View Full Version : vegans!
backtrack213
02-04-2016, 15:01
What is the best grain to cook on the trail. I heard a lot of good things about cous cous but i am not sure what would be the best.
Cous cous is just little balls of pasta. Try the Israeli version for a switch up and make it Mediterranean style w/ pine nuts, EVOO, broccoli pieces, dried tomatoes, carrot, garlic, cucumber, hummus, etc. I take quinoa(a pseudo grain, actually a seed), various usually parboiled non-white rice varieties, millet, Tabbouleh(usually made with bulghur but can easily be substituted with quinoa), sometimes grits, doctored up oatmeals, shelled hemp(again a seed), buckwheat groats, pastas made from buckwheat/legumes, brown rice, quinoa, etc. etc
Amaranthe is another I like with its good calcium, iron and very good protein amount. This is another pseudo cereal, a seed. Some of these substitute for a warmed b-fast w/ added yummies such as dried coconut/coconut milk, dried fruits(blueberries, strawberries, mango, etc)/small amounts of fresh fruits, dried dates, nuts(like pine nuts, almond slivers, etc), seeds(shelled hemp is great as a Vegan source of protein, pricey though), and nut and seed butters. Toasted buckwheat groats or Kasha in a box as a starting base. For the Tabbouleh I'll start with Fantastic Foods, Near East, or Casbah brand and add a good amount of EVOO, pepitas(sprouted pumpkin seed), sunflower seeds, maybe some dried mulberries(yummy and nutritious), and perhaps an avocado or dried but reconstituted hummus on my first night out containing all the protein, complex carbs, and fat I need to sustain myself ads a LD hiker. I might add Tempeh to these for a dinner. Any of these can add to a Vegan chili recipe. On rarer occasions I'll take along rye, spelt, or wheat berries soaking a small amount overnight and add to dinners or b-fasts for their chewiness disregarding the 50 min suggested additional cook times. Rye flakes added to reg instant oatmeal makes for a nice change up in texture. You might also try farroh, freekah, and TEFF
Although not typically thought of I regularly include sesame, flax(shelled, whole seeds well chewed, or fresh flax meal), chia(SABA), and as said, shelled hemp, pumpkin and and sunflower seeds. Occasionally I like getting these in freshly sprouted form for their greater nutrition when I can find them splurging a bit cost wise. Growing sprouts on trail for their enzymes, phytonutrients, etc, basically very good nutrition, is another thing I do which should be dome more often by hikers.
Tipi Walter
02-04-2016, 20:38
I have two favorites: Oatmeal and brown rice. Oats are a perennial favorite of mine and after 40+ years as a backpacking food you'd think I would hate them but nope, still a fave.
Organic brown rice is awesome but has to be prepared properly and added as an adjunct to dried soups and vegetarian chilis---all dried at home.
** Cook up a big pot of brown rice at home with plenty of added olive oil and enough salt to taste. Cook on simmer for one hour and add more water than usual for softer rice.
** Let cool and place on dehydrator trays covered in silicone sheets. Dry at around 125F or 130F.
** Put in ziplocs when done.
** Add small amounts to dinners but let the rice sit longer in the pot cozy to allow for proper reconstitution.
Wise Old Owl
02-04-2016, 20:50
I add American Indian rice to the brown for crunch
MuddyWaters
02-04-2016, 22:41
Since I only boil water, precooked pasta and rice come out best.
Pearled couscous is about 1/4" diameter balls of pasta when rehydrated, much better than the fine itty bitty stuff, but expensive.
Minute rice cant be beat as the basis for meals.
sheepdog
02-04-2016, 22:44
I add American Indian rice to the brown for crunch
American Indian rice?
Unless you enjoy cooking for 30 minutes each night, I find it much faster amd easier to rehydrate "instant" type food like couscous, dehydrated pasta (some regular pasta works, too), instant rice, or dried refried beans. You can make a very fillin, easy meal from dried beans + either instant rice or couscous (mix in any seasoning you like).
There was a good thread on vegan food posted here within the last couple of weeks.
Vegan Packer
02-05-2016, 02:08
I make hummus and dehydrate that. I only requires cold water to rehydrate. That is made with garbanzo beans.
I have a brown rice pudding that I eat for breakfast, and it is fantastic. Easy to rehydrate with some boiling water added, and then placing the freezer bag in a cozy.
As soon as I finish making my backpacking trip plans for the summer, I plan to start putting up some videos on my YouTube channel, under the name "Vegan Packer." I hope to get started with the food video in about March or so.
With the longer cooking grains, some of which I mentioned, you can buy already dehydrated ones, DIY, or sharply reduce cook times by pre soaking. Then, bring water to a close or total boil and put the already pre soaked grains in a cookpot. It's the same with noodle/rice side, SOBA, etc. Another thing is many of these grains you can spend one time cooking a multi meal amount so on Day 2 you don't have to cook at all , perhaps just warming some water. Most of these soaked and cooked grains will last me about three days on trail. Just do it one time.
http://outdoorherbivore.com/vegan/
http://outdoorherbivore.com/trail-sprouts/
http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2013issue2/2013_issue2_vegan_backpacking.php
http://www.amazon.com/Lipsmackin-Vegetarian-Backpackin-Christine-Conners/dp/0762725311
So much more I could link.
Freekeh! Cooks quick & easy and it's fun to say.
Hikes in Rain
02-05-2016, 20:45
I add American Indian rice to the brown for crunch
a.k.a. Wild Rice? It's kind of crunchy.
Cook up a big pot of brown rice at home with plenty of added olive oil and enough salt to taste. Cook on simmer for one hour and add more water than usual for softer rice.
** Let cool and place on dehydrator trays covered in silicone sheets. Dry at around 125F or 130F.
** Put in ziplocs when done.
How long will rice last stored that way? Do you add moisture absorbing packets? You're another one with good recipes. BTW, I wonder where the two woman cooks have been, They had lots of good ideas too.
Pearled couscous is about 1/4" diameter balls of pasta when rehydrated, much better than the fine itty bitty stuff, but expensive.
Trader Joes has a product called "Harvest Grains Blend" which consists of the pearled couscous along with orzo, garbanzo beans, and quinoa. I like it quite a bit. It is definitely not instant. I bring it to a boil and put it in my pot cozy for ten minutes. Then I return it to the stove again and just barely bring it to a boil again (which is very quick) and put it in the cozy for another ten minutes. That's enough to cook it pretty well. You can add spices or a bouillion cube for flavoring.
The cost is pretty reasonable at TJ stores - I believe around $2.69, but also available for additional cost on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Trader-Joes-Harvest-Grains-Blend/dp/B0082H01KM
Tipi Walter
02-06-2016, 14:10
Cook up a big pot of brown rice at home with plenty of added olive oil and enough salt to taste. Cook on simmer for one hour and add more water than usual for softer rice.
** Let cool and place on dehydrator trays covered in silicone sheets. Dry at around 125F or 130F.
** Put in ziplocs when done.
How long will rice last stored that way? Do you add moisture absorbing packets? You're another one with good recipes. BTW, I wonder where the two woman cooks have been, They had lots of good ideas too.
My recipes aren't really recipes as such but mostly store bought stuff like Amy's chilis and Imagine soups which I home dry. Except for the occasional blender-to-dehydrator smoothie stuff.
I have dried brown rice from 3 months ago and it's still good to go for my next backpacking trip. It's oily too with a lot of olive oil so sometimes needs to be double ziplocked. The commercial dehydrated brown rice is terrible in my opinion.
As mentioned, the secret to home-dried brown rice is to add a small amount to chilis and dried soups like tomato (excellent by the way) which is brought to a boil on the camp stove and then immediately covered and put in pot cozy for at least an hour to give the rice a chance to bulk up and soften. No cooking needed except to bring stuff to a boil. All the real cooking was done at home before drying.
https://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/16-Days-in-March/i-9q2JD2S/0/L/TRIP%20154%20260-L.jpg
POT COZY.
Vegan Packer
02-06-2016, 22:04
How long will rice last stored that way?
I put all of my dehydrated meals in the freezer until leaving for my trip. I am told that you can keep in the freezer for up to a month. My rice recipes seem to last for a long time after removal from the freezer, but I hear that leaving them out for a long time reduces the flavor.