Our Off-Grid Experience with In2TheWild + the Ultimate Vegan Pizza Recipe
After what seemed like the longest uni semester, I am so excited to finally be on semester break. With everything that’s been going on (Phil’s health and endless stream of uni assignments), we both have been craving an opportunity to unwind and completely disconnect.
I’d been contemplating doing a little getaway with Phil for a while and we’d been eyeing a getaway with In2TheWild for a while. In2TheWild are tiny eco houses in the secluded country side and they lend themselves perfectly for a sustainable, nature-filled and relaxing weekend. All of the homes are within a two hour drive from major cities – just the right amount of distance to get away from the city hustle without having to drive too long.
They're tucked away on private properties, often farm land, in secluded and sometimes Wifi-free locations, and you don’t receive the final address until two days before your trip. Hello adventure! Our tiny home was called Wilbur and it was at the top of a hill with a panoramic view of beautiful farm land. We were completely off-grid, no one in sight, just us in our tiny house.
The house was gorgeous (scroll down for pictures, they speak for themselves), it had all the amenities that we needed and was ridiculously cozy. Imagine waking up in the morning to kangaroos jumping around in the distance and falling asleep stargazing. It almost sounds too good to be true.
We used our time there to read our books, bake in the sun, take short strolls around the farm, play board games, practice our juggling and cuddle up in bed. We didn’t see anyone else for 48 hours, and could only see the occasional car light in the distance at night.
The sunsets were incredible and we enjoyed them over a glass of alcohol-free prosecco at the table outside. PS for some insights from the book I read (and finished) during that trip, have a read here.
This was such a great trip and being able to escape the hectic day to day of city life was exactly what we were looking for. The fact that there’s literally nothing else to do and not much to see forces you to take the foot off the pedal and s-l-o-w the F d-o-w-n. I don’t know about you, but even if I go on a non-city trip, I still find a gazillion things to do and explore, so this forced my FOMO brain to just BE. If you are one of those people, let this be your reminder that it’s OK to take a holiday or mini-break where you do absolutely nothing. We could have honestly stayed for two more days or even an entire week, but even just two days helps you press that reset button and disconnect a little.
On our second night we made a delicious vegan pizza using the outdoor pizza oven. It’s a recipe that Phil and I have been obsessed with for the last couple of weeks, and it would be a crime to not share it with you guys. It’s an adapted version from this recipe. We prepped the cashew cheese and sweet potatoes the day before at home just for convenience, but the kitchen was equipped with everything necessary and we could have totally cooked everything on the spot.
Sweet Potato, Eggplant, Spinach & Cashew Cheese Vegan Pizza
Makes 4 pizzas
Ingredients:
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup raw cashews
4 wholemeal or gluten free bread wraps
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 eggplant, cut into small cubes
1 can organic diced tomatoes
1 clove garlic, peeled
Leaves of 1 sprig marjoram
Leaves of 1 sprig oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
1⁄4 cup water
1 sweet potato, diced into little cubes
1 handful baby spinach
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
Method:
Preheat oven to 220°C.
Place cashews in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Soak for 10 minutes.
Drain cashews and place into blender with ¼ cup of water, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Set aside.
Place eggplant and sweet potatoes onto a baking tray. Put tray into preheated oven for 15 minutes. Take eggplant out after 15 minutes, but leave the sweet potatoes in for another 15 or so.
Place tomatoes, garlic and herb leaves into a blender and blend to desired consistency. (if you are looking to recreate this on a trip with In2TheWild, prepare this at home as you won’t have a blender or do with a chunky tomato sauce)
Pour the mixture into a frypan, bring to the boil and reduce to a thick sauce. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
To assemble the pizzas, spread the tomato sauce over the base of each wrap. Then top with some baby spinach, cooked eggplant and sweet potatoes. Add a couple of dollops of cashew cheese and place into preheated oven for 15 minutes.
Check every couple of minutes to see when base becomes crispy. • Remove from the oven, sprinkle with some nutritional yeast and enjoy!
