Keep it fresh

Paddle Meals: Baja bean salad and roasted veggie lasagna. Read the entire magazine online.

by Hilary Masson

One of my favorite aspects of a kayak expedition is the sharing of meals, experimenting with ingredients and creating new combination of flavors. The thing that adds the most variety to meals is definitely the variety of people involved. Every person comes from a different background, has different tastes and different cooking experience.

The trick is to allow the group to help shape the menu for the adventure. Plus get the kids involved during family paddling trips. Assign them a few meals to plan, or get them in there to help chop, stir and blend.

The next trick to planning good meals is to consider what interesting and fresh foods are available in the area you are planning on exploring. Usually you can get an idea of what’s available ahead of time with a little research. Things to ask: What are the seasonal opportunities? What fruits and veggies are likely available? Can you collect shellfish or fish easily? Sometimes you will not know what’s in stock until you arrive and go to the supermarket (or better yet, the local market) to do the provisioning. The best thing to keep in mind is to remain flexible with your meal plan for your kayak expedition.

The best tip I can give anyone is to keep an open mind and don’t be afraid to go big. Things last very well in a kayak, so there is no excuse to skimp on the fresh fruits and veggies. Even down here in Baja, Mexico, if you pack carefully things will last for over 10 days. Packing tips:

• Don’t use plastic bags or dry bags to store your fruits and veggies. They need to breathe, so don’t suffocate them. Getting a little saltwater on a tomato or orange won’t do it any harm. I use fabric or mesh shopping bags for breathability.

• Soft fruits and veggies don’t last as well, such as lettuce, tomatoes, pears and mushrooms. However, these will last much better if you wrap them in paper towel, as moisture will be absorbed to protect freshness.

• Pack carefully. I use cardboard boxes, like old cereal boxes, to store breads and soft fruit that may bruise. Fold or cut the boxes into sizes that will fit into your hatch.

On longer trips I rely much more on dehydrated meals. There are many different flavors and options out there. I reccommend adding a few fresh veggies to the pre-packaged meals. Most local grocery stores carry dehydrated coconut milk and hummus powder. I have found these to be most practical for preparing on trips.

If you have a dehydrator at home, you may be able to make your favorite curry, stew, chili, salsa and pasta sauce in your kitchen, then dehydrate it yourself. Surprise everyone with a halibut alfredo pasta sauce on day 10! Just add fresh produce to make dehydrated meals more interesting.\

Baja Bean Salad: Quick, easy and good for all seasons

• 450g/16oz. can of whole black beans

• 450g/16oz. can of corn

• 1 red onion

• 1 ea. red and green pepper

• 2-4 tomatoes

• 1 jicama grated and cilantro

Salad Dressing:

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 2-3 large limes

• 1 tbs. honey

• 1 tsp. cumin

Chop the onion, peppers and tomatoes into small bite-sized pieces and place into a salad bowl (or medium pot). Peel the jicama’s thick skin and grate into the bowl. Rinse the canned beans and corn in water then add them to the veggies. If you have a small pressure cooker soak the beans overnight then cook on medium heat in the pressure cooker for 20 minutes. Pressure cookers are quite efficient on propane, and beans taste much better homemade than from a can, and are healthier too! In a small bowl or cup mix together the olive oil and honey, squeeze in the lime juice, add the cumin in last and stir. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Serve with crackers and mild chunky salsa.

Roasted Veggie Lasagna

This recipe equires a Dutch or Outback Oven.

• No boil lasagna noodles

• 3 cloves of garlic

• 1 zucchini

• 10 fresh or 3.5oz. dried mushrooms

• 1 white onion or green onions

• 5 Roma tomatoes

• 8 tomatillos (baby green tomatoes)

• 1 each red, yellow and green peppers

• 1 bunch spinach, or swiss chard

• 500g/16oz. mozzarella cheese

• 100g/3.5oz. ricotta cheese

What makes a simple lasagna recipe interesting is the homemade aspect. Start by preparing your sauce: roast the garlic, onions and peppers in a frying pan on medium heat until browned, then place aside. In the same pan roast the tomatoes and tomatillos. Add a pinch of salt. Set this aside and chop the remaining veggies and grate the cheese. Now layer the noodles directly in the outback oven. The homemade tomato sauce has enough liquid to steam the noodles and the remaining vegetables for 20 minutes in the oven. Salt to taste. Adapt the recipe with whatever fresh veggies you have. Try experimenting with different sauces. Boiling these same ingredients for 10 minutes then blending creates a whole different flavored sauce.

Always think fresh produce when provisioning for a kayak expedition. It tastes better and is healthier than pre-packaged “camp food.”

Hilary Masson is a guide and part owner of Baja Kayak Adventure Tours. Visit www.bajakayakadventures.com

Find more information on paddle meals and kayak cooking:

Visit the Wavelength directory of archived Paddle Meals articles.