like homemade soup, and there’s so many varieties to choose from! The easiest, most fun soup to make is vegetable. Remember the story of Stone Soup and go with whatever you find in the refrigerator! Simply chop and add your favorite veggies, herbs and seasonings to some boiling water and let it simmer until everything is tender. Add rice or barley to both thicken and add texture; add cubed meat for the omnivores. Making a soup a stew merely requires adding some flour or corn starch to the soup; be sure to stir well! Even making it portable is simple; either use your trusty freezer bags, doubled over, or use a cleaned spaghetti jar or two. Bring along some crackers or bread; part of what makes soup comforting is sopping it all up! ;)

Other Ideas
Fire up those logs and go Americana! Nothing beats a good barbeque in summer, and even your vegan friends can attest to that, provided you make a couple small changes to suit their dietary requirements. Whether you go for burgers, hot dogs, steaks, barbecued chicken, ribs, or skewered veggies, anything cooked over an open fire tastes better. Add some side dishes like potato salad and cole slaw, roasted corn, baked beans and sliced watermelon to really make you feel good inside! Don’t forget the condiments! Remember to portion out your meat ahead of time and, using your new best friend, the freezer bags, have it marinate while you travel! (Ever try marinated seitan? Oh. My. Gods!!) Hey, the ancient Mongolians kept their meat tender while they traveled, so why can’t you? ;) Oh, and my favorite barbecue sauce is Jack Daniel's Originial (Hey, relax! It's vegan AND non-alcoholic!)

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