Traveling with Food Sensitivities and New Recipe for Grilled Salmon with Dairy Free Pesto

Freedom

I just got home from a week at Belknap Hot Springs Resort, tucked away in the Oregon Cascades on the upper McKenzie River.  This is the third trip my family has taken in our new Freedom Machine - a 19 foot, 2400 lb kitchen, bedroom and living area - all conveniently towed by our SUV.  The trailer has given us a new found sense of freedom, guaranteeing we will always have fresh gluten and dairy free food, with stove and kitchen nearby.

To get ready for our trip, I spent hours baking like a mad woman, and ended up with bags of frozen biscuits and muffins to round out breakfast and snacks.  Here's the complete run down of what I packed:

Breakfast:
bacon, eggs, grain free biscuits, banana strawberry muffins (recipe coming soon), buckwheat cereal, strawberry syrup

A fully stocked fridge for a 4 night stay

Dinner:
Leftovers from dinner served as lunch for the following day.  I brought some lunch meat just in case we didn't have enough food.

Night 1:  Burrito bowls with precooked black beans, homemade guacamole, salsa, lettuce and grilled steak with spice rub.

Night 2:  Hamburgers with slaw and sauerkraut.

Night 3:  Grilled chicken and salad.

Night 4:  Grilled salmon with pesto sauce and corn on the cob.

Snacks:
Carrots and celery with almond butter
Almonds, cashews, walnuts and dried cranberry mix
Peanut and raisin mix
Fruit
Homemade raw goat milk yogurt
Smoothies with frozen fruit

The Secret Garden at Belknap Springs Resort

Since most of my meal preparation was done before I left, we had plenty of time to get lost on the meandering trails of the resort.  Interrupted by ponds and gardens, this is a place I didn't mind getting lost in.  We stumbled upon a beautiful place, the "secret garden", hidden from view by a wall, and accessible by a small trail.  I could've lingered here for a day or two, but my group had plans for other sightseeing, including rafting with Charlie of High Country Expeditions .  The company and scenery were amazing, but the frigid 42 degree water was a little much for some of my companions on an overcast Oregon day that may not have broken the 70 degree mark.  Thank goodness for hot springs!

McKenzie River on Sahalie Falls Trail

The most breathtaking part of the trip was our hike to Sahalie Falls.  An easy 2 mile jaunt with little elevation gain, the trail offered incredible views of blue rushing water coming down multiple falls.

The last night of our trip, I broke out the homemade pesto and grilled up some salmon.  While all food tastes better in the great outdoors, this dish tastes fantastic anywhere.

Grilled Salmon with Pesto

Ingredients:

1 large wild salmon fillet, skin on (mine was 1.5 lbs. sockeye)

1 cup fresh basil leaves

3 medium garlic cloves, peeled

1/2 cup raw macadamia nuts

1/3 cup plus 1-2 tbsp olive oil

1/8 tsp sea salt

Directions:

Place the macadamia nuts in a food processor with sharp blade and process until fine.  Add garlic cloves and process until chopped.  Add basil, 1/3 cup olive oil and salt and process until mixed well.  Add 1 to 2 tbsp additional olive oil until pesto is creamy.

Preheat grill.  Wash salmon fillet and pat dry.  Spread pesto evenly over flesh side of salmon.  Place fillet skin side down on grill over high heat and cover.  Grill until salmon flakes with a fork.  Cooking time will vary with thickness of the fillet.  Mine took about 10 minutes.  Serves 4.  Source:  www.foodsensitivityjournal.com


This post has been shared with Slightly Indulgent Tuesday.