On the Menu ...

[barl0w]

Since Seldom Seen Anderson posted about food, I thought that I'd make a post that I've been thinking about for a few days. What's on your menu when hiking/backpacking? Care to share your recipe for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, or have a favorite with a link?

We all have our preferences of food and cooking, and I've been collecting Backpacker Magazine recipes for the trail. Here's a great one that the wife has been trying at home, and that we'll be eating for breakfast this weekend in Zion/Subway:

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/05/skinny-chunky-monkey-cookies-recipe.html

Chunky Monkey Cookies (and my changes or + additions):

Ingredients:

• 3 bananas
• 2-3 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter We use 1/4-1/2 cup Chocolate Powdered Peanut Butter, called PB2
• 1/4-1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (depends on consistency)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• + 2 scoops of whey vanilla protein powder (optional)
• + Pinch of Salt (optional)
• + 3 packets or stavia powder (optional)
• + Chocolate chips (optional)
• + Available nuts (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mash bananas in a large bowl, then stir in remaining ingredients. Let batter stand for approximately 20 minutes, then drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes.

Freezing Directions:
Cool completely, then place cookies in a freezer bag. Seal, label, and freeze.

Nutritional Information (original recipe):
47 calories; 7.5 g carbs; 1.6 g fat; 1.5 g protein; 1.3 g fiber; 1 WW PointsPlus
Servings: 30

 

[barl0w]

Snacks or items for lunch I like on the trail:

• Foil tuna fish w/ or w/out mayo or the tuna salad version. I'm good either way, but less trash is best
• Small cup(s) of peanut butter
• Trail mix
• Beef Jerky
• ClifBar/PowerBar/ShotBloks

 

[Dave]

This is one area I need to work on... by backcountry diet is never that great. I'm interested to see what others offer.

 

[barl0w]

Dinner / lunch idea:

Chicken Curry Wrap

http://www.backpacker.com/january-2011-readers-choice-issue-recipe-chicken-curry-wrap/skills/15158

Ingredients:

• 1 foil packet chicken
• 1 2.5-ounce-packet shelf-stable ranch dressing (such as Hidden Valley’s six-pack cups)
• 1⁄8 cup raisins
• 1⁄8 cup cashews (salted or unsalted)
• 1/2 tablespoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt (can omit with salted cashews)
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tortillas or pitas

At home:
Put everything, except the chicken and dressing, in a quart-size zip-top bag.

In camp:
Empty chicken packet and ranch cup into the zip-top bag and mix thoroughly. Scoop mixture onto tortillas and roll up (or stuff into pitas), and chow down. Serves 2.

------

Breakfast idea:

Power Oatmeal

http://www.backpacker.com/september-2011-recipe-power-oatmeal/skills/15821

Ingredients:

• 1⁄2 cup rolled oats
• 3 tablespoons dried milk (or vanilla soy milk for nuttier taste)
• 2 tablespoons wheat germ
• 1⁄4 cup raisins
• 1⁄4 cup almonds (or pecans)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons almond butter

At home:
Combine dry ingredients (oats, dried milk, wheat germ, raisins, nuts, sugar, and salt) in a zip-top bag. Measure almond butter into a spillproof container or squeeze tube.

In Camp:
Mix dry ingredients with 11⁄4 cups water in a pot. Stir to combine, breaking up any dried milk lumps as the water warms. Bring to a boil and simmer for about five minutes (until most of the water is absorbed), stirring occasionally. Take off heat and mix in almond butter.

Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 10 min
Price: $1.51 per serving
Weight: 6 oz. per serving
Serves: 1
Calories 655*
Fat 21 g
Carbs 95 g
Protein 27 g