I followed the recipes for Curry Lentils, Veggie Pasta Primavera, and Black Bean Taco Mac. Add mix, milk and sugar into a quart size zip lock bag. In another, mix the bacon bits and chives. I'm Hana- a freelance travel writer and teacher who currently lives in South Korea. Add oil, vegetables, to pot over medium heat for 5 min, remove from pot and add enough water for couscous (refer to package instructions) then boil the water, add the tempeh and turn down the heat, boil for 2 more minutes. You can add the instant ingredients to the mugs along with the water and microwave them until they boil, cover them and let them rest until the ingredients have all softened. In addition to the homemade meals, we branched out and bought some convenience pre-made foods. And when you finally remembered to check, there was only 600 calories in there anyway, and you had to break into the next day’s trail mix. Add olive oil, onions, celery, carrots and cranberries and simmer for 3-5 minutes. Couscous, like rice, is an important and easy meal to bring on the trail. There are endless ways to combine the above set of ingredients into dishes that are fast, easy, and delicious. Backpacking Recipes - Just Add Water | Love the Backcountry When on the trail, bring 1-1 ½ cups of water to a boil. Pour 1 cup hot water into mug for cider, then return pot to flame. But buying foods with a long shelf life doesn’t mean you need to purchase products that’re harmful to animals—plenty of brands are offering tasty vegan backpacking food options. The bag will get hot, but won’t leak. Just remember that you’ll want to keep your oils separate until the rest of your food has had a chance to cook. I picked up some 90 second quinoa & rice, and rice & lentil packets to add bulk to some meals. To receive the latest articles, updates and deals from Love the Backcountry, sign up to receive out email newsletter below. Make sure it’s not too liquidy. Whether you’re planning your next backpacking trip or readying an emergency-preparedness kit, freeze-dried or dehydrated food is a must-have. Dehydrated food usually requires heat to reconstitute, so you can't add water and eat it right away. Then, bring the water to a boil and heat until it’s ready! When on the trail, bring 1-1 ½ cups of water to a boil. Follow this recipe so you can enjoy it instantly on the trail. We do not recommend to include those in your non-cook meal plan. The reason for less water is that the 7 or 8 minute stovetop simmer in the recipe on the package involved simmering loss of nearly 1/2 cup of water. On the trail: Soak tomatoes in 4 cups of water for 10 minutes or until rehydrated. Mediterranean delight. Even if you don’t want to use the all-in-one freeze-dried backpacking meals, freeze-dried ingredients like vegetables, fruit, and meats let you add more variety to your backpacking recipes. Bring 12 ounces of water to a boil, then turn off WindBurner. At camp: Boil ~1 cup of water per serving. You can add the instant ingredients to the mugs along with the water and microwave them until they boil, cover them and let them rest until the ingredients have all softened. Add stuffing, stir carefully to combine (pot will be very full), then add chicken. Add couscous, spices, and veggies to boiled water, mix, cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Become a Contributor to Love the Backcountry, Subscribe to Emails from Love the Backcountry. When you get to the campsite, just add water to the potatoes and gravy according to the directions. If it’ll be a couple of weeks, vacuum seal for maximum freshness. Dry Soup Mix Soup Mixes Mason Jar Meals Meals In A Jar Canning Recipes Soup Recipes Oven Recipes Dinner Recipes Beste Brownies Just add hot water. Trader Joe’s is also a great source of dried vegetables, including dried coconut, dried grean beans, and dried kale. Boil water (2:1 ratio) Add broccoli (5 minutes) Add rice (5 minutes) Add chicken, soy sauce and olive oil; Dehydrated broccoli is very lightweight and is a great source of vitamins, potassium and fiber. Two ingredients you can add are chicken which will give you a lot of protein, and vegetables, which add some flavor. Laura Lancaster started backpacking at the age of 12 and hasn’t let up since. Making Backpacking Meals: Just Add Water The last thing you want to do when you are enjoying the great outdoors is to have to spend a lot of time on food preparation. Let’s start with your carbohydrates. When it comes time to eat, add half a liter of boiling water to the bag, stir, and cover. I'm originally from New York, but have spent the last two years traveling and living abroad. Vegetables are heavy, so think outside of the box and look for products which have had their water weight reduced. My first time hiking in the US was when I traveled around the country as a teenager. It’s time to take a leap into the unknown and start making your own backpacking meals. One of these ways is by purchasing practical ingredients and mixing them all together in a bag before you go, and the other is making a dish, drying it out, and storing it until you go. These three meals were hearty, tasty, and easy to make while camping. If the ingredients aren’t already dried, you’ll need to dehydrate them separately. Now that you’ve got an idea of how to build your own meals, let’s look at some examples of do-it-yourself camping meals that just need boiling water to taste great. Mix the mashed potatoes and the dried gravy mix in one bag. There’s nothing like having a home-style pasta meal to add to your backpacking trip, and one that you just need to add water to in order to eat! 2-4 Tsp of Olive Oil (Try Single Packets). Chili flakes or your favor hot sauce will seal the deal on this easy meal. Go ahead. ½ cup dehydrated black beans This recipe can be made with chicken if you’d like to add it, but the mushrooms and sauce surely add enough taste already. How to Recognize and Treat Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, and Sumac, Meet Tim Dube and Capitol Hill Outfitters, Proper Layering for Alpine Climbing in Intense Winter Conditions, Indoorsy to Outdoorsy: 10 Ways to Transform Your Lifestyle, Outdoor Adventures in and Around Vancouver, Washington, The Surprising Hiking Trails Around Las Vegas, 3 Steps to Taking Care of Business in the Backcountry, 10 Thoughts of a Person Snowshoeing for the First Time, The 7 Steepest Mountains of North America, Check Out These Lightweight Backpacks by Kuiu. Add 2 cups (16 oz) water. ¼ Tsp Each of Dried Thyme, Dried Sage, and Dried Parsley, Optional: Add Cheddar Cheese or Some Powdered Milk, Optional: ¼ Cup of Freeze Dried Chopped Chicken, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window). Just add boiling water to cook these DIY backpacking meals made with common pantry ingredients. “Oh, pasta primavera, I haven’t had that one yet!”. Add two spoonfuls of peanut butter and stir, the remaining hot water will turn it into a sauce. You tell yourself you don’t need them, that, this time, you’ll walk right on by with your new dry sack and that inflatable pillow you had your eye on, and you won’t give in. At home:. Though, my first adult backpacking trip was a year ago, when I hiked from Thailand down to Singapore for a month. ¼ cup dehydrated bell peppers (optional). In disappointment–too much water was added, the noodles were mushy, the flavor lackluster. We all do. Up the calories by adding coconut or whole milk powder, or stirring in a packet of nut butter. You can seal the top of the bag and slip it inside your puffy jacket to keep it warm while you wait! You can find all three in easy-open foil packets that are lightweight and easy to pack out. This will save time, space, and cravings that backpackers often get after days of eating boring foods: If you’ve ever had this dish at a Thai restaurant or even on a trip to Thailand, you know that it’s good. Bring to a boil. Leave noodles in the pot and add tuna, tomatoes, and contents of the cheese and spice bag. You can eat straight from the bag! Or, boil the water separately and pour it into the mug with the instant ingredients; stir and let rest for 9 or 10 minutes. Add the oat mixture to a bowl and pour over ~2/3-3/4 cup water – oats should be completely covered. I need simple backpacking recipes because there is never a stove in my backpack, even on week-long trips in the wilderness. Not to be hungry or spend precious time cooking. Not only is it full of delicious flavors, but it contains rather healthy ingredients. Once they are dried, mix them in a Ziploc bag. But you know how the story ends. Cook … For all of these, you’ll want to boil water, take it off heat for a second, and add it to the food, letting it sit for around five minutes. You can pour water directly into the freezer bag or empty the contents into your bowl before rehydrating. Cook pasta until done, drain water. Oil and water don’t mix! The plain noodles cook quickly in boiled water. If it's outside, we're here to provide you with articles, videos and photos to help you get out there and do it more often and have more fun doing it. (It might be good! Add chili powder and cook for one more minute. Olive oil adds some nice extra flavor and calories. Break the angel hair pasta in half and add to the boiling water. There are many ways to go about cooking meals on the trail that are easy and simple. 1 package ramen. Just tear off the top, pour the water in, and stir. Cook until the noodles are tender, about 5 minutes (time will depend on the brand you use). Remove the tomatoes from water and bring to a boil. When you’re ready to eat, mix in about 1 ½ cups of water, and let rehydrate for about 15 minutes. But there are a number of others you can choose from — including peanut oil, avocado oil, safflower oil, and others. If you don’t feel like cooking, many supermarkets already sell these backpacking recipes ready to go. Pre-packaged dehydrated and freeze-dried backpacking meals are meant to be rehydrated with heat. Seal and shake well. On the trail: Add water and margarine to bag, seal and squish bag with hands to mix and remove air and lumps. And it’s only $8!) Adding a little spice to your meals while on the trail can certainly liven things up a little. You know the aisle I’m talking about. Combine with chicken (see Valley Fresh) and rice and you have a complete nutritious meal for the trail. Make a flavorful vegetarian treat. There are experienced backpackers who have found ways to make easy backpacking recipes and just add once on the trail. When the package and cozy are closed up, there is no such water loss and as a result, if you used the full recipe amount (roughly 2 cups of liquid) you would get a wet soupy product. Recipes for just-add-water meals. At camp, simply add boiling water, wait a few minutes, and then top with trail mix, extra dried fruit, or stir in peanut butter or nutella. When it’s ready, add the water to the bag of ingredients for about 9 minutes. At dinnertime, boil half a liter of water and add it to your dried ingredients directly in the Ziploc freezer bag. Add rice noodles and let sit 8-10 minutes. Cut hole in the corner of the bag and squeeze onto a hot pan. You deserve a treat after hiking 15 miles to that mountain lake. Some might choose to add some powdered milk as well. Drain the excess water (away from camp) and add in a package of tuna, chicken or salmon. The 10 Best New Backpacking Meals Heat, veggies, and new flavors abound in the 2017 class of just-add-water camp foods Our favorite new backpacking meal … Love the Backcountry is an online magazine providing outdoor lovers with resources, skills, information and advice to get outside and enjoy backpacking, camping, hiking, rock climbing, fishing and paddling. Some items, like ramen noodles or other pasta, will require a few minutes to sit and soften. At home, divide quick oats into ziplock bags, and add any combination of freeze dried fruits, dried cranberries, chocolate chips, and nuts. DIY backpacking meals: just add water - Prepare For Adventure. Instant mashed potatoes are an awesome go-to when backpacking, but they can be mixed with other ingredients to add even more flavor. Here’s a dish to get you started: Mix all ingredients except the olive oil thoroughly. Many different ingredients can be added to it to create various meals. Lunch Backpacking Recipes Getting nutrition into your meal will be the hardest part. Explore the options to make your dining experience on the trail even better! I often backpack with less than fifteen pounds total pack weight, and total means all food, water – everything. Mix all the ingredients except the olive oil in a Ziploc bag, and store them until your trip. Check that the oatmeal is cooked to your liking, and add water if necessary for your desired texture. Add ground meat and cook for about ten minutes until browned, stirring continuously. Powdered butter can liven up any backcountry dish made with potato flakes while powdered parmesan or cheddar cheese can make a pasta dish worthy of the frontcountry. By combining a couple of cups of boiling water with ingredients that you can buy at the local grocery store you can create a real meal in the backcountry that has as many calories as you want.Â. Get recipes for couscous with peanut sauce and sweet & smoky camp oatmeal. Just add boiling water for instant, nutritious soups perfect for backpacking, camping, dorms, office, travel, and emergencies. Couscous. Saved by Fresh Off The Grid | Camping Food & Backpacking … But you’ll stop, just to look. Just boil water, add the couscous, and in 5 minutes it’s ready. It’s often in a daypack, so I don’t have much room for a stove and fuel cannisters. Optional: Dehydrated Bell Peppers, ¼ Cup of Bacon Bits, ¼ Cup of Dried Mushrooms, ¼ Cup of Freeze-Dried Eggs. Wait 5 minutes, add the olive oil, and enjoy! Ideally, your carbohydrate will be over 100 calories per oz, and rehydrate without the need to boil water for more than a minute (saving fuel). Choose one that isn’t fussy (this isn’t the time for wild rice), and that packs light. Combine them all together, and you have this easy and awesome recipe. Laura Lancaster started backpacking at the age of 12 and hasn’t let up since. Stir to mix, cover, and wait five to six minutes. You'll have to soak the food for a period of time if you want it to be edible. Then, turn upside down to spread around the ingredients. But if you want to incorporate this into your own backcountry recipe, there are a few options for you. Mix instant mashed potatoes, full cream milk powder, spinach powder, onion powder and vegetable bouillon powder into a zip lock bag. At that point, turn slowly to evenly distribute the ingredients. So, this one may not be as fancy as the others, but it’s definitely just as delicious! At the grocery store you’ll find both bacon bits, and, if you look carefully, dehydrated refried beans. Play around at home and experiment a bit before heading out on an overnight trip with your new creations. Beans are a great source of protein and rice is easy to add to anything. Cover the bowl and let stand for about 2 minutes. After all, you’re only buying it for that first backpacking trip of the season. At dinnertime, boil half a liter of water and add it to your dried ingredients directly in the Ziploc freezer bag. I almost always default to olive oil that I carry with me in a lightweight disposable water bottle. Anytime you hear the word “Cajun,” you know it’s going to be good. Dispose of most of the water, leaving about 3-4 ounces. All three ingredients together will make this amazing meal: Store ingredients to these backpacking recipes in a quart sized Ziploc bag. Currently a freelance writer and editor living in Seattle, she thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 2014 and the Wonderland Trail in 2015. I'm looking forward to many more adventures in the future. Stir to mix, cover, and wait five to six minutes. Store ingredients in a quart sized Ziploc bag. Photo: Laura Lancaster. Eat from the bag or pour into a bowl. Are You Up For This 100 Mile Hiking Challenge? Add the second bag and some cheese if you’d like. Pop the lid, mix in the olive oil, and enjoy! The one between the fuel canisters and the camp chairs. Cover pot with lid and transfer to … Savory Noodles & Vegetables. Add tomato puree, diced tomatoes, and drained beans. Visit my site for more information. 4. Enjoy! Here are a few examples: Next, it’s time to consider how to season your base with. If you’ll be leaving for the backcountry in the next day or so, scoop into a gallon size Ziploc freezer bag. You can see more of her work at lauralancaster.net. You know homemade backpacking meals are better hands down. Pro Tip: Use the packet as your bowl. At a recent stop I also found fried onions, which would be an amazing topping to almost any backpacking meal. Stir well. On the trail add water and heat for 5 … Tip: In the recipes below you can substitute non-dehydrated ingredients like pouch chicken (7-ounce package), preserved sausage (1 cup), or fresh veggies (1 cup).With fresh stuff, reduce the amount of water to 1 ½ cups. There are so many easy and delicious backpacking recipes that you need to just add water to out there. If you’re willing to splurge a bit to create the perfect meal, there are online companies that sell almost any vegetable you’d want in backpacker friendly form, from freeze dried spinach to dehydrated sweet potatoes. When it’s ready, add it to the bag of ingredients for about 10 minutes. Oatmeal with Options Oatmeal is a natural choice for the trail with its well known just-add-water capability, but with the help of some dehydrated fruit, you can dress it up like never before. I usually aim for 50 calories per oz, which include staples like sun dried tomatoes and dried onions that can be found at almost any grocery store. Add extra spices, meat, or freeze-dried veggies for a gourmet backpacking meal. Or, boil the water separately and pour it into the mug with the instant ingredients; stir and let rest for 9 or 10 minutes. This is another place where a bit of a splurge can make a big difference. There are also a wide range of dehydrated beans from Harmony House, and, for the brave, freeze dried ground beef. Most fats are upwards of 160 calories per oz, so don’t hold back if you’re looking for a hearty meal. And drained beans, stir, and store them until your trip in,. So many easy and delicious backpacking recipes - just add water to out there food! 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