Bring fish fry ingredients along if you intend to fish and butter and garlic if you expect to find clams, crabs or mussels. Try to buy a fish from local fishermen.
Roasted Veggie Lasagne
Extravagant Casserole
Pasta Palmer
Curried Rice and Beans
Feta/Spinach Pita Wraps
Mexican: Chili Rellenos, Quesadillas, Chili, Refried Bean Tostados, Black Bean Quesadillas, Tacos (Meat, Vegetarian, Fish)
Aubergine Curry
Every-in-the-Kayak-Hatch-Curry
Dahl Baht
Chicken Stir Fry and Tortellini
White Chili
Grilling
Greek
Lazy Sushi
Foil Dinner
Vegetarian Pesto Lasagna
Coconut Curry Stir-Fry with Tofu
1. ROASTED VEGGIE LASAGNA
This requires a Dutch oven or Outback Oven
No boil lasagna noodles
3 cloves garlic
1 zucchini sliced
10 fresh or 3.5oz dried mushrooms rehydrated, sliced
1 onion or green onions
5 roma tomatoes, chopped
8 tomatillos, chopped
1 each red, yellow and green peppers, ch
1 bunch spinach or swiss chard chopped
500g/16oz mozzarella cheese grated
1 cup grated parmesan
100g/3.5oz ricotta cheese
1 tbsp each chopped Italian parsley, fresh basil, fresh thyme
Vegetables. Pan roast medium garlic, onions and peppers and reserve. Roast tomatoes and tomatillos, add pinch salt and reserve. Chop rest of vegetables. Combine all vegetables.
Cheese mixture. Combine ricotta cheese, spinach and spices.
Assembly: half vegetables / half noodles / half cheese misxture / half mozzarella / half parmesan and repeat. There is enough liquid in the tomatoes to steam the noodles and other vegetables. Bake 25 minutes.
2. EXTRAVAGANT CASSEROLE
Fresh onion slices and 2 cloves of garlic
1 can tomato paste or ½ c dried
tomato powder
1 rounded tsp sugar
¼ – 1 pound cheese, sliced
½ c flour
2 heaping tsp baking powder
1 r tbsp powdered eggs
1 r tbsp. powdered milk
1 r tbsp. veggie broth powder
1 c tomato sauce + 1 tsp sugar
2 c cooked rice or pasta
2 c Hack’s veggie ground round or canned beans, seasoned 2 h tsp oregano + 2 h tsp basil or 1 r tbsp. Italian seasoning + ½ tsp black pepper
Saute onions and garlic with oil. Add to bowl with tomato paste, sugar and 2 c water
In bowl mix flour, baking powder, eggs, milk and veggie broth powders + 2 ½ c cold water. Mix to pancake batter consistency.
Cover bottom of fry pan with slices of cheeses (makes for a gooey crust). Cover layer of rice or pasta. Drizzle batter mixture on as 3rd layer to gel the casserole. Top with veggie burger or beans. Spread the tomato-onion-garlic mixture on top. Cover remaining cheese. Cover or bake in oven for 20 minutes.
3. PASTA PALMER
Slice young zucchini into 1/4″ inch rounds, dip in soy sauce and coat with brewers yeast. Saute zucchini in olive oil and toss into cooked pasta with pesto sauce. (Perhaps penne or rigatoni pasta to follow a marimba theme?)
4. CURRIED RICE AND BEANS Feeds 4
1 cup rice
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup almond slivers
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp Beef bouillon
3 tbsp curry powder (vary to taste )
1 med. white onion
2 med. granny smith apples
2-14 oz cans red kidney beans
(only 1 can if smaller appetite )
2 tbsp olive oil
Directions:
Depending upon appetites you can vary the number of cans of beans you add to make slightly more or less.
1. Before trip, mix rice, raisins, almonds, salt, pepper, bouillon and curry powder in zip lock bag.
2. In pot, heat oil, add chopped onion and 1 chopped granny smith apple. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Add both cans of beans then add rice mixture and 2-1/2 cups of water. Bring to boil then simmer with pot covered for 15 to 25 minutes (until rice is cooked). Before serving add 1 raw chopped granny smith apple.
3. Fresh onions and apples can be substituted by dehydrated onions and apples, which be added to rice mixture prior to trip. You can also add more curry in final stages of cooking to suit taste.
5. FETA/SPINACH PITA POCKETS Feeds 4
4 large pita pockets cut in half Filling:
4 cups baby spinach
3/4 cup crushed Feta cheese
1/2 cup seeded cucumbers, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/3 red onion, chopped
1/3 cup olives, chopped
1 tsp jalapenos
Sauce: simmer together for a few minutes:
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
Stuff pita pocket halfs with fillings, drizzle with hot sauce & serve
6. MEXICAN
a. Chili Rellenos serves 6
26 oz (737g) can whole poblano chile peppers
1/2 pound (225 g) Monterey Jack cheese
4 eggs separated
2 tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup flour
vegetable oil for frying
tomato sauce/salsa
Open and drain whole chiles. Open each chile and place a slice of cheese in the middle. Beat egg yolks until creamy and then using a wire whip or fork beat the whites until stiff (rotate whipping with friends). Fold the yolks, 2 T. flour and salt into the whites. Do not stir, to keep batter as fluffy as possible. Flour the cheese stuffed chiles and dip them into the egg mixture, coating well. Slide the chile into hot oil in a pan. Cook until golden brown and turn over to cook the other side. Serve with tomato sauce/salsa and your favourite beverage. They are excellent and guarantee rave reviews.
b. Quesadilla: flour tortillas pan fried with cheese and green chilies.
c. Bear Creek Chili Mix (I leave out tomato paste) is great with tortilla shells crumbled in.
d. Refried Bean Tostadas. Cook marinated taco meat at home, freeze it and bring in cooler. Take corn tortillas or tostado shells (taco shells don’t travel well). Take a small can of salsa if you have room; if not, dried salsa mix can be added to sun-dried tomatos to make a hot, zesty salsa. Top with shredded cabbage.
e. Black Bean Quesadilas
Mix together 1 can black beans, 1 tomato ch, 1 red pepper, ch cilantro, green onion ch, 2 cloves garlic minced, 1 jalopeno diced. Put on ½ tortilla, cover with crumbled feta cheese and shredded cheddar, fold over. Can cook on BBQ, or in covered frying pan with small amount of oil.
f. Tacos
Meat: sauté 1 lb hamburger or chicken with refried beans, break up all the chunks, 1 finely chopped onion, 2 cloves garlic minced. Add 1 package Old El Pas Taco Sauce and mix. Use dehydrated hamburger or chicken.
Vegetarian: Sauté in olive oil: ½ c onion ch, 2 clove garlic, add 1 can refried beans or 2 cans drained black beans/mashed, 2 tsp cumin, ¼ c diced red pepper, green Tabasco or black pepper. Heat thoroughly.
Fish #1: Fillet of fish of your choice (rinse, pat dry, salt and pepper), cut in thin strips 3-4” long. Beat 1 egg and mix with ¾ cup buttermilk. Soak fish in buttermilk for 30 minutes. Bread in: ¾ c white cornmeal seasoned with 1tsp salt, 1tsp pepper, 1tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp cayenne pepper. Saute crispy on all sides.
Fish #2: Prepare fish as above. Chipotle Crema: whisk together 1 c sour cream, 4 tsp half and half cream and 1 tsp adobo sauce (the sauce from canned chipotle peppers). Orange Avocado Salsa: Combine 3 oranges peeled diced and drained, 2 tbsp cilantro chopped, 2 tbsp jalapeno peppers seeded and finely diced, 2 tbsp red onion finely diced, 2 medium avocados diced into 1/2″ cubes and 3/4 tsp salt and mix gently and set aside. Assembly with flour tortillas fish, crema, salsa and red cabbage very thinly shaved.
Assembly: Flour tortilla, protein source, thinly sliced English cucumber, guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream or crema, lettuce.
Guacamole: Use ripe avocados that have a naturally smoky flavor. Peel and mash 3 ripe avocados, mix in 3tbsp lime juice, I garlic clove minced, ½ small onion finely ch. May also add cilantro, tomato ch, or chipotle pepper for more of a smoky taste and some heat.
Pico de Gallo: Mix 1½ c tomato chopped small, ½ c white onion ch fine, jalopeno minced fine, cilantro, garlic minced, juice 1 lime, small amount olive oil, salt to taste.
7. AUBERGINE CURRY
In a resealable plastic bag, combine:
1 tsp turmeric
6 peppercorns
4 cloves
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt
Other ingredients:
1-1/2 lb. (600g) aubergine (eggplant)
2 tbsp ghee (or oil)
1-inch ginger, peeled and grated
2 tbsp chopped cilantro (coriander leaves)
3 tomatoes
juice of 1/2 lemon
At Camp: Cube aubergine and soak in cold water for 20 minutes. Drain. Heat ghee in a large frypan. Toss in ginger, cilantro and the contents of spice bag. Fry for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and stir for 5 minutes. Mix in aubergine. Add lemon juice and cook slowly for 15-20 minutes.
NOTE: Ghee is clarified butter-without the milk solids that tend to burn at high temperatures.
8. EVERYTHING-IN-THE-KAYAK-HATCH-CURRY
Here is a spontaneous meal we cooked up on a kayaking and yoga trip. I was carrying a jar of Thai Red Curry Paste, which always comes in handy, and a can of coconut milk to make a curry sauce. Left over veggies became a stir-fry all served on a bed of yams. Then with ripe and juicy mangos, I made chutney and a mango lassie dessert. It is amazing the amount of food you can fit in your kayak hatch!
For appetizers with this meal, try papadums. You can find packaged ones to fry on site, or I’ve seen ready-to-eat papadums in a long package, like Pringles chips. Another option would be Masala Peas—they are like wasabi peas, but with an Indian spice, and the package comes with a zip lock closure.
Coconut, Lime and Lemongrass Curry Sauce
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, diced
1 stalk of lemongrass, thinly sliced
1 piece peeled fresh ginger, thinly diced
3 lime leaves (similar to bay leaves, do not eat, they’re just for flavour)
1 tbsp. Thai Red Curry Paste
2 tbsp. fish sauce
2 tbsp. brown sugar or honey
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth (from bouillon cubes, or a
tetra pack of chicken or vegetable broth)
1 can coconut milk
1 fresh lime squeezed over top at the end
Stir-fry fresh ingredients with oil in a sauté pan or wok along with broccoli or any veggies left in your hatch. Add the Thai Curry Paste, fish sauce, brown sugar or honey, and mix until blended nicely. Add the chicken or veggie stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and add the coconut milk and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove lime leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper or soy sauce.
If you fish from your kayak, try adding your catch of the day. Before you go out paddling, check on the Department of Fisheries and Oceans website to see if there is red tide in the area you will be exploring. If it is safe, then add oysters, clams, and mussels for a fresh flair.
This curry is great on a bed of yams. Peel and then boil the yams in one-third salt water and three quarters fresh water, drain, then mash.
Spinach Naan stores well in the kayak and would be great with this meal. Or try jasmine rice as the side dish.
Mango Chutney Mango chutney enhances any curry. This recipe is an easy one. I always have vinegar for making salad dressings in my boat, so this can be adapted and put together on a whim. Try with papaya, pear or pineapple too.
2 1/2 cups diced mango
1 piece peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. cumin powder
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup raisins
freshly ground black pepper
Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until thick, about 10 minutes, stirring often to keep from sticking. Let cool, then serve.
Serve with mango lassie (in drinks section)
Mango Lassie
Here is a smoothie type drink that can accompany this curry dinner. This Indonesian drink is usually served with spicy meals, but it can be a great and healthy dessert served in cups. If you have a hand crank blender, try spinning this up into a refreshing extra treat.
4 ripe mangos
1 cup real mango juice
1 cup yogurt
3 tbsp. sugar
Peel the mangos and dice as small as possible. Add the yogurt, mango juice and sugar then stir together in a big pot or bowl. Ladle out into cups and drink this fruity and delicious dessert.
For breakfast the next day, leftover coconut milk can be substituted for water in your oatmeal, try adding mango and raisins as well. Oatmeal will never be the same!
9. DAL BAHT (amounts are per camper)
½ c black bean flakes
½ c instant rice
2 tbsp dried vegetables (to be rehydrated)
1 tbsp dried coconut milk powder
1 tsp curry powder
1-2 tbsp raisins
1-2 tbsp cashews or peanuts
At home: Bag the bean flakes, rice, coconut milk and curry powder; vegetables in separate bag.
In camp: Rehydrate vegetables at noon. At dinner, put veggies and bean mixture in pot, cover boiling water, boil again, remove, let sit 5 minutes. Serve with raisins and nuts.
10. CHICKEN STIR-FRY and TORTELLINI serves 4-5
Garlic paste 1-2 tsp
3 chicken breasts cut into strips
2 c sliced mushrooms, fresh or dried Shitake
1-2 red peppers thin strips
oil
Parmesan cheese
350ml Boil in bag Marinara Pasta and Food Sauce
three-cheese tortellini
Boil water and add pasta. Heat oil and sauté garlic. Add chicken, then peppers and mushrooms. Mix in food sauce when veggies almost cooked. Add pasta. Grate Parmesan.
11. WHITE CHILI
Cook this at home (A) or dehydrate ingredients for camping (B). Use
fresh or (B) dehydrate separately:
1 lb. ground turkey or chicken
1/2 cup diced raw potato
1 onion, chopped
2 stocks celery, chopped
Spices (B – in a ziploc bag)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground thyme
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
pinch cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp chopped pickled jalapeno pepper
2 c cooked white kidney beans, drained
1 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
(A) In a large saucepan, heat oil. Cook turkey, celery, garlic and onions until well cooked. Stir in
jalapeno and spices. Cook, stirring 1 minute. Add beans, stock and potato; bring to a boil. Reduce heat
and simmer, partly covered for 30 minutes. Discard bay leaf and stir in lime juice just before serving.
(B) Put dehydrated turkey, potato, celery and onion in a pot. Cover with boiling water. Let sit 1 hour.
Drain. In large pot, heat garlic in oil, add rehydrated food and rest of the ingredients except lime
juice. Cook 15-20 minutes. To serve, remove bay leaf and stir in lime juice.
12. ANOTHER CHILI
Open 2 cans Stagg’s Vegetable Garden Chile into a pot. Add 2 more cans of beans (garbanzo, kidney, lima). Heat and eat with focaccia bread.
13. GRILLING
a. Grilled Fruit Kebabs
Plan for about a cup of fruit per person. Popular fruit choices are: peach chunks, plum chunks, whole strawberries.
Brush fruit (and cake) with maple syrup. Grill fruit kebabs for 1 minute per side or until nicely marked.
Grill cake for 30 seconds per side. Use French vanilla yogurt as a sauce for dipping or drizzling over the cooked kebabs.
b. Grilled Veggies
The great chefs are grilling! If you have a grate and a campfire or hibachi you can grill veggies and fruit, too. Thread vegetables or fruit onto wooden skewers to help keep them from falling through the cracks.
Choose a combination for a side dish, to go in a wrap or quesadilla.
Popular veggie choices are
. peppers (green/red/yellow/orange)- core and slice in long quarters or wide strips
. small summer squash or zucchini-cut in half inch thick diagonal slices
. asparagus spears-snap off the woody end
. cherry tomatoes
. snow peas-cut off stem end and pull out stringy bit
. green beans-top and tail and pull out stringy bit
. carrots-cut in thick diagonal slices or sticks & boil for about 5 minutes before grilling
Bring along a sprig of rosemary and strip off the leaves to toss the veggies with in a ‘glug’ of olive oil-just enough to coat them. (Or use a big pinch of dried rosemary.)
Grill veggies over medium hot coals for 15-20 minutes, turning them to cook evenly. Monitor closely.
14. GREAT GREEK
For appetizers – serve dolmathes (rice stuffed grape leaves). Look for cans in Mediterranean deli sections.
For the main course – plan for 1-2 very thick pita bread per person. Especially delicious is the flax seed pita from the Banana Belt grocery in Oak Bay. Split and warm the pita over a grill or lightly oiled in a fry pan. Fill with your favourite combination:
Bulgur Pilaf (see recipe below)
Falafel – crumbled after cooking in olive oil (buy 2 packages of falafel mix or 454 g from bulk bins for 8 paddlers)
Tomatoes – chopped (1 medium per paddler)
Peppers – sliced thinly (2 for 8 paddlers)
Onions – sliced thinly (1 medium for 8 paddlers)
Cucumber – slices (1 English cuke for 8 paddlers)
Greek olives – pitted
Tzatziki – in the dairy case (450 mL for 6-8)
For dessert – halva, Turkish Delight, fresh figs and dates.
BULGUR PILAF
(Serves 8)
olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 cups bulgur
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup apricots
2 cups boiling stock (use 2 vegetable cubes)
salt and pepper.
Cook onions in oil till softened. Stir in bulgur and cook for 1 minute. Add everything else. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
15. LAZY SUSHI
Sushi is a really easy and healthy one-dish meal for any day of your kayak trip. Pressed sushi is made in specially designed wooden molds called oshizushi-bako, “pressed sushi box.” This is the oldest type of sushi, originating from the method used to preserve fish in rice with vinegar. Pressed sushi boxes are made of three parts: a base, a surrounding box and a top for pressing. Here is an adapted version of this traditional style that you can make without the special wooden mold. This style of sushi is useful for traveling because of its compact size and durability. Usually cooked rather than raw fish is used. Smoked salmon or pickled herring is easy to transport, and keeps very well. Try finding a local variety of smoked salmon in a vacuum package. Canned salmon or tuna works well too.
The kayak friendly way is to use whatever dish you have in your camp kitchen gear—anything from a frying pan, baking pan, Tupperware container, or even a Frisbee turned upside down. This dish will become your mold by lining it with plastic wrap. The only other supplies needed are one pot for cooking the rice, a cutting board and a knife.
Cook sushi rice, let cool, then add 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, which is a key ingredient in sushi. This could be done the night before and the prepared rice stored in a zip-lock bag if you are making pressed sushi for lunch.
Chop toppings such as cucumber, peppers, avocado, mango or strawberry. Anything goes—it’s all about adding colorful layers. Try basil, sun-dried tomatoes and cream cheese as toppings for lox, with capers as garnish.
With your mold lined with plastic wrap, add chopped veggies or fruit. Cover the whole pan, and build layers similar to making lasagna. Try adding a layer of wasabi–mayo before evenly distributing the fish.
Wet your hands to prevent the rice from sticking. Then press on a thin layer of rice approximately 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick covering the pan. Next add a nori layer, which travels well in its protective package. The last layer is another application of rice.
Cover the top with plastic wrap, then firmly and evenly press with your hands. Grab your water bottle and use it like a rolling pin to squish the sushi into the mold. The goal is to compress the air spaces in the rice so that it does not crumble.
If you’re planning to eat sushi on the first day of your kayak trip, try making it the night before and carrying the finished sushi in your hatch while you enjoy your time kayaking. The great thing about this method is how easily it travels, without compromising the presentation or taste.
When you are ready to eat your pressed sushi, flip the mold over onto a cutting board—the veggie layer becomes the top. Carefully remove the plastic wrap, and cut the sushi into bite size pieces. Wet your knife before making each cut to prevent the rice from sticking.
Try garnishing with herbs, edible flowers, berries, green onion or capers. Remember to bring the ready-to-use wasabi in a tube, pickled ginger in a jar, and a small container of soya sauce. Pressed sushi makes a great alternative meal that is quick, easy, and beautiful—especially after a full day of paddling.
16. FOIL DINNER
At a camp where you can have an open fire:
1 potato per person—grated
1 onion for 3 people—chopped or finely sliced
1/2 stalk celery per person—chopped
1/2 carrot per person—grated
1/2 package Yves Veggie Ground Round per person
1 packet of Club House Herb n Garlic seasoning for 6 to 8 servings
In a large bowl, combine the ingredients. Cut 15 inch lengths of aluminum foil, cover with a layer of moistened newspaper or paper towel and top with a second length of foil. Arrange a column of dinner ingredients along the foil and wrap together. Place on a bed of coals for 10 minutes, turn and heat another 10 minutes.
Note—the dish is mild, so you could try Italian Ground Round or pass a bottle of hot sauce around for those who like it hot.
17. VEGETARIAN PESTO LASAGNA
Use fresh vegetables or dehydrate them at home. No-boil lasagna noodles and simplify cooking.
Ingredients: 1 lb box lasagna noodles, 1 6-oz jar pesto sauce, 8 oz marinara sauce, 3 large tomatoes, sliced, 2 medium zucchinis, 2 cups button mushrooms, 2 fistfuls spinach leaves, 1/2 lb Monterey Jack cheese, shredded, 6 oz Parmesan cheese, grated.
In camp: Arrange 1 layer pasta in 12″ Dutch oven. Spread thin layer pesto sauce on noodles. Pour thin layer of marinara sauce, followed with few tomatoe slices, handful mushrooms, zucchini and spinach. Generously sprinkle both cheeses. Add another layer of pasta and repeat. Cover top with Parmesan and bake for 40 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes. (refer to article on Dutch oven cooking)
18. COCONUT CURRY STIR-FRY with TOFU (serves 4)
At home: Dehydrate 3 sweet red or yellow peppers cut in strips, 1 bunch of broccoli cut into bite-size pieces, 4 carrots sliced, 1 c snap peas cut into 1” pieces, 2 c sliced mushrooms cleaned and sliced (store these in a separate bag), 3 tomatoes sliced, 1 20-oz can pineapple chunks until crisp. Double bag in Ziploc bags.
In camp: Cover veggies in water and soften. Melt 2 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil and sear 1 pound box of tofu (does not require refrigeration) until brown and crisp. Set aside. In a large pan mix 2 c water with 1 packet coconut cream powder, dissolve 1 tbsp cornstarch in it, and whisk in 1 tbsp red curry paste. Bring to a boil. Add veggies and simmer for a few minutes.
Serve over rice (whole grain or long grain wild rice not instant). Cook the rice at home and dry on solid sheets. In camp, boil for a minute or two and let stand for ~ 10 minutes.
