Ingredients Used

It can be challenging to find backpacking recipes that don't involve a dehydrator or freeze dryer. I wanted to make recipes that were simple and don't require fancy equipment. To make these recipes easy I have tried to minimize the number of specialty ingredients. Most ingredients can be found at grocery stores but a few items I buy online. The most important ones that I buy online are freeze-dried peas, dehydrated beans and freeze-dried tofu. I try to re-use the ingredients in multiple recipes.

Key Ingredients

Freeze-Dried Peas

I really like using peas in recipes because it adds a bit of freshness, adds color and for a vegetable is relatively high in protein and fiber. They rehydrate quicker than dried peas and weigh less. Peas also have a fairly neutral flavor and can be added to many recipes.

Dehydrated Refried Beans

Cheaper and easier than buying freeze-dried beans, refried beans hydrate much faster than dried beans. They are also packed with protein and fiber.

Freeze-Dried Tofu

Sometimes available in-store at Asian grocery stores, this is a fantastic protein source that has a bit more body to it than using TPP. It rehydrates very quickly in cold or hot water. Sometimes you can substitute dried bean curd sheets (tofu skin) but this will change the texture and will take longer to rehydrate. Dried bean curd sheets are very easy to find at Asian grocery stores like H-Mart.

Ingredients I Buy Online (with Store-Bought Substitutes)

Powdered Oat Milk

Substitutes: Powdered coconut milk or dairy whole milk powder. Powdered coconut milk can be found at Asian grocery stores like H-Mart, and powdered milk can be found at most grocery stores. Coconut milk powder will have a slightly stronger taste than the more neutral oat milk, and whole milk powder has a lower calorie count (but higher protein). All three milk options will work though.

Calorie comparison:

Oat Milk Powder: 1 TBSP (11g) = 60 calories and 1 gram protein
Coconut Milk Powder: 1 TBSP (9g) = 60 calories and less than 1 gram protein
Whole Milk Powder: 1 TBSP (7g) = 35 calories and 2 grams protein

Textured Pea Protein (TPP)

Substitute: Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP) — the two products can be used interchangeably. The main difference is pea protein vs soy, so decide which protein source is best for you! I like mixing it up and using both. I find the flavor to be similar between the two and the main difference is the texture and size. TPP is larger and has more texture which can be nice, TVP is smaller (takes up less volume) and has a slightly higher calorie and protein count per gram.