A new take on a classic

Camping, especially near water, has always been a huge part of my summer. Spending time working out some energy and balancing that with hammock naps or exciting 4-wheeler rides was the most fun part of my summers growing up.

Some of my favorite summer pastimes now are kayaking, fishing, and chillen in my hammock. When the fun has been had and the sun has set, hanging around the campfire is a must. The conversations start flowing and growing friendships in this environment is such a special feeling. I have met some of my best friends in the woods. It is a place where I feel free and connected to both mother nature and other people.

I feel most like me in the woods, my spirit lifts and my heart opens. I once lived in the woods for three months building trails and enjoying the freshness of the wooded air. This time in my life is when I felt like the truest version of myself. I dreaded my hair to rid myself of society-based vanity and journaled daily to help reveal my soul to myself. It was an awakening in my life that exposed me to how much external factors really do have an impact on our happiness. Take yourself out of that environment and soon you will be content with yourself again!

If the night is too warm for a fire, stargazing and watching for that ever-elusive shooting star are some of the most memorable moments in life! Most people, when thinking of camping, they imagine s’mores or hotdogs cooked over a fire. My family takes a different approach.

My family has never done things the way other families might. Instead of beer and hot dogs, we do bananas and peppermint patties! We love some sweet treats, but we have to change them to a little beyond the ordinary. Our motto is “Average is boring". Yep, we're a little extra, and proud of it!

After a long day of relaxing and playing in the warm sun, the days sunburn warming our skin from the inside out, its hammock time around the fire. Best recipes for a good campfire always include amazing conversation, amazing people, and a clear night sky. It will refresh your palette and prepare you for whatever the rat race might bring.

We sit down relax and throw the bananas on the campfire. It's a new take on the versatile s’more but instead of using graham crackers we just use bananas. It gives a creamy, gooey, delicious change to a classic!

Although we eat sweets, we try to be healthy. Mixing fruit with chocolate is a great way to find that balance. The banana cooks down so beautifully and you get just a touch of smokey flavor from the fire. I bet if you added brown sugar, a bananas foster version would be amazing!

Ingredients:

1 banana

A handful of chocolate chips

Tinfoil

Any other toppings to make it fun!

Directions:

Take the banana. Cut it in half and put it in tinfoil. Cover it in toppings of your choice and finish wrapping the tinfoil. Toss it in the campfire. Pull it out when you can hear the sizzle. Enjoy!

I am a huge chocolate fan but not a big fan of graham crackers. But with this concoction, you can add marshmallows or even crumble a graham if that is your jam! It is so versatile and tasty! Every person can find what they love.

I hope that every camper can find a version of this that suits their taste! Spreading the love of family time is so important! Camping and creating family traditions around this type of activity was such a big part of my upbringing, and I am excited to share this little part of me.