The word just came down! No more sweets! No more Gruel! I need ideas for texture laden lunches. I agree lunch is the most difficult to plan! I'm planning on a wrap or flat bread with a spread of some kind and then a filling of rehydrated cooked quinoa and vegetables. Does anyone have experience on cold-rehydrating cooked quinoa? How long does it take? Does pre
cooked dehydrated pasta cold-rehydrate well?

Pasta is not the greatest for cold water but its cousin couscous does well. Quinoa would be fine. Beans and lentils work well.
Homemade hummus is great with cold water and used as a spread.

Thanks Sarah,
We did a dry run last night to test a flat bread to see if we liked it. We used couscous for a quick cooking filling and some left over tahini or tomato and canellini spread. Pretty dang tasty! Thank you for the heads-up on the cold water- pasta incompatibility and the lentil suggestion. We could even use the throw them in the freezer then coarsely grind them to get a “chunky” spread. Have you ever experimented with dehydrating tahini spread? Do you think the sesame butter base would dehydrate well?

If you use it in other spreads it will dry ok, just don't use a ton of it due to the fat - if you need a lot I would pack it with you :-) It is pretty stable for carrying!

I love making lentils on the trail (precooked and dried). Soaked in cold water, drained, then add in olive oil, some True Lemon powder, pepper, maybe a splash of balsamic vinegar...Have it on a wrap with some cheese? Yum!

My receipe calls for 2:1 water to tahini, plus the usual suspects (salt, lemon juice, minced garlic). I think I'll whip some up and give it a try.
Thanks
Jim

Jim,

I often make my own hummus recipes and bean dips for cold water rehydrated lunches on the trail. I also make trail salads with rice, quinoa, chickpea or lentil bases and coleslaws.

Here is a link to my Citrus Lentil Salad recipe....

http://www.wildernesscooking.com/fork/trail-salad.htm

It requires a little work at home and the use of a dehydrator but it is a very delicious trail lunch.

Thanks Laurie,

The dehydrator’s been working all weekend. Now to fit 2 peoples’ food for 8 days into the bear canister :o

Jim

Edited by Conductor on 07/07/2008 10:37:23 MDT.

you're welcome Jim... have a great trip (and good luck with getting it all in the bear canister - that requires creative packing for sure)