Venís soñando este viajes desde hace... ¿cuánto? Llevaron el auto al taller para que todo vaya (literalmente) sobre buenas ruedas; lavaron la ropa que les hará falta; están listos los carnets de vacunación; prepararon gorras, protector solar (seguro que es más barato aquí que en las zonas turísticas), algún juego para el viaje y por si toca algún día de lluvia...
The turn to prepare preservatives, thermos, glasses, mate, paper napkins is coming soon...
a possible list
• First element: “take care” of those who drive. Coffee or grass? maybe both? (To combat fatigue, perhaps mate is not enough...). A thermos for each one, or just one with hot water and instant coffee on the side? If so, don't forget that you're going to need to sweeten... and how to stir.
• Second element: contain the boredom of others. So, think of a snack “medicine kit” that will help pass the time without overdosing on sugar... or salt (best, skip the fries and stuff). If you need ideas, we give them to you under the heading “For entertainment”. And if food is added to word games, riddles, song contests and -perhaps as a last resort- a "movie" downloaded on the tablet, surely the consumption of sweets will decrease.
• Third element: fight thirst. Even if the car goes with the air conditioning on, hydration is still very important and -not a minor fact- not having anything else to do also "causes thirst". It is usually taken for granted, but just in case: without a doubt, the best is water; sugary drinks, in addition to being unhealthy, in the long run will only increase thirst.
• Fourth element: what they are going to eat during the trip... and here we unfold the possibilities.
preserve temperatures
A travel refrigerator (a simple and cheap Styrofoam cooler may suffice) is a great ally; but -we anticipate- for lunch we suggest that you use two (let's say one with a touch of blue and the other, red, so that you can distinguish them). They are worth it: they will surely come in handy on the walks when you arrive at your destination.
Let's go back: in the blue you will keep what is cold (boiled eggs, yoghurts, fruit, eventually, a packet of mayonnaise...), and placing several bottles of water in the freezer will serve you not only to drink; if half are fresh out of the freezer when you hit the road, they will help keep the rest cool.
The red one will be the one that will allow them, when lunchtime arrives -coinciding it with a load of fuel, baths and "stretching the legs" is a good strategy- that the food (we propose two practical recipes and without flour) is lukewarm. There you can also go kipecitos or meatballs, hard-boiled eggs, pieces of grilled chicken breast...
You know the tastes of the family... What this note tries to do is help you think of alternatives and so that you don't forget something that could be important for those who travel.
For fun
- popcorn
- nuts
- cubes of semi-hard cheese
- fresh fruits (with little juice, so they don't drip all over the car)
- cherry tomatoes
croquettes
In a bowl, mix 4 cups of cooked white or brown rice, 1 egg and 1 cup of grated squash; season with garlic salt and a little nutmeg. Mix and take portions, flatten them and then hollow them out; then, fill with fresh spinach, well washed and finely chopped. Close the croquettes well, and pass them through beaten egg and batter (you can use extra-fine oats instead of breadcrumbs, and they will be suitable for celiacs). Cover a roasting pan with parchment paper, add a little oil and brush all the paper well. Place the croquettes on it and bake for about 20 minutes; The idea is that they remain golden (they will be a little less healthy, but they can also be fried. The idea is that you can prepare them ahead of time and heat them up before leaving. They will travel with you in the "red" cooler).
Baked potato omelette
Peel and cut 750 g of potatoes into thin slices and boil them quickly (be careful not to overdo them; it is preferable that they are just “al dente”, in general, they will go later in the oven). When they are out of the water with a slotted spoon, and "scatter" a little on a flat surface so that they lose moisture. While the potatoes are cooking and cooling, chop and saute 1 large onion, 1/2 green bell pepper, 1/2 yellow and 1/2 red with a little olive oil. Separately, beat 6 or 7 eggs well, depending on their size, and add salt (it can be combined with garlic salt), oregano, a little pepper; Finally, the onion and the sautéed bell peppers, the potatoes and 100 g of grated cheese. Line a baking dish (28 cm x 17 cm) with parchment paper, oil the parchment paper and pour the mixture into the mold; sprinkle with a little more cheese and bake at 180° for approximately 15 minutes, or until the surface is golden.
