Michael and Theodore's Philmont Page

Ten Easy Vegan Trail Dinners

These are loosely based off the 10 Philmont dinners. Serves about 2 hungry people. Note: Many hyperlinks go to Amazon or other arbitrary sites online. I didn't necessarily use these specific items from these merchants, but sometimes I did. I just wanted to link to an equivalent product so you can see what the things "are" that I'm using.

Vegan Jerky

1. Stroganoff

2c of Jasmine 5-minute rice as your base (or noddles)

For the stroganoff:
2T oil packets (or just 2T oil when at home)
1/2 c fine TVP
Mix in other water first before adding: 1/2 c soymilk powder, 2T mushroom powder, 2T cornstarch, one packet GW broth.

Use a different pot if available for the rice. Otherwise, make rice, divide into serving bowls, then cover bowls while you make the stroganoff.
Hydrate the TVP (or soy curls) with boiling water.

You can "dip" some water out of this main pot to mix the soymilk powder and other powders, then return mixture to the main pot. Mix it all up over the heat. Add water as desired. When it looks like the right texture, it should be ready to eat over the rice.

2. Berbere and Za'atar with Grits

Get "instant" Grits in the regular grocery store, near the oatmeal. At home, you can use a normal container, but on the trail, you want packets. I used 5 servings for 2 hungry people. Pour the oil on top of the grits, or wait until you have placed the Berbere/Za'atar and add the oil at that point. It's not mean to be "mixed" in.

On top of this, if you are at home and only vegetarian, you want to use some "labne" with this meal. Otherwise, use a brick of soft tofu. Use Mori-Nu tofu on the trail. This is just a "blob" or "dollup" on top of the grits, used to cool the palate as you eat.

Make a small pile of Berbere and/or a small pile of Za'atar on top of the grits. It's not intended that they be mixed. I was anticipating an "either or" situation, but on the trail, T & M placed two piles on top of their grits and each bite was a separate choice whether to go with the Berbere or the Za'atar. Add some oil if you haven't. Each bite you take is self-mixed with grits, tofu (or labne), and oiled spices.

3. Shiro (Ethiopian Style)

Make rice as in meal 1.

To make shiro: Put some water in the pot. (Always use less than you think you need, as you can always add more.)
Add a tube of tomato paste. (Use about 8 Tablespoons if you have a different size tube/can.)
2T oil
Add some amount of garlic powder, onion powder, and mushroom powder to taste (maybe 1T each to start?)
To this boiling red water, add 1/2c shiro powder. Then wait for it to congeal.
You can eat it like this if you don't want to add the TVP.
Depending on how many pots you have, you may wish to rehydrate the TVP separately and then combine.
Add 1/2 cup small tvp and 1/2 c large TVP.

4. Potatoes and Gravy

Make gravy as instructions on side explain. (It's just adding hot water.)
Make rehydrated potatoes as per instructions also.
Add some oil.
Rehydrate 1 1/2 c TVP (or soy curls)

5. Curry

Make rice as in meal 1.

M & T skipped this, instead using the potatoes *as* the starch base for this meal, not adding them *into* the curry.
Make one box of hashbrown potatoes (in cardboard 'milk' container)

Dried veggies: Zucchini, plantain, carrots, onion, garlic - rehydrate these.
In water on a pan or in pot: "melt" the Japanese curry packet/s. Use "6 servings" according to package instructions, for 2 people. Don't use too much water, because you can add more as you go. Make sure it's "melted" then add more water.
Combine the curry and rehydrated veggies.

6. Mac n Cheese

For this meal, I just bought some vegan mac-n-cheese at the grocery store. I got the one with "liquid" cheese, not powdered. That's easier to make. It was the Daiya brand. Daiya also sells just the cheese sauce separately if you prefer your own shape of pasta noodles. They make "white" and "yellow" versions of the "cheese", so you can use the white for fettuccini for example.

You can add soy curls or TVP or tofu for more protein if desired. At home, this shouldn't be necessary.

7. Ramen Noodles

We buy Ramen noodles at HMart. The possibilities are quite extensive. However, only a few brands/flavors are vegan, s oyou have to read VERY carefully. If you can't find vegan ramen, you can use normal ramen and use a GW flavor packet to replace the included flavorings.

Add soy curls to replace the "beef" in this dish. Add extra oil b/c the soy curls could be a bit "dry".

Add seaweed sprinkes on top with sesame seeds.

8. Angel Hair Pasta

For two people, just a bit over half a box of angel hair pasta is perfect.
Don't add too much water if you're camping. At home, you can just drain off excess water.
Make sure there is *some* but not *too much* water left, so you can create your sauce.
Add about 8 T (a tube) of tomato paste, about 4-5 T oil, 2.5 C TVP (or soy curls).
Add spcies to taste such as basil, onion, garlic, salt.

9. Mapo Tofu

If at home, use refridgerated mapo tofu pack. (Found near other refridgerated tofu items at HMart.)
On the trail: One box of Mori-Nu tofu, rice like in meal 1, and one packet of Mapo Tofu sauce, which is also found at HMart but you have to find it on the shelf!
Optional: Also add small TVP.

10. Stuffing

For the stuffing, use half a bag of Pepperidge Farms stuffing. (This was just leftover from Thanksgiving, but you can find it in a normal grocery store. Read ingredients! Not all are vegan!)

I added two servings of cranberries right to the cooking water. Those can be found near the raisins and other snacks in most grocery stores. I also added some mushroom powder and of course oil. 2T oil or more. You can add the oil directly to the cook water.

If you are adding the TVP/soy curls (about 1 cup of those), add them to the cook water along with any oil and seasonings, and rehydrate that with the cranberries before you add the stuffing. Just add the stuffing last. Have extra boiling water nearby in case your stuffing ends up too dry and needs a little extra water.

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