(Primarily that the couscous ratio was too high) This new version simplifies the ingredients and addresses the issues with portions.
McCarthy, AK 99588, Toll Free: (888) 933-5427 The benefit to cooking with couscous is that it is a very fast cooking pasta that doesnt require a lot of precious fuel to prepare. Will make it again. After the water is boiling, couscous only takes about 5 minutes to cook, which is faster than many of the prepackaged boil-in-bag meals. ).
Are you tired of the same old bland backpacking dinners? Avoid using your stove on a raised surface (like on a picnic table), because you risk burning yourself if the pot falls off the stove. We can create the perfect trip for your goals, abilities and dreams.
Its that easy and even more delicious! You wont find boxed couscous this flavorful on the grocery store shelf. It has been awhile since weve made this one, but were going to revisit it and review it to see where we can make any improvements. She's a photographer, food writer and traveler, and is certified in Backcountry Kitchen and Backcountry Navigation from the Colorado Outward Bound School and Identifying Wild Plants from Backpacker. Backpackers Chicken Marbella We love it because there are seemingly endless varieties of spices and flavors that can be added to enhance the flavor of the dish and the nutritional health benefits.
Makes up to three servings if you add a little instant rice. Did you make this recipe?
Cold Soaking Guide for Stoveless Backpackers. If youre new to cold soaking or no-cook meals and want to try it, check out our Cold Soaking Guide for Stoveless Backpackers. For the perfect couscous: 1 cup of dry couscous, 2 pinches of salt, 2 "glugs" of oil; mix thoroughly with a fork and add exactly 1 and 1/4 boiling water. Once again a fabulous simple recipe that looks and sounds yummy! The quick cooking nature of couscous makes it one of the shortest cook times for a mealas tasty as this.
Let sit for at least 5 minutes (8 minutes best) and mix every 2 minutes or so with the fork. Its a variation on what we ate inside the canyon, and is an easy and tasty meal to eat on your next backpacking adventure! It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
Its got enough going on flavor-wise to pique your interest without throwing you for a total loop.
In the video, I used. The carrot should last unrefrigerated for 2-3 days, if unsure omit from recipe. You'll be notified via email when someone replies to your comment. There are many more. How come for 2 servings in this recipe it calls for 1c of couscous where as in the chicken marabella it is a 1/2c couscous for 2 servings? Thank you for sharing! The carrot should last unrefrigerated for 2-3 days, if unsure omit from recipe. The best stove to boil water is one that brings water to a boil quickly without burning through too much precious fuel. Posted by Allan Lynde.
Was the chicken cut and diced prior to putting it in your pack? Put all dry ingredients in a bag or container to be used in the backcountry. Do you have an amazing couscous recipe you love to make on the trail? Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. For years the obvious solution for ultralight hikers was to make the simplest, lightest food available: instant noodles. Mix and then cover. No regrets! But it doesnt take up much room, I can get a whole grain version, and it doesnt have to simmer for ages over the propane stove Love it! Where couscous shines is the fact that it is better for you than most "instant" foods and it is a great base for any meal you choose. Shes also the founder and owner ofBackcountry Foodie, an online ultralight recipes and meal planning platform for backpackers.
And don't worry about the lower calories, add a tablespoon of olive oil and the caloric density quickly gets bumped up to 4.15 cal/gram (117.76 cal/oz).
The more compact and uniformly shaped your food, the more you'll be able to carry in a smaller space. Boil the water, add 1 oz dried veggies, the apricot pieces and the bouillon cubes. You won't find this flavor of boxed couscous on the grocery store shelf. Spotlight on Adventure Group Multi-Day Trips! 5 servings in each box, or 10 servings in total, can substitute with veggie stock for vegan option. Clean up all messes and be sure to always leave no trace! All rights reserved. To reduce the sodium by 291 mg, replace the table salt with a salt substitute as desired. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. So if you ever need to minimize your food bulk and you like cheesy meals, and couscous, then this recipe is probably your golden ticket. If the cooking instructions are anything beyond that it's probably the uncooked variety and not suitable for easy backpacking consumption. We recommend using kitchen scissors to cut the tough sun-dried tomatoes to save time and effort. Be careful of little pieces of couscous that might fall to the ground.
This is a great dish for feeding a hungry group in the wilderness. While we love using spice blends to simplify our ingredient list, each brand can taste so different from another that it makes it very hard to give precise measurements. Couscous fits this criteria better than anything else. Click the button below and we'll feature it right here on Adventure Dining Guide! Below I did a quick cost breakdown of this cheap backcountry dinner.
About a year ago, the husband and I hiked halfway into the Grand Canyon from the South Kaibab Trailhead down to Skeleton Point, and I fell in love. I thought that the 4 teaspoons was rather excessive, so I dialed it back to 2 teaspoons.
Just get in touch! The spice blend was pretty easy to make after quick google search. If you need to use another pot: empty couscous into pot, add boiled water with seasonings, stir, cover and let sit for 8 minutes. Send us an email or message via Instagram or Facebook! Leftovers are a nightmare on the trail you either have to stuff yourself silly (ugh) or pack it out (ugh).
And this Moroccan Chicken Couscous is a perfect example.
If you are really keen on making couscous from scratch, here is a video below, though don't feel like you have to - I can tell you that my Moroccan grandmother never made it from scratch and just used the instant kind. Heres a great one thats quick and easy, with lots of spices to break up the monotony of oatmeal and trail mix. I served this on a recent multi day kayak trip and loved it.
Cooking for a group in the backcountry is challenging, which is why we came up withTurmeric Couscous,an easy to make meal that feeds a tired group with sore muscles.
Share this page with friends on social media.
Part of the reason I recommend testing this at home first is so that you can get a sense of what cooking gear youll need and if your backcountry pot is big enough.
I think this recipe is promising. Pearl/Israeli couscous: $1.50Simply Organic Basil Pesto Sauce Mix Packet: $1.29Olive Oil: $1Sun-dried Tomatoes: $0.50Shredded Parmesan: $0.50, Total Cost: $4.79Total Cost w/ Salmon Packet: $5.79. I'm pretty sure that as a kid, I had more couscous than rice, but that is beside the point; couscous is an excellent meal, specifically ultralight backpacking food. Dehydrated ground beef and tomatoes complete this easy backpacking meal.Whats in the Zatarains box?Approximately 1 cups rice and seasonings. The one we see around a lot is Valley Fresh (Safeway). Know what else?
This adds no cost to our readers and helps us keep our site up and running. Well dive back and see what we can do to address some of your concerns (overall dryness, serving sizes).
I will definitely pick up some of those buc bags if the next iteration can handle boiling temp, Mar 17, 2021 Your meal may weigh very little, but if it requires a large volume of space then it's not really that efficient. I found some salmon that packs well and I might try it with this one instead of chicken. I recommend that you try it at home for dinner before your trip so that you can make sure the serving size is not too big or too small for you when youre backpacking. Required fields are marked *. This is especially useful when you start hot or cold soaking or doing cooking in a bag. If they can be cooked in one pot, thats even better!
Most of our trip was spent car camping staying in campgrounds relatively close to town with access to campfire rings, sporadic electricity, and the heavy-duty Coleman camping grill we borrowed from the in-laws. I also bring flat bread for each group member.
You now have 1 cups of rice and seasoning which can be divided into three servings.Pack all ingredients in a plastic bag.On the Trail:Place all ingredients in pot with water and soak for five minutes.Light stove, bring to boil, and continue cooking for two minutes.Remove pot from stove and place in insulating cozy for ten minutes.
To behold this alone is worth the pains of any excursion a thousand times over.-John Muir, Copyright 2016 thruEAT All Rights Reserved.
Alaska climbing trips from basic courses to summiting spectacular, remote mountains.
You dont want to get into the backcountry and realize you have no way of cooking this! You, oh observant reader, would be correct the cooking photos are set in Central Appalachia, because I was too busy enjoying myself to worry about staging photos. Add couscous, remove pot from heat, and cover for 5 minutes. The meal planner even creates itemized shopping lists for you! Sign up today!
Couscous is a small version of pasta madeof semolina and wheat flour. We went home, went back to work, and I immediately started training to hike the gorgeous beast of a trail again.
Add all contents of Bag 1 with1 1/2 cup of water to pot and bring to a simmer. Pack 1 Tbsp (14 g) olive oil in a leakproof container to be added when the meal is consumed. Add couscous, spices, and nuts, while turning off heat and covering the pot.
Though couscous does provide a healthy 150 calories on a 1/4 cup of dry couscous (an adult serving), it is not as much as a pack of instant noodles (188 calories).
Our Turmeric Couscous dinner is a one pot meal with unforgettable flavors. Put the sun-dried tomatoes into another small bag. Be the first to hear about our PopUp Backcountry Cooking events. This could easily be made vegetarian or vegan by replacing the chicken with a protein source such as TVP or soy curls. Recipes for Adventure: Healthy, Hearty & Homemade Backpacking Recipes, box couscous (slightly less than cup), 1 Tbsp Near East Seasoning Mix (half the pack), cup dried tomatoes, sliced cherry or diced, cup dried ground beef or ground chicken, 1 Tbsp cheese powder, gravy mix, or stroganoff powder. To make a larger serving with 506 calories, use 1 cup Zatarains Red Beans and Rice, cup vegetables, and 1 cups water to rehydrate.At Home:Pack all ingredients in a plastic sandwich size bag.On the Trail:Place all ingredients in pot with water and soak for five minutes.Light stove, bring to boil, and continue cooking for two minutes. 907.231.6395McCarthy-Kennecott, Alaska. Your email address will not be published. Fill a 1-cup measuring cup with Spanish Rice mixture. Box MXY #10
Weve been there! Our new Buc bags are perfect for this, especially if you are planning on sharing a meal with others: make 3 servings in the Buc and share around.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. So if youre looking for some new backpacking meal ideas to help you mix up your routine, give this one-pot Moroccan Chicken Couscous a try the next time you hit the trail. This recipe can easily be split in half and made in 2 installments if you prefer to use only one pot. Enclose with other ingredients in a larger plastic bag.On the Trail:Place all ingredients except the powdered ingredients in pot with water and soak for five minutes.Light stove, bring to boil, and continue cooking for another two minutes.
Your email address will not be published.
Glad you enjoyed, thanks for field testing! how to pack for an overnight hike, backpacking tips for beginners, basic backpacking skills, backcountry blog, backcountry tips for packing, how to pack for backpacking, day hiking for beginners, ten essentials for hiking, what to bring on a day hike, hiking gear for beginners, hiking necessities, day hiking, what to pack for hiking, hiking tips, https://amandaoutside.com/blog/basil-pesto-couscous-easy-homemade-backpacking-meal. This cooking method makes it less likely that couscous will stick to the bottom of the pot.Remove pot from stove, stir in seasoning mix, replace lid, and place pot in insulating cozy for ten minutes. Have you ever tried it with packaged salmon? Aaron Owens Mayhew, MS, RDN, CD,is a registered dietitian and ultralight long-distance backpacker with over 20 years of nutrition and backpacking experience. Red Lentil Chili
Im sure that somewhere out there, someone is noticing that the food photos in this post are not set inside the Grand Canyon. Although, the meal is more flavorful with the oil. Good stuff! At camp, add 2/3 cup of boiling water to the couscous and fruit, let sit 10 minutes, mix nuts in and enjoy. Your email address will not be published. There have even been some stories of backpackers dumping couscous directly into their food storage containers and sieving it out as needed. Put the shredded parmesan into a small bag. Mix back in with the first cup.
Sardine Pasta with Crunchy Garlic Breadcrumbs, Turkey With Cranberry Gravy and Mashed Potatoes. Your email address will not be published. Click here to add your own private notes. Pour onto your plate.
[emailprotected], https://www.steliasguides.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/stelias_logo2.png, https://www.steliasguides.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/backpacking-dinner.jpg. I (briefly) looked at some freeze-dried camping meals, but decided I could do better.
To make these easy backpacking meals, just add dried vegetables and/or dried meat to rice, couscous, and pasta products from Zatarain's, Near East, and Annie's Organic. Here are the full nutritional facts for the average couscous (1/4 cup): This is by far the easiest meal to make on the trail: 1/3 cup of couscous, 1 pack of soup in a cup of choice, 1/2 cup of hot or cold water. Im not sure if my recipe for the spice blend was considerably different than what others use but next time I think I will try it with just 1 teaspoon. First off, very smart of you to make this ahead of time. Check out this video to see where the magic happens!
I rarely leave reviews, but I want to save anyone from trying this.
While it's not the mostcalorically dense, it makes you feel full very quickly andutilizes otherwise wasted storagespace asit's able to fit into all the oddly shapednooks and crannies. Got an awesome recipe to share? Take it to the mountains for a couple weeks, or if you're like me, have it for dinner and take leftovers to work for lunch. This past May, I went on my first overnight backpacking trip. The meal blends the unique flavors of apricots, almonds, ras el hanout, but also delivers hearty basics like chicken and couscous. At home, assemble the spices, fruits, and nuts (in separate bags). Dig in, and enjoy the rest of your hike! This quick and easy tuna couscous bowlis a delicious, flavorful meal for your next backpacking adventure! Then when were out on the trail we just have to add the olive oil and a packet of chicken.
We left physically, but mentally I was still there. Once the veggies have rehydrated, add the chicken and simmer a few minutes to thoroughly warm it up.
Good flavors and a nice mix of textures. Salad at the bottom of the Grand Canyon go figure!!!
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 2022 Adventure Dining Guide | Website by First Chair Digital Marketing. DISCLOSURE: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which means we may receive a modest commission if purchases are made through those links. For me this couscous is part of holidays and eaten on special occasions, though it is great as a filling meal or if you need a more "hearty" desert to share. Registered to CNOC Outdoors 2022, It was great learning the history of couscous as well as how to prepare it on the trail. Never mind homemade versions. Boil water, add spices, add to dry pasta, cover, let the flavors absorb into the couscous, and follow the instructions below for a tasty group backcountry meal.
Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a0106c4272b67611de82331ccd311ce3" );document.getElementById("b86db021e5").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Notify me of followup comments via e-mail.
For this homemade backpacking meal, start by watching the video below to see exactly how I do it! Backcountry Foodies sun-dried tomato couscous recipe can be cold soaked. This basil pesto couscous makes such an easy homemade backpacking meal! If you have a large enough pot, empty couscous into water, stir, then add lid to pot and let sit for 8 minutes. The best part? Add the unopened pesto packet, sealed olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes, and cheese to the same bag with the couscous so everything is packaged together. Forget freeze-dried backpacking meals! Remove from heat, mix well, cover and let sit 5 minutes for the couscous to rehydrate. Learn ski mountaineering skills or head off in search of fresh powder, new lines and incredible adventure. If I use soy curls instead of chicken, should I increase the amount of water?
Make sure the water is boiling. Do you recommend? However, you will find all of the ingredients needed to make this lightweight backpacking recipe. Turmeric powder is derived from turmeric root (looks similar to ginger root), which contains the chemical curcumin. This basil pesto couscous is cheap backcountry food you can make a home without a dehydrator! I always loved couscous for camping and I wasnt even backpacking! Turn off the burner and remove the pot with boiling water from the stove and place it on a level surface. All Rights Reserved.
1 Comment. The water is just to cook the couscous, so you would need to adjust it if you are using a different protein source like soy curls or TVP.
This basil pesto couscous makes such an easy homemade backpacking meal. Dehydrated Risotto with Vegetables After 8 minutes, give it a quick stir, and then let it sit for another 8 minutes until tender.**.
Before you leave for your trip, pour the couscous and a little salt into a plastic bag. Pour cup water into your pot, and bring to a boil.
Suggested Activities and Trip Combinations, What to Expect on your Multi-Day Backpacking Trip. We recommend double bagging the oil in the event there is a leak. Next, add the remaining Spanish Rice mixture to a -cup measuring cup and then top off with added instant rice. On top of that, everyone has a different spice tolerance. We made it with soy curls and it was so good! Remove the pot from the stove sooner if all the water is absorbed.Alternative trail cooking method: If you pack the couscous separate from the other ingredients, you can bring the meat and vegetables to a boil first and then add the couscous for one minute or less boiling time.
Add more water to soak into the couscous, bring to the boil again andaddthe couscous in. We just did a major revision of this recipe after receiving feedback that it wasnt working out for people. - I want to focus only on the original couscous as it came from the Berbers and is available now as instant couscous. Use a Jetboil or quick cooking stove to heat water. Your email address will not be published. Check the cooking directions on the back. Join one of our lead guides on an extra remote and exciting adventure!
This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The biggest benefit of couscous (instant kind) is that it needs no cooking, just add some hot water and you are done. While packing for your trip, add the couscous and salt to a ziplock bag.
Required fields are marked *. Adventure Dining Guide is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
This one-pot meal captures the flavors of Moroccan cooking, without requiring any special cooking methods. If you are supplying your own precooked and dried macaroni, then a one minute boil will do.Remove pot from stove, stir in powdered ingredients, replace lid, and place pot in insulating cozy for ten minutes.After removing lid, sauce will thicken as it cools. Compared to a lot of the dehydrated backpacking food in stores nowadays, you can definitely save a lot of money making your own. Write the cooking directions directly on the bag dont assume that youll remember!
But with the introduction of more Mediterranean foods to European and American diets, couscous is taking over as one of the most popular ultralight foods.For me personally, couscous always made more sense than noodles: I come from a Moroccan family where couscous is truly a staple, not just an addition.
Check out theseCamping Recipes for a Happy Glamperfor tips on making campground cooking easier AND more recipe ideas!
You might even consider keeping this sun-dried tomato couscous recipe on hand for those nights that you dont have the time or energy to make dinner at home. Before I knew it the campground was booked, the backcountry permit paid for, and we were on our way back to hike all the way to the bottom! Pour 4 cups of water into pot. Next, mix in the sun-dried tomatoes, cheese, and salmon, if using.
Top with parmesan cheese. Ive never considered couscous as a trail food before, but I will nowthanks for the article!
The herbs and spices used are staples in our backpacking pantry.
If so, how much? Add bag with seasonings (chicken stock, turmeric and cinnamon) and bring water to a boil.
Add carrots, salami, dates and stir until everything is mixed together. (I didn't have a lid for my extra pot, so I covered with aluminum foil and it worked perfectly). The recipes look great and the desert version is something I will try and will toss in a bit of trail mix at the end. Making your own backpacking food is actually a lot of fun, and its nice to be able to take control of the ingredients you put into your meals. To reduce calories by 120, do not add the 1 Tbsp (14 g) olive oil. Try it at home first, dial it in, and then take it out with you. (They came in a plastic pouch) So the chicken was already in bite-sized pieces. Your email address will not be published. Add fruits in last few minutes of boil. Im surprised to hear that another commenter found it bland. You can also subscribe without commenting. If you have any questions about the recipe or how to prepare it, just chat with me in the comments below! Cant wait to try more of your recipes. Sarah is the primary creator at Champagne Tastes.
