By William Coleman
I will be the first to admit that I am not overly keen on doing the washing up after dinner, especially when I am on site trying to relax and get away from it all. One way round that is simple- use as little kitchen equipment as humanly possible. So here are some meals that requires a pan, a chopping board and maybe a small bowl for mixing. Easy peasy.
These meals have been tried and tested by the CaravanTimes team and never disappoint. They work perfectly for friends, family and take no time at all to prepare and cook. Best of all, very little tidying time is needed once you’re full up.
The Breakfast Of Champions
When it comes to breakfast time in the van I usually go for the classic egg and bacon sandwich, or if I am feeling particularly hungry its the fried English Breakfast with all the trimmings. But as I get older I have realised that the fry up is no good for the waistline, so here is filling healthy option.
The 2 Ingredient Pancake
Ingredient-
-2-3 eggs (add more accordingly if cooking for more than 2 people)
-2 fully ripened bananas. The bananas can be a tad brown, too fresh and they will not mix well.
-Ground cinnamon
Method
Step 1- Add your banana to a small bowl or measuring jug and then use a fork to press the banana into a soft mush, leave some bumps and lumps as this will help to create the pancake texture.
Step 2- Crack your eggs into the banana and then thoroughly mix the two together. Make sure there is no yolk visible, folding the mixture is great way to blend it all together and will help the ingredients bind together and create a batter like texture.
Step 3- Add contents to a well oiled pan, unsalted butter works the best and adds an extra bit of rich flavour.
Step 4- Cook on each side for 3 minutes until golden. Once both sides are golden simply serve and enjoy.
This one is fun, simple, cheap and healthy. From 3 eggs and 2 bananas you should get around 4-6 small to medium sized pancakes. A portion of 3 pancakes is only around 80 calories and should have you full up until lunch.
Brunch- The Cheeky Cheese And Ham Toastie
The afternoon snack is an important one, a build up to lunch if you will. So why not use a small window of time to whip up something quick, easy and not too filling. This is a bit of a cheeky one though and not something you want to eat too often. The Cheeky Cheese And Ham Toastie was once only possible with the Breville style toasting makers. Now all you need is a pan, a spatula and a potato masher.
Ingredient-
-Sliced ham, crumbed or honey roast is top of my list
-Mature cheddar or grated mozzarella. These two cheeses tend to melt the best without becoming very oily and soaking the bread.
-Sliced white bread, brown works too but white is the classic way of making a toasties.
Butter or cooking oil- all down to preference.
Method
Step One- If you are using butter to cook with make sure that you butter both sides of the bread evenly and generously. If using oil just coast the pan very lightly.
Step Two- Warm the oil or butter in the pan on a low to medium heat. If the pan is too hot the butter will burn, turn brown and smell very sweet. If this happens start over.
Step Three- Add the filling to the sandwich and firmly press the bread into the pan. This is where the masher comes in handy.
Step Four- Get yourself a small plate and place it on top of the sandwich and apply pressure with the masher so that the toastie gets an even cook. This way the cheese melts and gets that cinematic effect of stringy cheese. Cook until the bread is toasted to your liking and serve.
The best thing about the toastie is how dynamic you can make it. Add pretty much anything you want and it will probably work. The warm peanut butter and jam toasties is also quite the snack and works for pudding too, especially with some added custard. Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.
Lunchtime or Dinner
Make the most of the on board cooker and stretch those culinary legs with a 1 pan Mexican delight with just 3 ingredients and some spices. The Chicken Fajita Bowl!
Ingredient-
-Chicken breast, I would recommend 2 for a pair and 4 for a family sized portion.
-1 red, yellow and orange pepper.
-1 large white onion
-Spices/seasoning- Paprika, chilli powder, salt, pepper, cumin and garlic powder.
Method
Step 1- Cut the chicken breast into cubes and then slice all the veg. The more prepared the veg is the easier and quicker cooking will be.
Step 2- Brown off the chicken over a medium heat, take your time browning the chicken so it remains tender.
Step 3- Once the chicken is browned simply add all of your vegetables and seasoning and give it all a good stir. Add salt and pepper throughout to taste. Add some tomato paste if you have it to get it a bit more liquid.
Step- After about 12-15 minutes, depending if you like your veg with a little bit of a bite to it, you could be ready to serve. Cook for longer if you like your peppers and onions soft.
This is another dish that ticks the healthy options and is very wallet friendly. This is always good with a few wraps or pita breads on the side for dipping.
Are there any one pot/pan meals you can suggest?
