chickpea curry with bread and rice

GlampLyfe’s 5 Favorite Winter Campfire Recipes

Our September article GlampLyfe’s 5 Favorite Campfire Recipes featured seasonally Summer foods. Read it to learn easy recipes with peaches and summer squash. As the weather has changed and it’s officially January, it’s time for a new iteration of this list. In my family, wintery mix calls for warm hearty meals and lots of crunchy bread. Camping in the cold with limited resources? You’re probably sticking to one-pot meals like stews, curries, and soups.

Coconut Chickpea Curry

“Packed with plant-based protein, completely filling, and loaded with flavor, these curried chickpeas with coconut milk continues to be a recurring camping favorite.” Coconut milk means this Fresh off the Grid recipe is vegan! Spicy savory curry sounds like the perfect pick to warm you up in winter months. This one happens to look delicious. The recipe suggests pouring over rice but you could also roast some pita or naan bread to dip.

Grilled Halloumi Cheese

As someone with Greek grandparents, halloumi is a staple for birthdays, holidays, and other events in my life. It’s an awesome addition to a campfire cookout because it’s warm and you can eat it with your hands. This recipe card from Healthy Recipes couldn’t be more simple. If you want to save it for dessert, drizzle some honey on top of the dish.

Beef Stroganoff

Good ol’ fashioned pasta is a campfire staple. You probably don’t need inspiration to cook noodles with red sauce. Look what happens when we elevate it with steak, mushrooms, and creamy sauce. Fresh off the Grid’s recipe explains how to whip up this filling one-pot meal. You could add some spinach to make this a little healthier. Spinach should cook down to be small enough that you won’t have to worry about the single pot overflowing.

Skillet-Cooked Mixed-Berry Grunt

In the mood for glamping? If granola bars aren’t your thing, you may be interested in more sophisticated recipes. Martha Stewart has a great selection for outdoor cooking, including this warm dessert option. If you want to try this out but don’t want to bring all of the ingredients, you can probably leave out the ground cinnamon and stick to one kind of berry.

Irish Whiskey

This three-ingredient cocktail is straight to the point. If you already brought coffee, you’re golden. You’re guaranteed to warm your bones in cold weather with a stiff whiskey drink. Make it vegan by adding almond or oat milk instead of cream. Oats has other awesome whiskey-based recipes that incorporate nature more heavily by including forested berries and the like.

Our Winter Mixtapes on Spotify (November & December)

We’re coming at you with moody, crooning French tunes in November and full-on holiday spirit in December. These may be branded for Winter, but they’re available to listen to for free all year long. Personally, I love to listen to Christmas music in the Summer when it’s way too hot outside and the A/C isn’t doing enough. If you have any recommendations, or want your music on the next playlist, send us a DM.

Holiday Gift Guide: Nature Lover

For your outdoorsman or outdoorswoman.

Backpacking Tent – $100-500

Why are my friends always lifting up each other’s tents? What? REI just dropped their Best Backpacking Tents of 2022 list. Know anyone walking the Camino de Santiago on their gap year? Or someone who took a sabbatical from work to hike the Appalachian Trail? This is perfect for that lovable hippie in your life.

Hydroflask – $14-40

These insulated stainless steel water bottles are perfect for adventuring. They come in every single color, size, and shape so you can get one for everyone in your life. Their charity Parks for All benefits public green spaces and has raised over $2.5 million for the environmental cause. There’s a holiday sale right now for 25% off sitewide.

Kombucha Making Kit – $32-69

Bottles, tea leaf blends, SCOBY’s, and starters galore! Do you have a friend who spends too much money on store-bought kombucha? I have several. If they were crafty, I would gift them a kombucha kit so they could brew their own. There are so many options like The Kombucha Shop, Cultures for Health, and Fermentaholics, so pick whichever makes the most sense for their ability level.

Rainbow Multi Tool Set – $20

The MOMA Design Store is offering two exclusive aesthetic multi tool sets. The rainbow multi tool set is a 9 in 1 including allen keys, screwdrivers, and more. They also have the more masculine Society Paris Hammer multi tool for $55.

Holiday Gift Guide: Wellness Guru

For those of sound mind and body.

Masterclass Subscription – $180/year

Masterclass is exactly what it sounds like. These expert-led online classes are priceless and encourage personal growth. From Modeling Fundamentals with Naomi Campbell to FBI Profiling Methods, they offer sessions for every person and every interest. Masterclass is offering a BOGO sale right now, so you can get two memberships for the price of one.

Headspace Subscription – $69.99/year

Breathe in and out with these guided meditations. Having good mental health hygiene is more important than ever. They offer playlists with a range of topics from managing anxiety to falling asleep. Headspace’s mission is to “Improve the health and happiness of the world.” Try it for free now.

Mold Test Kit – $9.87

This may be the only gift guide ever created that recommends a DIY mold testing kit… Not only is it unbelievably useful and budget-friendly, but it’s also fun. You’ll get immediate props for this since it seems like a gag gift, but you could be saving your friends life! Think about it!

Mother-in-Law’s Kimchi & Cookbook $19.99 cookbook & $10.39 kimchi

Mother-in-Law’s is an iconic artisanal kimchi brand. Pairing their cookbook and any of their jars of kimchi is a great gift for any foodie or health nut. The nutritional benefits of eating this Korean food are off the charts good. I recommend buying your MIL kimchi at any major grocery store in the refrigerated section, not necessarily online.

Holiday Gift Guide: Gen Z

Holiday present ideas for your favorite Zillenial.

Chamberlain Coffee Cold Brew Starter Pack – $44

You may not know who Emma Chamberlain is but your Gen Z definitely does. Chamberlain Coffee’s beverages include Matcha, Hot Cocoa, Chai, and obviously coffee. They offer single serve cold brew, bundles, reusable straws, travel mugs, and every other drink accessory you can think of. If you’re not sure which roast to get, they have a fun Flavor Quiz. They’re offering 10% off your first order and shipping is included over $50.

Sentro Knitting Machine – $65.99

Knitting machines are all the rage on TikTok. Even if the recipient has never knit, a knitting machine is a great starter to the craft. A lot of the work is done for you so it’s easier to feel satisfied and quickly see a finished product. With one hand on the crank and the other holding down the machine, this is a good gift for those who want to spend less time on their phones.

Sunset Lamp Projector – $19.99

Sunset lamps have been going viral for the last few years. These cast an ethereal glow and are perfect gifts for those interested in photography, prop styling, or interior design. Keeping bright lights on late at night can lead to sleeping troubles. They’re also a great natural alternative to harsh overhead lighting or colored fairy lights.

Nintendo Switch Lite – $179.99

The Nintendo Switch Lite is a lightweight handheld gaming device. It’s a great alternative to an iPad because the Nintendo E-Store features video streaming apps like Hulu and Netflix but not social media. There’s no ability to stream to Twitch or other online gaming platforms so it’s one of the safest video game consoles on the market.

Glamptastic Outdoorsy Kids Halloween Costumes

Halloweekend 2022 is coming up and I’m out of costume ideas. Luckily, Pinterest is a photo gold-mine of spooky content. Mommy bloggers and holiday enthusiasts alike have shared some of their most creative children’s outfits online. There was a surprising amount of homemade inspiration including how-to sew DIY instructions. It’s giving Waldorf school and we’re loving it. Keeping in the theme of nature, outdoors, and wilderness, here are some of our favorite kids costumes.

SNAIL GIRL

MUSHROOM TOADSTOOL

FLOWER POWER

MERI MERI TREE CAPE(from Target)

GARDEN GNOME

FAIRY WINGS

TRICKSY HOBBIT

RAINY DAY

SCOUT FROM “UP”

STORM CLOUD

Exploring Outside.io: The First Outdoor & Active Lifestyle NFT Marketplace

In 2022, it seems like every company is taking a stab at creating a series of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). Even celebs like Bella Hadid came out with an NFT project made in her image this past year. If you’re new to the world of blockchain and web3, these digital products can seem intimidating or even ominous. Technological advances have the potential to go too far and subtract from humanity. For example, algorithms show us content for our demographic. This means we could get stuck in an echo chamber of only hearing from people with the same opinions and background as us. Even Sci-fi movies show our job duties being replaced by AI’s. It can feel like we’re being taken advantage by social media and Big Tech.

Outside.io, The First Outdoor & Active Lifestyle NFT Marketplace, is part of Outerverse, a company making the initiative to create an NFT experience that actually benefits its patrons. They’re working on building a curated marketplace and creator platform on an energy efficient blockchain. They plan on releasing between 10-20 nature-themed series (with around 1,000 NFTs for purchase in each series) per year created in collaboration with recognizable outdoor brands and creators. Simply put, there will be between 10 and 20 images published and 1,000 times each image can be purchased. You’ll need to buy the Outerverse Passport to access their content. They plan on launching an Outside coin. Until then, you can buy the Passport with Solana (SOL), a cryptocurrency that got popular during the pandemic.

"Welcome to Outside.io, an outdoor community on a mission to promote wellness, diversity, and sustainability in the outdoors. Join us as we build the world’s first NFT marketplace dedicated to the outdoors. We’re minting with world-renowned athletes, brands, and non-profits. And everything’s designed for less screen time and more outside time. Join now for first access to all the drops in our marketplace, as well as the upcoming Outside coin."

Partnering with nonprofit organizations, Outside.io will dedicate a percentage of their profits to both Sustainability and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. Cryptocurrency is notoriously bad for the environment, so Outside.io has committed to being carbon-neutral. Their mission is to “Get Everyone Outside.” Check out their site to learn more about getting free gear, experiencing once-in-a-lifetime real world experience with athletes, joining community events, and more IRL.

4 Poems We Love (Fall 2022)

Calling all poets! We’ve worked with musicians and photographers at our GlampLyfe campsite in Ohio. Submit your poetry to us on Facebook or Instagram. We’d love to feature it on our blog. Let us know if you would be interested in reading a newsletter or magazine of visitor and local photo and poetry submissions. If you’d like to read more poems we’ve curated, check out the Summer 2022 article. We’ve tried to preserve the styles and formatting of each work.


Autumn, Joan Mitchell (1935)

The rusty leaves crunch and crackle,
Blue haze hangs from the dimmed sky,
The fields are matted with sun-tanned stalks —
Wind rushes by.

The last red berries hang from the thorn-tree,
The last red leaves fall to the ground.
Bleakness, through the trees and bushes,
Comes without sound.


Red, Cheryl Savageau (2006)

In his new poem
the red autumn woods
are a metaphor
for leftist martyrs
We are traveling east through a maple forest
that blazes the hillsides on both sides of this winding
back-country road  Look at the trees I want to tell him
Listen  The trees have their own stories to tell
like the story of fire deep within the heart  They too
have been martrys in the long war against the land, a nation
cut down, children denied
A hundred years ago these hills were bare of trees
the stone walls that wind through them
the illusion of ownership  Now the hills are red with maples
My heart is leaping out to meet them, my eyes
cannot be full enough  Though acid falls from the clouds
maples have gathered on the hillsides
in every direction  See how they celebrate
They are wearing their brightest dresses
Come sisters, let me dance with you
I offer you a song
Let me paint
it red with 
passion 
You are
all the women

I have ever loved


And Now It’s September, Barbara Crooker (2020)

and the garden diminishes: cucumber leaves rumpled
and rusty, zucchini felled by borers, tomatoes sparse
on the vines. But out in the perennial beds, there’s one last
blast of color: ignitions of goldenrod, flamboyant
asters, spiraling mums, all those flashy spikes waving
in the wind, conducting summer’s final notes.
The ornamental grasses have gone to seed, haloed
in the last light. Nights grow chilly, but the days
are still warm; I wear the sun like a shawl on my neck
and arms. Hundreds of blackbirds ribbon in, settle
in the trees, so many black leaves, then, just as suddenly,
they’re gone. This is autumn’s great Departure Gate,
and everyone, boarding passes in hand, waits
patiently in a long, long line.


Between Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice, Today, Emily Jungmin Yoon (2018)

I read a Korean poem
with the line “Today you are the youngest
you will ever be.” Today I am the oldest
I have been. Today we drink
buckwheat tea. Today I have heat
in my apartment. Today I think
about the word chada in Korean.
It means cold. It means to be filled with.
It means to kick. To wear. Today we’re worn.
Today you wear the cold. Your chilled skin.
My heart kicks on my skin. Someone said
winter has broken his windows. The heat inside
and the cold outside sent lightning across glass.
Today my heart wears you like curtains. Today
it fills with you. The window in my room
is full of leaves ready to fall. Chada, you say. It’s tea.
We drink. It is cold outside.

Patagonia Founder Donates Company to Fight Climate Change

Last month, Yvon Chouinard, Patagonia founder, left the $3 billion company to fight climate change. He split the company into a climate-focused trust and nonprofit organizations. The manner in which he created these entities blocks future stakeholders from changing the company back or diverting this goal. All profits that are not reinvested into the business will be donated to the trust. In an effort to “reimagine capitalism”, he explained:

“While we’re doing our best to address the environmental crisis, it’s not enough. We needed to find a way to put more money into fighting the crisis while keeping the company’s values intact. One option was to sell Patagonia and donate all the money. But we couldn’t be sure a new owner would maintain our values or keep our team of people around the world employed.

Another path was to take the company public. What a disaster that would have been. Even public companies with good intentions are under too much pressure to create short-term gain at the expense of long-term vitality and responsibility.

Truth be told, there were no good options available. So, we created our own.”

What other companies, if any, do you think will do this? Do you think this was a good idea or was there a better way to go about it? Do the tax benefits of 501 c3 organizations make this a more selfish option than it seems? Leave a comment on our Instagram and engage in the conversation!

Outdoor Apparel Brands with a Purpose

1. Plasticana

The first time I saw Plasticana Hemp Wellies, I spent a full five minutes holding them up to the light, trying to figure out what they were made of. These gorgeous and sustainable hemp shoes are only available for sale via retailer. Sizes and stock are very limited so this is a good investment for both you and the planet.

2. Arc’teryx ReGear

With the Arc’teryx ReGear program, you can trade in or purchase used outdoor clothing and gear at a discount. By sending these clothes back to the company for a gift card, you’re keeping them out of a landfill and doing the planet a favor. The company will repair, re-outfit, and restock the item online. Their FAQ explains the process further.

3. Parks Project

“Leave it better than you found it” is the motto of the Parks Project. This volunteer project works to preserve public land and partnered with the National Parks Dept. in 2016. Since then they’ve also collaborated with National Geographic and REI to donate over $2 million to wildlife restoration and keeping the parks clean.

4. Birkenstocks

Birkenstocks are “ugly for a reason“. They’re made of natural materials like cork, jute, wool felt, copper, and brass. They’re also made to protect our feet. Personally, I’ve never considered my feet healthy or unhealthy. Birkenstock aims to make shoes that keep your feet healthy by designing with orthopedics in mind.