Dinner

Vegetarian Spaghetti

Courtesy of Sam Jackson-
“I loved being outdoors, yet hated lugging the bag of rocks around. I am now entering the 7th year of lightweight backpacking. Purchased the Jetboil PCS 2 years ago to help lighten the load of cooking “gear”. I have been thoroughly impressed with the simplicity of cooking with the system. I am always looking for new recipes to take on the trail that are lightweight and filling.”

2 cups of water

1 package of crushed ramen noodles

¼ cup textured vegetable protein (TVP)

½ package spaghetti sauce powder (I used McCormick thick and zesty spaghetti sauce mix)

3 oz. tomato paste (half of a can)

optional: add a few pinches of oregano for extra zip

Bring 2 cups of water to boil in Jetboil cup. Drop to lowest setting after water starts to boil (otherwise the ramen will boil over when you add it!) Then add crushed package of ramen noodles and TVP. Stir continuously. After 2 minutes add ½ package of spaghetti sauce mix and oregano. Stir for 20 seconds to mix powder. Add tomato paste. Continue to stir for 2 minutes. Turn off heat. Let cool for 3-5 minutes. Eat and enjoy!

Gordon's Rice and Avocado Burritos

This one is great for car camping. A delicious departure from bean-based burritos.

1 cup water
1 cup instant rice 
1 avocado
flour tortillas
hot sauce 
cheddar cheese
salt and pepper

Bring water to boil, turn off heat, and add rice. Let stand for five minutes until rehydrated. Slice some cheese onto a tortilla, add a couple spoonfuls of rice to melt it, and cut in some avocado. Top with salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Roll it up and chow down Gordon style.

Puttanesca

Puttanesca is an Italian assemblage of funky and intense flavors, which is why we like it so much. Bring olives in a baggie to avoid the weight of a full can. Fresh garlic is best, but garlic paste is convenient. Amore sells garlic paste in a tube. Or just use garlic powder to save weight.

2 cups water
3/4 cup pasta shells or wheels
3 tablespoons concentrated tomato paste
2 oz. can of anchovies with capers
1/4 cup chopped black olives or paste
2 cloves of chopped garlic
(olive oil)
(parmesan cheese)

Bring water to a boil, turn down to lowest simmer, and add pasta. Allow pasta to cook (7-10 minutes, depending on the variety). Turn off heat, snap cover on tightly, and drain the water. Add the remaining ingredients and stir. For extra richness, add a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Top with parmesan cheese.

Jet Beans and Franks

Ok, so it's not exactly lightweight but hey, you can't beat hot dogs and beans for car camping and short trips. We love this American favorite a la Jetboil.

12 oz. can baked beans
1 – 6 hotdogs

Open and pour a can of beans in the cooking cup. Stick in up to six hot dogs vertically, like buried phone poles. Start Jetboil and turn down to the lowest possible heat. Cover loosely and let the mixture heat for about five minutes to evenly heat the dogs and beans. Pull the dogs out and serve on a bun. Alternate recipe for speedier results: cut up the dogs into the beans, turn heat a tiny bit higher and stir continuously until warm.

Oink Oink Couscous

We can't get enough of couscous. This recipe uses double-concentrated tomato paste, which is sold in tubes (we tested Amore…4.5 ounces of luscious sweetness). You might have to look in the imports section of your supermarket if you can't find it with the canned tomato paste. The Armour canned ham we tested with this recipe surpassed our expectations.

2 cups water
chicken bouillon cube
2 tablespoons concentrated tomato paste
1 cup couscous
5 oz. can of ham

Add water, bouillon, and tomato paste to cooking cup. Bring to boil, stir to mix and turn off heat. Add couscous, cover, and let stand for five minutes. Add ham and mix it in.

Rice and Chicken

Instant rice is an excellent starch base because of its low weight and quick cooking time. Chicken is a natural complement, but packaged turkey, chipped beef, and fish work well, too. Experiment with variations on this theme:

1 cup water
1 cup instant rice
2 tablespoons onion flakes
1 can boned chicken
1/2 teaspoon sage
chicken bouillon cube
(dry mushrooms)

Pour water and bouillon cube in cooking cup. Stir to dissolve cube. Turn on heat and add the rest of the ingredients. Turn down to low simmer once boiling and let cook for five minutes.

Refried Beans and Rice Burritos

This one is a calorie monster that will stick to your ribs for hours. Rice and beans combine for a complete protein. These refried beans are surprisingly good.

2 cups water
1 cup instant rice
1/2 of 7 oz. pkg. instant refried beans
flour tortillas
hot sauce

Bring water to boil, turn off heat, and add rice and instant beans. Stir and let sit for a five minutes until water is absorbed. Spread mixture on a tortilla and top with sauce. For weight savings, omit the tortillas and eat from the cup. Rice and beans can be made separately if desired.

Baby Dal

We call this recipe Baby Dal since it's a single portion. From Jill Low and Rick Low.

All of the following can be packed in a single ziplock bag for cooking later:

1/4 cup rice
1/4 cup green lentils
3 slices dried tomato, well chopped (about 1 heaping tbsp)
1/8 tsp dried minced garlic
1/4 tsp dried onion
1/8 tsp dried ground ginger
1/4 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/32 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp dried parsley

To cook, place all of the above into Jetboil. Add water to max safe fill line. Bring to boil, then turn down flame as far as possible and simmer with top on lightly. Stir occasionally. Cook until mixture has thickened and is starting to stick to pan (about 20 minutes). Turn off heat. Cover and let sit several minutes to allow stuck-on carmelized goo to unstick.

Bon appetit!

Cluck Cluck Couscous

Couscous is made of pre-cooked semolina wheat and rehydrates almost instantly, making it one of the very best bases for lightweight eating. You can find it in the bulk food or imported foods section of the supermarket.

2 cups water
chicken bouillon cube
1 cup couscous
4 oz. can chicken

Add water and bouillon cube to the cooking cup. Bring to a boil. Add couscous and turn off burner. Cover and wait about five minutes for couscous to absorb water. Add chicken and mix it into the couscous.

Tuna Alfredo

Packaged soups and pastas from Knorr and Lipton have been backpacker mainstays for years. Throwing in meat and powdered milk adds depth and flavor. Starkist sells tuna in a Mylar foil pouch which we like because there's no can to carry, and it makes a superlight drinking cup when you're done. Canned turkey, Spam, chicken, clams, or shrimp are all fine substitutes for tuna. If you're a vegetarian or minimalist, skip the meat and add a little fresh parmesan cheese, olive oil, or nuts.

2 cups water
1/4 cup powered milk
5 oz. pkg Knorr Pasta with Alfredo Sauce
4 oz. can of tuna

Bring water to a boil. Turn way down and add powdered milk and Alfredo Pasta mix. Simmer on super-low until cooked, stirring frequently to avoid sticking. Turn off heat, add tuna, and stir. For variety, try salmon, sardines, or clams.