Travel Challenge

pdworkman

Okay, my friends, here is my next challenge!

I need to compose a meal consisting only of foods which can be found in a small-town supermarket, no cooking, soaking, or dehydrating required, no food processors or equipment, which will appeal to "normal" eaters (okay - worse - elderly rednecks). It needs to be:

- grain free
- dairy free
- vegetarian
- nuts limited and on the side

Since it will also be eaten by a teenager and post-half-marathon runner, so it needs to be able to be hearty; no rabbit food here.

How's that?

Some of the things that I am thinking of are:

- bean salad (can of mixed beans + dressing)
- marinated salad (pre-cut veggies + dressing)
- green salad (pre-washed greens/veggies + dressing + seeds to top)
- fruit platter

As you can see, one of the problems is going to be dressings. Normally I would use an Italian dressing for all three of these, but I don't want them to all taste the same. I hate to have to buy three separate salad dressings and I'm not sure I would find three "safe" ones at a small town grocery store (no dairy, no corn syrup). So I need some ideas for dressings/toppings.

I'd like to work potatoes and hard boiled eggs in there, but I may not be able to confirm ahead of time if there is a deli anywhere that would have them prepared. I like lentils, and maybe I'll bring a can of lentils along since I'm not sure the grocery store will have any. I'd like to add quinoa, but since I can't cook it, and the store isn't likely to have a prepared quinoa salad, that's probably out.

Maybe I should make some sort of cracker ahead of time to bring along, as they should travel fairly well.

What are your creative ideas, my friends?

alexandria412

Maybe you can combine the bean salad and marinated veggie salad into one dish? That could alleviate your salad dressing problem.

You could try making a simple peanut dressing for the leafy salad and omit the seeds on top.

This is a tough one! I wish I could help more!

pdworkman

This is why I need to enlist other brains! Peanut dressing is a great idea. I will definitely have peanut butter with me already.

finchest

is a corn-tortilla based burrito bar out of the question? does it need to be more american?
sounds like a tough meal to prepare, but i'm sure i can think of a few recipes!

also, check out this link for some dressing ideas: http://fatfreevegan.com/blog/category/dressings/

finchest

oh, and hummus - a lot of small stores have hummus! can you call the store ahead of time to make sure they have what you need?

pdworkman

No grains, so corn-tortilla bar is out.

Hummus is good, I didn't think to mention because I always travel with hummus anyway. I doubt the inlaws will eat it, but kiddo and I will.

is a corn-tortilla based burrito bar out of the question? does it need to be more american?
sounds like a tough meal to prepare, but i'm sure i can think of a few recipes!

also, check out this link for some dressing ideas: http://fatfreevegan.com/blog/category/dressings/

babynew

How about an Orange Ginger Vinaigrette? Lil flax or sesame oil.
Or A TAHINI DRESSING! !

babynew

Make some Candied Hazelnuts (agave, cinnamon,cayene )throw over Bananas or Salad or Snack!

pdworkman

Oh, I would waaaay overeat that, and everybody else would turn up their noses!

Make some Candied Hazelnuts (agave, cinnamon,cayene )throw over Bananas or Salad or Snack!

babynew

One of my Go To's
Mango, Black Beans, Red Bell, Sprouted Quinoa(6-8 hr.)

babynew

..you are funny. ..& Deseve a post Healthy Treat covered Nana!.. okay Brazil Nut option Ha!

babynew

..oops, just thought a chia pudding with Avocado or Cacao.Just buy the Avo!

michmill98

What's your definition of a small town grocery store? The one I grew up in was 3 aisles! It was a treat to go shopping with my aunt and cousin - their local grocery store had 8 aisles. You might be pleasantly surprised at what some groceries carry these days. Sure they're not a Whole Foods or Kroger, but a small town grocery store owner is usually more in touch with their client base and in my experience they'll adjust their orders to what is being requested or sold the most.

You didn't specify if everybody eats a "restricted" diet or just one person out of the group. Are you travelling with a cooler? Will you have access to a kitchen? Maybe I'm ignorant but what's your definition of grain free?

Pasta salad loaded with veggies and the italian dressing (assuming pasta (either regular or rice based) is allowed)
Egg salad
Cucumber salad with onions (vinegar based dressing)
Fruit
Veggie tray with guacamole and/or hummus
Three bean salad
Fresh tomatoes - only in season though. My grandpa could make a meal out of tomatoes and grandma's biscuits
Baked beans
Potato chips (okay not the healthiest but given the dietary limitations, you may need to consider it as an option)
V-8
OJ or another 100% juice
Coleslaw (you can find vinegar & oil based dressing recipes online and almost every grocery store carries the bagged shredded cabbage)

Two of my standby's are out based on your dietary restrictions but here they are in case they inspire you (or you have a substitution): chips & salsa and cheese & crackers (and occasionally some quality salami)

pdworkman

My family is on restricted diets, all the food we will be preparing will cater to our restrictions, but provide a well-rounded meal to the in-laws, who are omnivores not on a restricted diet. We prepare a meal for them because the restaurants in the area will not suffice, and because MIL is not able to provide a meal that we can eat, and she deserves to be treated.

We will not have access to a kitchen, micro, stove, fridge, etc. I'll have some bowls, spoons, and a knife. I will have a small cooler, which will contain the rest of the food that we need for the trip.

Grain free - no gluten grains, no corn, rice, oats, sorghum, teff, millet, etc. Pasta and commercial gluten-free baking are out.

Good suggestions, thanks!

You didn't specify if everybody eats a "restricted" diet or just one person out of the group. Are you travelling with a cooler? Will you have access to a kitchen? Maybe I'm ignorant but what's your definition of grain free?

Pasta salad loaded with veggies and the italian dressing (assuming pasta (either regular or rice based) is allowed)
Egg salad
Cucumber salad with onions (vinegar based dressing)
Fruit
Veggie tray with guacamole and/or hummus
Three bean salad
Fresh tomatoes - only in season though. My grandpa could make a meal out of tomatoes and grandma's biscuits
Baked beans
Potato chips (okay not the healthiest but given the dietary limitations, you may need to consider it as an option)
V-8
OJ or another 100% juice
Coleslaw (you can find vinegar & oil based dressing recipes online and almost every grocery store carries the bagged shredded cabbage)

Two of my standby's are out based on your dietary restrictions but here they are in case they inspire you (or you have a substitution): chips & salsa and cheese & crackers (and occasionally some quality salami)

finchest

would doing some kind of spaghetti squash pasta or raw zucchini pasta be heavily frowned upon?
best of luck to you, Pam - sounds like a real challenge on your hands!
but when in doubt, CHILI pleases all

pdworkman

Chili is great and one of my standbys, by won't do cold. I am thinking maybe a black bean & avocado salad with salsa.

I'm pretty sure raw pasta would be frowned upon. We're talking cattle ranchers here. For myself, I'll need a lot more calories than that post-run, though with various kinds of salads, it is fine if one or two are low in calories.

would doing some kind of spaghetti squash pasta or raw zucchini pasta be heavily frowned upon?
best of luck to you, Pam - sounds like a real challenge on your hands!
but when in doubt, CHILI pleases all