Psst…We’re creating a community-sourced cookbook! Why? Because food always tastes better when you’re camping. Always. Share your best ramen hacks, tastiest trail meals, and most resourceful car camping concoctions here. We’ll be compiling recipes over the next few months in anticipation of our cookbook launch where we’ll share what the Hipcamp community can cook up.

Friends are for taking fancy pics of your fancy food. Photo: Rachel Heydemann Campground: Colter Bay Grand Teton

Nothing is easy when you are living out of a car. Nine months ago my boyfriend, Ashwin, and I left California in our Toyota 4Runner to drive all the way to the southern tip of Argentina and visit every country along the way. We are now in Costa Rica, and you’d think we would have this kind of lifestyle figured out by now, but on top of constructing and deconstructing our home every day, it still takes us five minutes to find a fork.

These burgers came to life in the mountains of Honduras after a rough day of driving and during one of the worst storms we’ve been in our trip. It took us nearly six hours to go just 30 miles because the roads are in such poor condition (…or maybe it was because my navigation skills are terrible), and by the time we found the campground a massive wall of rain was closing in on us. Lightning struck every few seconds and within five minutes of being outside of the car our rain gear was useless and my waterproof shoes were water-filled. Ashwin was ravenous and insisted on eating cold bagged beans and a carrot for dinner, but I couldn’t end such a difficult day with such a sad meal. So I snatched the beans from his vice-like grip and quickly gathered some more items before seeking shelter under a nearby palapa. By this point, the rain was so heavy that we found ourselves standing on a bench and hunching over to cook the burgers on the stove in order to avoid an unwanted foot bath.

20 minutes later we were still standing on the bench but now happily eating what is one of our new favorite camp meals: beet burgers! When the challenges of this kind of lifestyle start to feel never-ending (like standing and eating), it’s a relief to have such an easy, healthy meal to fall back on.

A spy really wanted my recipe. Photo: Ashwin Atre

THE RECIPE

Ingredients

• 1 cup grated red beets
• 1/2 cup minced yellow onion
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 cup quick oats
• 1 cup cooked lentils
• 3/4 cup refried beans (bagged OR canned)
• 1tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• Cumin to taste

Preparation

1. Using a paper towel, soak up liquid from the beets (…or if you’re using a handheld grater, press into the sides of the bowl and drain the juice into a cup and drink!)
2. Sauté onion and garlic for 3-5 minutes
3. Add beets and sauté another few minutes to dry out the mixture
4. Remove from pan and add to large mixing bowl with all remaining ingredients
5. Mix ‘n mash until everything is sticking together (add more beans if too crumbly or more oats if too wet)
6. Form into 3/4in patties and sauté with oil in pan (5-6 min on the first side and 3-5 on the second)
7. EAT…with all the fun toppings, of course

Note: The first step is super important! You don’t want to eat wet burgers.

Olivia is a lover of all things leafy and outdoorsy. When she’s not searching for silverware or swatting mosquitoes, Olivia can be found practicing breathing exercises and improving her hummus recipe. For more tales [and recipes] from their overlanding journey, follow Olivia here and Ashwin here.