We all look forward to spring and summer, when the sun returns, the blooms bud, and we feel the urge to reacquaint ourselves with the great outdoors. But camping and hiking trips, whether day treks or week-long journeys, beg an age-old question: what to bring along to eat? Chef in Your Backpack proves that camping and hiking meals don't always have to be about stale sandwiches and bagged veggies. With a little ingenuity and know-how, and a bit of advance planning, you can be dining in high style around the campfire.

Nicole Bassett is an outdoors enthusiast who has been developing and preparing outdoor meal recipes for years. She believes in the notion that a great yet easy-to-make meal is not only more satisfying, but is more nutritious and energizing for your hikes and treks. She also offers great tips for keeping your food safe from spoilage and not-so-friendly creatures, as well as nifty ideas like using film canisters to store spices, and using your camping mug as a measuring cup.

Nicole offers a wide-range of meal ideas, from power breakfasts to soul-nurturing dinners, all of which can either be prepared in its entirety outdoors, or with a little preparation at home before you go:

- Breakfast coucous
- Shrimp and squash penne
- Sweet and spicy popcorn
- Curry wraps
- Strawberry lemon bars
- Ziti with mushrooms and peppers
- White bean dip
- Risotto without the pain-o
- Orange lentil salad
- Cranberry rice pilaf
- Jerk tuna and chickpea salad
- Caribbean black bean soup

With this Chef in Your Backpack, camping and hiking never tasted so good!