Susan Marque - The Van Life Cookbook: Delicious Recipes, Simple Techniques and Easy Meal Prep for the Road Trip Lifestyle

There is something very satisfying about making a good meal. Especially on the road. Maybe its the fresh air you wake up to, or the free feeling of being mobile or handy. No matter what type of space you have, a large RV, a small camper van, a boat, or a tiny apartment, cooking can be easy and fun.

I once traveled with a boyfriend up the coast of California in a small van without a kitchen. We cooked outside on a grill. Everything tasted amazing.

In New York City, I joked that I was camping in the city. I sublet quite a few apartments in the eight years that I lived there. One of my favorites was a tiny space in Tribeca. The owner lived next door and had remodeled the apartments to add extra room to her larger space by slicing off some of the square footage from the studio. As a result, the studio had an under-the-counter fridge in a slender hallway with a counter, sink, and no stove, just a hot plate. When I was looking at the place initially, everyone who knew me said, No, you cant live thereyou cook all your meals. I didnt see a problem. I did buy the smallest toaster oven. (So it wouldnt take up much room on the counter. Every inch counts when you live in close quarters.) I found I could easily cook a three-course meal on that single burner and bake whatever I liked in the teensy oven. Meals didnt always look the same, since I had to use toaster oven pans or whatever I had on the burner. My pizzas and pies were small rectangles instead of round, and my muffins were extra small, but I made some terrific-tasting food.

Most of the time, I cooked a pot of grain in the morning to use all day. Grain wont go bad sitting on the counter for hours. Lunches were often salads I assembled, and dinners were usually cooked in a skillet. I also baked everything from cake to popovers in my tiny oven. That apartment was where I began developing and photographing recipes for publication. It was a doorman elevator building only a couple of blocks from the Hudson River. I found walking through the parks and being near water invigorating, while the city itself was always alive and exciting. I took my lunches up to the rooftop. There were tables and chairs where you could watch all the boats coming and going. Camping comes in many forms.

This cookbook is for anyone who enjoys good food easily made. Many of the recipes are simple to do and wont take much time to execute. Since I am the person making and eating the food, these recipes are geared to my taste, which is, admittedly, not going to be just like yours. Thats why they are mostly very flexible. There is nothing wrong with green beans or hot peppers, for exampleI simply do not like them. So if they are your favorites, by all means, toss them into things. Many of the recipes are geared so you can add the herbs, spices, and vegetables that appeal to you. Thats on purposebecause when you are living in a camper van, you may or may not have access to every type of ingredient all the time. Ive included many flexible recipes that you can adjust to what you have on hand, like, or can get.

Ive also tried to keep the number of pots and pans to a minimum. Its just more convenient to use less cooking fuel and have less to wash up later. This works well for most situations. If you happen to have more room, or more people, watch the serving amounts and double or triple the recipe as needed.

There are many different situations that coexist with van life cooking. Once you get the hang of making meals in a small kitchen, you may actually find you prefer it. Its a great way to live. One of the key differences, unlike a kitchen in a large house, is that you can usually reach all around your entire cooking area. When you are setting up your camper van space, consider where youll hang or store wooden spoons, herbs, and spices, as well as small tools, like whisks, measuring cups, and so on. Youll want to be able to grab them without leaving your burner. Ive hung things up with hooks, or used small shelves with bungee ties in front of them, so that I can see and access what I need without opening a drawer or digging through other items.

Another thing to consider is where you will hang a couple of kitchen towels. In a large kitchen, towels often go on the oven door handle or on a counter. In a camper van, you might have only a burner and a small sink. I am very fond of large magnetic hooks that I can put up in convenient spots for towels or keys. If you have metal spots, thats an option. You may like hooks with screws or Command strips. Just keep towels handy. Towels are the most-used kitchen item, and if you dont have a place for them, they can end up getting in the way or falling on the floor. Some chefs like to put them in the front of their apron. If you are disciplined enough to always wear an apron, I applaud you. Im not, but I do keep my cooking tools handy.

Think out your space as much as you can so that it works well for you. And dont get frustrated if you find you need to move items around a little once you really start cooking in your space. Thats okay. You might find that having a cutting board over your sink works well, or you might decide that creating a pull-out cutting board is better. The more comfortable you are with your setup, the easier it will be to create wonderful meals in your camper van, boat, or room.

That also goes for things like knife skills. Do you need to chop a carrot as fast as seasoned chef? No. But getting used to basics, like keeping the tip of your knife on the cutting board as you slice, will make things go faster, smoother, and help you be a happier cook.