As I transition from the "boy scout" (stop and setup camp) to the "thru-hike" (hike till drop) style of hiking, I find less and less need for a stove and cooking food.

An hour before I stop for a meal, I add cold water to a prepared meal in a ziplock bag and rehydrate in my pack.

These prepared meals have a base consisting of humus, potato, black bean or split pea flakes. Each of these can be doctored with a multitude of other ingredients that will satisfy my palate.

I recently came across quinoa flakes. When rehydrated for an hour, this is a rather bitter tasting paste. I am looking for quinoa flake recipes to add to my trail menu.

Why the flakes taste like that is they don't contain anything else - so yes, they need flavor added.

They work well as a oatmeal type meal and take well to brown sugar, dried fruit, cinnamon, etc.

The bitterness is due to the saponin content of quinoa. For best results, exchange the water before preparing to soak or cook. Then you can move along to trying to make the stuff taste, uh, good.

http://chetday.com/quinoa.html

By the way, that hike-til-drop style of thru-hiking is for total amateurs. ;)

Edited by blister-free on 06/22/2008 20:41:21 MDT.

He is referring to this:
http://www.quinoa.net/145/154.html
It is an instant version - so it is prepared (the covering has been removed). Mostly it just is that Quinoa NEEDS external flavoring to taste good. ;-)