Quinoa seems to be a little contentious, but if you like it as much as I do, then you’ll love this recipe.
Did you know that quinoa not only has a high protein content, but also a number of other nutrients such as various B vitamins, folate, magnesium and other minerals? Combined with bean flakes, it makes this high-protein dish super nutritious and hearty. It’s also gluten-free, in case you have a sensitivity or intolerance.
Since the ingredients are all completely dehydrated, this quinoa bowl is perfect for long backcountry adventures. The only consideration is the amount of time it takes for quinoa to be fully cooked, and therefore the amount of fuel required. Depending on your altitude, it can vary from 15-20 minutes. You can reduce the active cook time (ie., fuel requirement) in the following 2 ways
- Cook the quinoa till it’s al-dente, and then cover the pot and let it sit for 15 mins. This leads to a fluffier final product, as the quinoa continues cooking in the residual heat.
- Use instant quinoa instead. I’ve been seeing this a lot in outdoors stores recently, but have not tried yet.
And that’s it! This hearty Mexican-inspired quinoa bowl packs a whopping ~48g of protein: 28g from the quinoa and 20g from the black bean flakes.
If you’re looking for more lightweight, high-protein and gluten-free backpacking recipes, check out this Upside Down Vegan Shepherd’s Pie.
Mexican Quinoa Bowl
Ingredients
Base
- 200 g quinoa
- 100 g bean flakes
- 20 g dehydrated vegetables
Spice Mix
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp tomato soup powder
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Pinch cinnamon
- salt to taste
Instructions
At Home
- Package the base ingredients and the spice mix separately. Package the salt in a separate container if you want to add it to taste.
At Camp
- Dump the base ingredients into one pot with 2-3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Keep stirring here and there to prevent it from sticking to the pot. Add more water if it starts getting too thick.
- When it's close to done, say after 10 minutes, it's time to add the spices. But first, check if it's too watery; if so, drain some out. Then add the spice blend, mix, cover and let it cook till completion.
Notes
- You can tell that the quinoa is al dente when it looks mostly translucent with a white spot in the centre (for an example, see the photo above). Once it’s cooked through, that white spot will disappear. Depending on your altitude, it can take up to 15-20 mins for quinoa to fully cook. Replace with instant quinoa for a faster cook time.
- I’d suggest adding the spices towards the end. The tomato soup powder will start to thicken, which can increase the risk of everything sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning. This way, you can also control how soupy the final dish is.
- Don’t add the spices after turning the stove off though; make sure to mix everything together and let it heat through, say for 2-3 minutes. This helps get rid of the raw taste of the spices, and combine flavours properly.