dehydrating for no cook meals

[Millette Jones]

I am planning a 4 day trip to the Smokies in late July. The temps should be quite sweltering and I really have no desire to eat or drink anything hot. So I have a couple questions…

1. Does tofu need to be cooked prior to dehydrating if it is being rehydrated with cold water?

2. I dehydrated a pouch of Zatarain's Dirty Rice with Pork. It's one of those pre-cooked pouches that microwave in 60 seconds. After dehyrating I noticed there was a lot of oil on the finished product. I've got it in the fridge right now but I was curious if this is the best way to store it and if it will go rancid quickly once I'm out there in the July heat. Maybe it should be the meal for the first night.

Any other tips or suggestions would be appreciated.

[Sarah Kirkconnell]

Fair warning…tofu is not the easiest thing to rehydrate after drying.
Try at home first – you may be disappointed.

[Jack Scheckton]

look into tofu skin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tofu_skin

Very thin, rehydrates easily, high protein…

[Millette Jones]

I rehydrated some tofu that had been first frozen with a honey teriyaki marinade then dehydrated. I let it sit in cold water for about 30 minutes and it wasn't too bad, I couldn't tell that it hadn't been cooked so I guess it will be ok. A little spongy but that's normal for tofu that's been frozen.

Maybe I'm not too discriminating but I could eat it…especially mixed with noodles and a peanut sauce.

[Millette Jones]

Thanks for the tip…the tofu skin looks interesting!

[Laurie Ann March]

I have a few no cook meals. Citrus Lentil Salad…

Citrus Lentil Salad
copyright 2007 Laurie March

Dehydration Time: 5 to 7 hours
Serves 2

Salad Mixture
1 cup of canned green lentils – rinsed and well drained
1 small carrot – coarsely grated
2 cloves garlic – minced
3 tablespoons celery leaves – chopped (see notes)
1/3 cup roasted red pepper – chopped in 1/4 inch pieces (see notes)
1/8 cup fresh chives or scallions – chopped
1/8 cup fresh parsley – chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon lemon zest
salt and pepper – to taste
3 tablespoons of crumbled feta cheese

Dressing
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried sweet basil

At Home: Combine all of the salad ingredients except for the dressing in a medium bowl. Spread out the salad mixture on lined dehydrator trays and dry for 5 to 7 hours. Time will depend on the type of dehydrator that you have. If your unit has a temperature control, set it for 135°F. Place the lemon juice and olive oil in a leak proof container such as a small Nalgene bottle. Pack the cayenne, cumin and sweet basil in plastic wrap or a small zipper bag. Place the salad, bottle and spice packet inside a medium zipper bag and seal, making sure to remove as much air as possible.

At Camp: Rehydrate the salad using a formula of 1.5 parts dried mix to 1 part water. Wait 5 or 10 minutes and then add a little more water if needed. If you accidentally use too much water, be sure to drain the salad well before adding the dressing. Combine the contents of the spice packet to the bottle containing the olive oil and lemon juice mixture. Shake vigorously and then pour the dressing on the hydrated salad. Stir gently to combine.

Serving Suggestions: Serve the salad on its’ own, with lightly toasted Greek pitas, or use as a filling for a pita pocket.

Notes
Storage: If you plan to make this well ahead of a trip then do not make the oil and lemon mixture until closer to when you will leave. You can store the dried ingredients in the freezer for 6 months. Place the name and date on the outside of the freezer bag, using an indelible marker, and do not forget to put a comment about adding the dressing on the bag.

Roasted Red Peppers: to roast peppers place them on a baking sheet in a 350 F oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Allow to cool before peeling off the skin. You can also grill them until the skin starts to blacken and peel. You can buy roasted red peppers, packed in oil, at the supermarket. Just give them a little rinse first.

Celery Leaves: Many people do not realize that the leaves found on the celery stalks are good for use in salads and other dishes. Celery leaves impart a mild celery flavor. Most often, the leaves are at the top of the celery; however, if you look closely you will sometimes find them hidden in the centre of the stalks.

I also have some other hummus and pate type recipes (all vegetarian)… if you pm me through my profile I can send you some more recipes.

[Author]

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