Quinoa

[Sean Passanisi]

I purchase quinoa at home that cooks in about 15 minutes. I see that others here cook quinoa on the trail. Is there a source for quick cooking quinoa?

[Backpack Jack]

I cook the Quinoa first at home, then dehydrate it, then it's easy and faster to rehydrate on the trail using less fuel.

Jack

[Leigh Baker]

Ditto what Jack said.

[Dondo .]

There's a company out of Boulder called Keen One that sells little 4 oz. packets of quinoa that cook in 8 minutes.

[Sean Passanisi]

Pardon my ignorance, but does dehydrating require a machine?

[Sarah Kirkconnell]

No, you can cook and dry without a dehydrator. Just line baking sheets (rimmed ones) with parchment paper, and spread the cooked quinoa on it. Dry in your oven on the lowest setting, stirring every 30 minutes, until toasty dry.

Here is a simple method for cooking quinoa on the trail that doesn't require 15 minutes of fuel…..
http://blog.trailcooking.com/2012/08/08/the-thermos-method-for-quinoa/

[BlackHatGuy]

Outdoor Herbivore sells dehydrated organic quinoa.

http://outdoorherbivore.com/instant-dehydrated-quinoa/

[Rafi Harzahav]

E.g., http://www.purcellmountainfarms.com/Organic%20Quinoa%20Flakes.htm

[Sarah Kirkconnell]

Rafi, the flakes work best in creamy dishes – like breakfast cereal, or savory ones for dinner.

[Bob Gross]

I was introduced to Quinoa a few years ago. Once in a while, I purchase Quinoa flakes at the Whole Foods store. Most of the time, I purchase normal Quinoa and cook it normally (like rice), then dehydrate it on a food dehydrator (during the winter, when the waste heat warms the house). Dehydrated Quinoa is simple to use on a backpacking trip, and Quinoa flakes is better for baking Quinoa Cookies. Either makes a good diet source for protein and carbohydrates.

–B.G.–

[Virginia Craft]

You can also pre-soak (typically 6-8 hours) the quinoa and it cuts the cook time in half.

This may or may not be a viable option though depending on how much water you are carrying and if you have a sealed container to put the quinoa in.
It is, however, an option if you aren't prepared with dehydrated quinoa and you don't want to use a ton of fuel to cook it up.

[Anonymous]

"You can also pre-soak (typically 6-8 hours) the quinoa and it cuts the cook time in half"

Excellent idea, particularly if you are laying over for a day, or doing base camp/day hike backpacking. It works very well for split red lentils(masoor dal), too.

[Virginia Craft]

Mmm…split red lentils. So tasty!
Legumes and grains react very well to a good pre-soak.

Another thing that my boyfriend and I recently discovered on our cross-country bicycle trip relates to spaghetti:
We would boil a pot of water, put in some spaghetti (I prefer the thin spaghetti – capellini), put out the flame, cover, and let sit for 7-12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the noodles.
Essentially, you only use your fuel to boil the water, then put out the flame, save the remaining fuel, cover the pot and let it sit for the given times.
After a 80 or 90 mile bike ride, this became the ambrosia of all ambrosias!

[Anonymous]

There is also Amaranth, which has some similarities and minor differences to Quinoa. One difference is that Amaranth i think is two essential amino acids short from being a complete protein so called, but it is a bit more nutritionally dense in other areas.

Taste is quite a bit of a difference in that Quinoa is more neutral tasting, and Amaranth has a more distinctive and nutty type taste. Amaranth also gets sticky when well cooked. (lends itself well to making homemade energy bars or the like, perhaps).

Sometimes i make a dehydrated energy meal out of a combo of blended figs, dates, and amaranth all cooked together (the amaranth gets cooked longer) and then dehydrated. A goodly amount of sugar and carbs, but since there is lots of fiber not near as blood sugar spiking as more refined sugars and carbs. Sometimes i glaze the top with some extra virgin coconut oil and/or sprinkle some goat milk powder on.

[Virginia Craft]

Yum! I especially like the final touch of a coconut oil and goat milk powder glaze. Now we're talkin'!

[Anonymous]

Haha Virginia, you must be strange like me. Glad you appreciated the sort of recipe though.

[Virginia Craft]

Here's to strangers being strange! *clink*

[Dan Magdoff]

if regualtions allow you to have a fire, I often cook my quiona (and most dinners) directly on the fire. I get a nice bed of coals, and just put my pot directly on them. Eliminates a lot of fuel needs and its kind of fun :)

[Author]

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