Vegan Meals?

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Vegan Meals?

Postby TerraMer » Tue 21 May, 2013 11:59 pm

This is a question for vegan hikers and vegan endurance enthusiasts only.

I am full vegetarian but trying to go vegan because of both dietary intolerances and adopting a more environmentally conscious animal cruelty free lifestyle.

Anyone have any good tips for nutritious, low gluten, vegan trekking meals and menu planning for up to 2 weeks between fresh fruit and veg supplies? Desirably quick and easy to make. All ingredients will be carried in a trekking cart that can get as hot as 62C inside on a 42C (ambient) day.
I have a variety of gluten free vegan snacks including protein and energy bars and breakfast is sorted but I'm a bit lost for lunches and dinners and having a bit of variety.

I have a dehydrator and vacuum sealer.

Your ideas and advice will be greatly appreciated.

This is not the first time being vegan. I have been vegan on merchant and activist ships where someone else cooked from an almost endless supply of exotic A grade fresh ingredients (except for the activist ship where the food was donated and every meal packed full of gluggy gluten crap and I resorted to fasting for weeks instead of being sick because the cook didn't want to cater for intolerances). Those days are long gone and, although I am known for being very imaginative, my culinary creations can often turn into catastrophies.

Cheers

(don't bother with non vegetarian/vegan comments, this thread is for vegan feedback only)
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Re: Vegan Meals?

Postby Onestepmore » Sat 25 May, 2013 9:29 pm

TerraMer wrote: my culinary creations can often turn into catastrophies.


<3

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We can learn a lot from crayons. They come in different shapes and colours, but they all have to live in the same box
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Re: Vegan Meals?

Postby sim1oz » Sun 26 May, 2013 11:01 pm

Hi TerraMer,

Here are some low-gluten ideas I've successfully dehydrated and used on the trail:

minestrone soup - really filling with all those legumes and vegies
red lentil soup (red lentils, tomato soup, coconut cream + spices) - I also use this as a vegetarian bolognaise if made very thick
vege soup, mainly blended with small chunks
Rice and lentils - use different spices to change the flavour, eg. indian, thai, morrocan, etc. - add different vegies
Cous cous is great but I don't know if a low gluten variety exists
dehy dips - hummus, tahini, beetroot dip, eggplant dip
Tropical fruit and rice pudding for dessert

Cheers
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Re: Vegan Meals?

Postby TerraMer » Mon 27 May, 2013 3:10 am

Thanks sim1oz
Yum :D
Dehy dips?! This will be fun :)
Thanks for reminding me about lentils. Didn't think about them as I rarely use them but they would be a perfect food to carry dry. I could soak a serving in a watertight bottle during the day to save time later.
How long does it take to fully dehydrate homemade soup?
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Re: Vegan Meals?

Postby TerraMer » Mon 27 May, 2013 3:15 am

Onestepmore wrote:<3

This is where my dogs are useful


Love it :)

Not even the possums will touch some of my leftovers :roll:
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Re: Vegan Meals?

Postby rogo » Mon 27 May, 2013 9:17 am

sim1oz wrote:Hi TerraMer,

Here are some low-gluten ideas I've successfully dehydrated and used on the trail:

minestrone soup - really filling with all those legumes and vegies
red lentil soup (red lentils, tomato soup, coconut cream + spices) - I also use this as a vegetarian bolognaise if made very thick
vege soup, mainly blended with small chunks
Rice and lentils - use different spices to change the flavour, eg. indian, thai, morrocan, etc. - add different vegies
Cous cous is great but I don't know if a low gluten variety exists
dehy dips - hummus, tahini, beetroot dip, eggplant dip
Tropical fruit and rice pudding for dessert

Cheers

+1 for the hummus. I did this for my last walk and I had my friends lining up for a taste.
+1 also for the lentils. Quick to cook and great to throw into other dinners to increase protein and to thicken it up.
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Re: Vegan Meals?

Postby sim1oz » Thu 30 May, 2013 7:39 pm

Hi TerraMer,

My soups usually take about 12 hours to dehydrate, I think. I try to do them on the weekend when I am home so I can check up on them. Half way, I might pull the trays out and give the partly dried material a bit of a stir to break things up into smaller pieces which helps it dry faster. I keep doing that as it gets closer to the end to make sure that everything is properly dried.

Dips I usually grind with my mortar and pestle once they are dried so that they re-hydrate faster.

My basic recipe is just to create different mixes so I don't get bored: lentils/quinoa/rice/barley/cous cous/pasta + vegies (carrots, onions, mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, peas, zucchini, capsicum - I chop up whatever I have handy) + herbs/spices. Crushed nuts or croutons can be nice to throw on top when re-hydrated and ready to eat.
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Re: Vegan Meals?

Postby srforum112 » Thu 30 May, 2013 8:10 pm

Hi TerraMer
I can suggest mung bean dahl. The mung beans are high in protein, make a creamy and delicious dahl that is very satisfying with rice and dehydrates really well. Plus its easy to make...recipe below.
Other favourites (all dehydrated at home) are lentil bolognaise, mushroom risotto,risotto with pumkin and pine nuts, home made hummus, olives, vegetable satay, lasksa with TVG, Massaman/red curry with beans (white or butter bean) and veggies, Marrakech stew (lots of vegies and spices).

Mung Bean Dal Ingredients
1 1/2 cups dry mung beans
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp oil or ghee
1 Tbsp of finely grated ginger root
1 Tbsp of finely grated turmeric root or
1 tsp of turmeric powder (only if the fresh root is not available) 1 tsp cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
Optional Ingredients
1 medium onion – diced
2 garlic cloves – minced
extra tsp of fresh ginger
1 tsp of Cayenne pepper – to spice up Procedure/ Method

The secret here is to first boil six to seven cups of water (depending on how soupy you like your dal) with the bay leaves and salt.
Make sure to first rinse the mung beans and then add them to the water. Simmer to a light boil for 30-45 minutes or until the beans are soft and mushy. You can’t really overcook mung beans.
While cooking your spices -cumin seeds, turmeric and ginger with the oil or ghee. Add any other spice like cayenne pepper at this time. If you are adding onion and garlic than saute the onion and garlic also at this time with some extra oil or ghee.
The Cumin seeds should turn light brown and give off a nice aroma. After a few minutes at the spice & ghee mixture to the cooked mung beans and water. Mix together and simmer for another 10 minutes or so.
Add extra water if necessary to keep mung bean dal to desired consistency. Taste and add spices or extra salt as desired.
Serve with rice or flat bread
Optional: Add vegetables like cauliflower or broccoli or beetroot.
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Re: Vegan Meals?

Postby TerraMer » Thu 30 May, 2013 11:34 pm

sim1oz Again, thank you. I will have a go at the soup and dip drying next week. So long as I'm not feeding anyone else I can go wild with flavours :D

srforum112 Do the mung beans taste different dried and rehyd? I will try your recipe and hope to be pleasantly surprised :D but I think raw mung beans taste like satan's sprouts
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Re: Vegan Meals?

Postby srforum112 » Fri 31 May, 2013 6:29 pm

Hi TerraMer
I don't notice a difference in taste between just made and rehydrated dried mung bean dal. It's one of my favourite meals.
Let me know how the dal tastes...hopefully a bit better than the raw mung beans!!
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Re: Vegan Meals?

Postby Eremophila » Fri 07 Jun, 2013 7:32 pm

Not sure how this would dehydrate, or otherwise work for travelling. It's called Jamaican Rice & Peas, aarrrgh I've just realised all my cookbooks are packed away (moving house soon) :x The "peas" are actually beans, I think the original used black-eyed peas but the recipe I have just uses kidney beans.
Basically it's rice cooked in coconut cream, with a little water added. Add some thyme, fresh chilli and the beans prior to cooking, plus a little salt. It sounds very bland but is surprisingly tasty for the few ingredients. Would provide fat/protein/carbs and no gluten.
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Re: Vegan Meals?

Postby TerraMer » Tue 11 Jun, 2013 3:14 pm

Wow! Eremophila that sounds very yummy and I will definitely be trying it and drying it.
Make sure you send me your new address so I can visit again next time I cross the mote :) My current address is the old blue kombi somewhere on the east coast. Look for 72 BLUE or use your nose to follow the scent of Jamaican rice and beans :P
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Re: Vegan Meals?

Postby sim1oz » Sat 15 Jun, 2013 7:45 pm

Hi TerraMer,

I haven't done it yet, but have been playing with with the idea of sprouting for longer walks. It means I would need to carry about 100-200mL of water in a watertight container, but it would be a nice way of getting some fresh stuff into the system, to add variety and lots of nutrients. Think pea shoots, mung bean, broccoli, alfalfa,... The dried seeds are very lightweight until you sprout them. I think I'll experiment at home to see how much sunlight it needs. Taking the jar out of the pack every time we rest might not be enough. I'd be happy to hear from anyone who has tried this before.

Cheers,
Simone
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Re: Vegan Meals?

Postby srforum112 » Sun 16 Jun, 2013 5:22 pm

Hi sim1oz
I've sprouted mung beans while out walking. I enjoyed having the sprouts for lunch and would include them in evening dehydrated meals. Sprouting while walking is very easy. What I took to sprout included: a small light wieght container with lid purchased from the supermarket used for sprouting, strong large rubber band, pantyhose (cutoff the foot end section including enclosed toe) and the seeds of your choice.

Soak the seeds overnight. In the morning drain the water from the container then place the panty hose over the container (enclosed toe over opening) and secure with rubber band. Place in pack where the opening remains upright (I put this in my pack side pocket, where it fits snuggly). The seeds don't need sunlight to sprout. Each evening I rinsed the sprouts with fresh water. In two-three days you have sprouts.

You can start the sprouting process before you leave home and then start another during your walk. Really depends how long you are out on the trail. The seeds may take longer to sprout if walking in colder temperatures, some form of insulation may be useful to encourage sprouting.

Its good to work out quantities and the sprouting process at home before you do this on the trail. Its worth doing.
Good luck!
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Re: Vegan Meals?

Postby TerraMer » Sun 16 Jun, 2013 7:39 pm

Great idea :)
I'll try a few different sprouts in a variety of conditions too. It will be good to know what has the best chance of surviving cold desert and mountains or hot humidity
Thanks :)
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Re: Vegan Meals?

Postby TerraMer » Tue 25 Jun, 2013 2:36 pm

srforum112 wrote:I can suggest mung bean dahl.


Hi srforum112
I tried it but have to admit mung beans are still Lucifer's legumes so I replaced them with a tin of chickpeas and it was great. Very creamy, might be new favourite :)
Haven't tried dehydrating anything lately but hoping to be reunited with my kitchen gadgets soon. Just not enough room in the kombi for the food dryer and vac sealer
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Re: Vegan Meals?

Postby Eremophila » Tue 02 Jul, 2013 11:05 pm

Hi Terra, spotted these in a local IGA yesterday (now living in SW Vic):
http://www.lentilicious.com.au/product.php
They sound very yummy but were horrendously expensive, and take 2 1/2 cups water/25 min cooking time. So prob'ly not practical for a long walk, but nice perhaps for a treat.
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Re: Vegan Meals?

Postby TerraMer » Tue 02 Jul, 2013 11:45 pm

They do look like a real treat :)
Thanks for sharing the link :D

Carrying water for cooking or regular weighty boil-in-the-bag sachet meals is no trouble, especially with the trekking cart, be different if I still walked with the pack. I even have a wide mouth bottle now,just for soaking stuff during the day in preparation for dinner. Walking beside the road most of the time means I can usually get tap water from locals and when crossing the Nullarbor will be calling on the help of truckies between roadhouses for water and food drops.

I am really hoping the weekly IGA truck between Norseman and Eucla lets me place a regular order for fresh fruit and veg supplies while walking. I used to work on the Nullarbor and it was my favourite day of the week, picking up the groceries (and mail) from the closest roadhouse.

It is going to be fun when the walk continues later this year to try out all these new ideas without the convenience of a kitchen or comfort of the kombi :)
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Re: Vegan Meals?

Postby [Jack]son » Tue 10 May, 2016 3:47 pm

This thread was awesome to read, thanks y'all. Tonnes of great ideas.
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Re: Vegan Meals?

Postby walk2wineries » Sun 10 Jul, 2016 12:53 pm

Not a huge fan of chia myself but mixing with long life almond milk/sugar would make a filling dessert; need to soak for a while but need not cook. I quite like using it rather than cornflour if I want a thickener. I gather it can be used for quick sprouting as well - I'm a sprout fan but tend to use the spicy ones (fenugreek, cress.) http://dailyburn.com/life/recipes/chia-seed-recipes/
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Re: Vegan Meals?

Postby serench » Tue 04 Jul, 2017 11:58 am

Just got a dehydrator and am very excited to try the dips especially - thanks for the recipes everyone!
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