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Quinoa Marinara

Originally Posted By: Jason

Quinoa Marinara

This is a just-add-hot-water recipe that will "cook" in a food cozy, or simmer for 8-10 minutes. In a food bag, no dishes beyond your spoon are required.

Grocery store:

Quinoa grain (find it in health food stores or section)
Beans, uncooked or 1 regular can of cooked beans
1 25 oz jar of marinara sauce
1/4c of nuts (I've used cashews or sunflower seeds)
optional: 1 oz of cheese
optional: head of garlic
optional: greens; such as kale, chard or collard (kale keeps very well for several days, others a couple days
) optional: 1 tbs olive oil

At home: Cook separate batches of quinoa and beans, or use canned beans. One cup of uncooked quinoa makes over two cups cooked. Line three dehydraytor trays with parchment paper. Spread one tray with quinoa, one with beans and the third with the jar of marinara.

Packaged for trail use (one LARGE serving): pack separately 1-2 cloves of garlic, unpeeled; small amount of greens. Store in top pocket of pack, or somewhere it won't get crushed.

All ingredenients below packed into some sort of hot-water safe plastic bag, such as the vacuum seal bags, or seal-a-meal bags. If simmering food in your cookpot, simply pack into a regular ziplock bag or wrap in brown paper.

3/4 cup dehydrated cooked beans
3/4 cup dehydrated cooked quinoa (or substitute instant rice, instant brown rice will rehydrate in the same time as quinoa, white rice less)
1/3 leather of dried marinara sauce (one full leather=one full 25 oz jar of sauce)
1/4 cup of nuts

At camp:

while water is heating, sliced or chop garlic and cheese on a yogurt container lid and tear greens into smaller pieces. After adding approx. 2 cups very hot or boiling water. Let simmer or "cook" in food cozy for 5 minutes, then check. Add more hot water if necessary, stir and add optional ingredients such as sliced garlic and greens, stir again. Simmer or wait another 5-10 minutes and enjoy.

Notes:

This is a very filling meal. For less filling use 1/2 cup quinoa, 1/2 cup beans, 1/4 piece of sauce. Reduce water to 1.5 cups.

This is a vegetarian meal. Though I am not veggie, I find it easier to eat that way on the trail. It is one of my favorite meals. Quinoa is the grain highest in protein of any grain. Beans and nuts are also excellent sources of protein. The water measurements are basically guesses, since I have never measured them on the trail. I pour hot water to cover about an inch or so above the food, and usually still end up adding more water. If you add too much water, it just becomes more stew-like. I made up the recipe myself. It sounded tasty, and it is. The optional ingredients add some color and fat calories, experiment with them or add your own favorites. Adding the garlic when you add the water will cook the garlic more and make it less potent. Add it in the middle of cooking or at the end for more potent garlic flavor.

Jason Rumohr