Homemade Naan

Up until I made homemade naan for the first time I thought the benefits of homemade vs. store-bought was mainly the pride that came with doing something with your hands. I figured that Trader Joe’s has some pretty good naan so although it was fun to make homemade, I’d definitely go back to buying it from the store. Boy, was I wrong.

Although that pride in the accomplishment is great, there is no comparison to fresh, homemade naan. The texture is better, the flavor is better —it’s just BETTER. And believe me when I say it’s truly not that hard. If you can spare 1.5 to 2 hours (an hour of that being down time) — you can make some at home and feel both the pride of accomplishment and have superior tasting naan.

For this recipe I used Sunrise Flour Mill Bread Flour. It has been my go-to for my sourdough so I figured why not use it for my naan. This specific flour is milled in Minneapolis, MN using heritage wheat that is more easily digestible. The founders, who had struggled with a gluten-intolerance found that they were able to bake the things they once loved using heritage grains without the consequences commercialized flours bring.

The possibilities are really endless with this naan. You can turn it into pizzas, use it to scoop up your favorite hummus, cover it in garlic butter and eat it straight up, use it as a base for a veggie sandwich, or turn it into a grilled cheese. Get creative and feel empowered at what you can whip together with just a few simple ingredients. Happy Baking!

Homemade NAAN

• 1 cup warm water (about 100-110°F)

• 2 tablespoons honey

• 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

• 3 1/2 cups Sunrise Flour Mill Bread Flour

• 1/4 cup plain yogurt

• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 large egg

  Briefly stir together the warm water and honey in the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the water and give it a quick stir, then let the mixture rest for 5-10 minutes until the yeast is foamy.

  Add the flour, yogurt, salt, baking powder, and egg.  Using the dough attachment, mix the dough on medium-low speed for 2-3 minutes until smooth.  (The dough will still be slightly sticky, but should form into a ball that pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl.  If it’s too sticky, add a bit more flour.)

  Remove dough from the mixing bowl and use your hands to shape it into a ball.  Grease a separate mixing bowl lightly with cooking spray, then place the dough ball in the bowl and cover it with a damp towel.  Place the bowl in a warm location (I set mine on top of the fridge) and let it rise for 1 hour until the dough has nearly doubled in size.

  Once the dough is ready to go, transfer it to a floured work surface and shape it into a circle.  Cut the dough into 8 equally-sized wedges and roll each wedge into a ball with your hands.  Then use a rolling pin to roll out the dough ball until it forms an oval about 1/4-inch thick.  (I recommend multi-tasking this process — rolling out the next dough ball while you cook one on the stove.)

  Heat a large cast-iron skillet or non-stick sauté pan over medium-high heat until it is nice and hot.  Add a piece of the rolled-out dough to the pan and cook for 1 minute, or until the top of the dough begins to bubble and the bottom turns lightly golden.  Flip the dough and cook on the second side for 30-60 seconds, or until the bottom is golden as well, then transfer the dough to a clean plate. Sprinkle the naan with a pinch of flaky sea salt, if desired. Then lightly cover the naan with a clean towel so that it stays warm.  Repeat with remaining dough until all of the naan pieces are cooked, adjusting the heat of the pan if needed to keep it hot (but not overly-hot so that it burns the bread). Serve warm and enjoy!

  If you don’t eat all of the naan or prefer to make a large batch to stock up, it will freeze wonderfully for up to a month in a freezer safe ziplock bag.

Our Favorite Simple Camping Meals

We’re relatively new to the camping game. We didn’t start camping until COVID forced us to delay an international trip we had planned in 2020. Since we both had the time off we decided to take the two weeks and do a camping trip in Colorado instead. Gutsy, I know. We did one trial run camp before we left just to make sure we didn’t hate it and turns out — we LOVE camping. On our first trip though, I remember being really stressed about the food. I didn’t know what we should make and although I wanted some interesting meals I didn’t have the inspiration and felt easily frazzled at the prospect of cooking at a campsite without my usual resources. We repeated a lot of the same meals that trip and it got a bit repetitive.

Fortunately, We’ve learned a lot since that first camping trip and I’m happy to report that our meals have gotten better! We’re not always eating the most exotic things while camping, but we learned to bring a little more variety and have a lot more fun with it. Most importantly, I feel a lot less stressed about it!

When we camp I try to strike a balance between practical and fun. I absolutely love being creative when cooking — it brings me a lot of joy — BUT when we’re getting back from a long hike I might feel a little less ambitious about what I feel like making. In that moment I might be totally okay with a box of mac and cheese for dinner. In those moments I try to think of ways I can make that simple meal a bit more exciting. My favorite way to elevate that mac and cheese is to add a can of tuna or chicken to make it feel a bit more filling (or even some frozen broccoli!). My goal with our food is to make meals that make us feel good, but are also still fun.

This list isn’t necessarily meant to be a step-by-step, but rather a collection of ideas that will inspire your own camping menu. Enjoy!

Our camp kitchen setup

I want to first give you insight into what we have to cook with while camping. Spoiler, it’s not fancy. Like I said, we’re still pretty new to camping so our setup is relatively basic. I hope that encourages you that some fun and filling camping meals are within reach — no matter how minimal your setup.

• Coleman One Burner Stove - We paid $30 for this stove and have used the heck out of it! It’s very basic, but does the trick. The biggest drawback to it is that the fuel can be kind of difficult to find. We just stock up whenever we see some. We actually even use this on roadtrips sometimes just to whip up a quick meal in the back of the car.

• Cast Iron Skillet - We use this all the time at home so it was a no brainer to bring it camping — It’s so versatile! I have yet to purchase one, but I do think a lid for the skillet would come in handy.

• Enamel Dutch Oven - This is perfect for making soups!

• JetBoil Stove - Admittedly this was a recent upgrade and its ability to boil water at an incredibly fast rate is remarkable, but all these meals can be made without it.

• Cooking Utensil set - This set has everything you would need and it includes a bag to store everything in. Note that the knives in this set are not great so we usually bring one of our regular kitchen knives.

• Barebones Enamelware Set - This was another splurge that you 100% don’t need, BUT gives an asthetic that makes me very happy.

• Eatin’ tool - This deserves a shoutout because we use it all the time and they’re fun.

• AeroPress Coffee Maker - We used to bring our Chemex and then decided something less breakable was maybe a better option.

BREAKFAST

• Oats with freeze dried berries from Trader Joe’s with maple syrup, peanut butter, and whatever other toppings we are feeling (coconut flakes, pumpkin seeds, etc.). I like these oats the best.

• Breakfast burritos - I like to roast the potatoes, onions, peppers, and bacon ahead of time and then roll them individually into tortillas with cheese at the campsite. I then wrap them in foil and place them on the grate over the fire until the cheese is melted and they are warm. You can also make them fully ahead of time and just throw them on the grate to heat up if you prefer.

• Pancakes - For convenience, I gravitate more toward the mixes that only require water. I love this brand and this brand.

• Baked Oatmeal - This is a nice option if you don’t want to dirty a pan in the morning. The flavor combinations are endless too.

• Chia puddings with fruit and nut butters - Make a batch of chia pudding ahead of time and put them in individual jars to grab on the go.

• Eggs - Scrambled, fried — however you fancy them! You could also make some hard boiled eggs ahead of time and bring those.

• Potato Hash over the campfire (or on your camp stove if you don’t want to get a fire going) - There really are few things better than onions, peppers, and potatoes cooked on the fire. Once those potatoes are tender feel free to scramble in some eggs to make it a full breakfast.

Lunch / Dinner

For us these meals are pretty interchangeable depending on what time we are coming back from a hike. Sometimes we need something quick and sometimes we feel like lingering around the campsite and making something that takes a bit longer. This is by no means a comprehensive list, but here are some of the meals we’ve had that we find ourselves making again.

• Cheese and crackers - Basic, I know, but this has become our number one lunch for when we roll in from a hike and are ravenous. We like to also serve it with veggies and hummus or ranch to round it out. My favorite cracker options: pretzel crisps, Simple Mill’s Crackers, and Mary’s Gone Crackers.

• Sautéed cabbage with chicken sausage and chickpeas - This is a super simple one that provides protein, fiber, and veggies but comes together in 10 minutes. I buy shredded cabbage to save myself from even having to chop it at the campsite. I heat the cast iron and just cook everything in one pan.

• Mac and cheese - This might sound childish, but adding some canned chicken, canned tuna, frozen broccoli, or frozen peas can elevate this dish and make it feel like a more nutritious meal that can be ready in 10 minutes. This and this are our two favorite mac and cheese brands.

• Salad kits - These were a great, fresh addition to a lot of our meals. It’s so nice to just have everything in a convenient package ready to go. Trader Joe’s has some really great salad kit options.

• Curry - I don’t have a specific recipe to share for this, but curry of any kind with rice or naan is a great cozy campfire meal idea.

• Charcuterie dinner - This is one of my favorites because it feels fancy, but it’s for sure not. Literally just bring all the meats, cheese, fruits, veggies, and fixin’s that you want and have a feast — no cooking required.

• Foil packet dinners - My usual combo is potatoes, onions, peppers, squash, and chicken sausage, but the possibilities are really endless. All you do is chop up the ingredients, drizzle some olive oil, salt and garlic on them and wrap them up individually (use more foil than you think you need to make sure they are really seeled). Then stick them in the fire and let them cook until the potatoes are tender.

• Soups - When the temperatures are just right soup is the perfect camping meal. It only requires one pot and has a lot of flexibility.

• Campfire pizza - This one is super fun. When I did this most recently I just used a pre-made dough from Trader Joe’s, but if you’re feeling ambitious you could make it homemade.

• Campfire Nachos - I like to use an 8x8 disposable pan, place a bunch of chips with cheese and beans (or whatever your protein of choice is), cover the top with foil, and place it on the fire grate until the cheese is melted (be careful the bottom can burn if it’s too close to the fire so check on it periodically). Once the cheese is melted pull it off and top it with sour cream, salsa, cilantro, avocado, etc.

Snacks

• Trail mix - Costco has great options or feel free to make your own.

• Cheese Crackers

• Popcorn - This is my all time favorite store-bought popcorn brand.

• Meat sticks - This brand is great!

• Nuts - Costco has great deals on a wide variety of nuts. I usually reach for pistachios and almonds!

• Fruits

• Veggies - Carrots and celery are great for dipping in peanut butter or hummus.

Beverages

Coffee - When we’re backpacking we do instant coffee (this brand does the trick). For car camping we usually use our aeropress or just make cold brew ahead of time and heat it up.

Sparkling Waters - We love our sparkling water so it would be a shame to head off on a camping trip without at least a few in tow.

Kombucha - It’s nice to have variety and since we aren’t huge alcohol drinkers, kombucha is a really nice option. This is our favorite brand.

Tea - Sometimes it’s nice to have a little tea nightcap so I like to bring a variety of options.

Sweet Potato + Broccoli Cheddar Frittata

When I was a night shift nurse, frittata formed the basis of my lunches. Since I was eating at like 2am it was nice to have something that was a bit lighter, but was also easy to prep ahead of time. Frittata is also cheap, delicious, and has an endless amount of possibilities! I usually just cook mine in my cast iron skillet and then divide it into 6 pieces — 3 for me, 3 for my husband. Easy peasy meal prep for the week!

I never had a set recipe for the frittata. I would always just see what we had and then go from there. Sometimes I had one veggie, sometimes I had multiple. Sometimes I used goat cheese and sometimes I didn’t. One of the combinations I found myself repeating most often was sweet potato + broccoli. There’s just something about that combo that is so, so good. I wanted to finally write this recipe down so you could have it as a good starting point to mix and match your own frittata combos. Happy cooking!

Sweet Potato + Broccoli + CHeddar Frittata

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, sliced thinly using a mandolin

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

• 1 cup chopped broccoli florets

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 2 cloves of garlic, minced

• 14 eggs

• 2 TBS milk or half and half

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I love this brand)

• hot sauce and avocado for serving (optional)

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.

Heat a large oven proof skillet on medium high heat. Slice the potatoes thinly using a cheese grater or mandolin. Add the coconut oil to the skillet and then once it has heated fully add in the sliced sweet potatoes. Add in the salt. Cook uncovered over medium-low heat stirring occasionally until the potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, In a large bowl whisk together the milk and eggs together. Place the broccoli on top of the cooked potatoes and then pour the egg mixture on top of the broccoli. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of the eggs. Season with an additional shake of salt and pepper.

Place in the oven uncovered for 45 minutes or until the center of the frittata is no longer runny. Remove from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes before serving. Salt and pepper to taste.

Allow to cool slightly before serving. Serve with avocado and hot sauce. If you are meal prepping, allow it to fully cool and then divide it into individual containers and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am a sucker for a good salty—sweet-combo. I’m especially a sucker when that combo involves chocolate.

Two things inspired this recipe. Number one, this specific cookie dough recipe was on repeat when we first got married and has been saved in the notes on my phone for almost 8 years labeled “The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever.” And although those words are very, very true and I’ve been making it at my house since then I felt in order to bring it to you it needed some flair.

So, the second part of the inspiration came from a little ice cream shop in Denver where I had some of the best cookie-dough ice cream of my life served in a PRETZEL CONE! (Told you, I’m a sucker for that salty-sweet combo.) I couldn’t’ get enough of the big salt flakes combined with the classic cookie dough chunks. I knew the pretzels were the key to take these cookies to the next level.

These cookies are the ooey-gooey kind of chocolate chip cookies that melts in your mouth and make you instantly want to have another!

Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup salted butter , softened

• 1 cup brown sugar, packed

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 egg

• 1 egg yolk

• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

• 1 cup pretzels broken into pieces, as well as more for topping

Combine the flour, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. In a separate bowl combine the butter, sugars, and vanilla. Add in the egg and egg yolk to the butter and sugar mixture. Combine. Add in the dry ingredient mixture. Combine. Stir in the chocolate chips and pretzels until well combined. Place the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Scoop tablespoons of dough onto a greased baking sheet and top each scoop with a pretzel. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until cookies are golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.