Recently I
noticed that the Safeway grocery store house brand, O Organics, has
instant oatmeal packets. The beauty of these packets is that unlike
most brands they are sugar free and very low in sodium (40 mg). Each
packet is oats, vitamins and a pinch of sea salt. Each packet holds
about 1/4 cup dry product.

With the recipe below if
you use a natural unsweetened/low sodium oatmeal (or make your own at
home by whirling quick cooking oats in the blender to break down) you
will need to sweeten the oatmeal. The suggestion is 1 Tbsp, you may
need more.
I choose a blend of dried
multi color raisins, blueberries and cherries from Trader Joe's for my
fruit. Diced dried apricots would work well.
Coconut cream powder is a
great resource. It gives a great creamy texture and a huge punch of
fat. It is easily carried while backpacking as well. For the shredded
coconut I use natural versions. They do not add Propylene Glycol to keep it moist. The drier texture works better for long term storage. You can find this at any natural foods grocery store.

Sarah's Fattening Coconut Berry Oatmeal:
In a pint freezer bag put:
2 packets instant plain oatmeal
2 Tbsp coconut cream powder
2 Tbsp diced dried fruit blend
1 Tbsp natural coconut
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Add 1 cup boiling water and stir well. Let sit for a couple minutes till cool enough to eat.
Serves 1.
Maple Currant Grits:

In a pint freezer bag put:2 packets Instant Grits1 Tbsp maple sugar1 Tbsp dried currants1 Tbsp instant dry milkAdd 1 cup boiling water and stir till smooth. Let sit for a couple minutes till cool enough to eat.Serves 1.Note:If you carry butter with you, a tiny bit added in is nice. This is a
quick and easy breakfast to make on the trail. While I call for dried
currants you can substitute raisins, dried cranberries or even better,
fresh huckleberries in season. Maple
sugar isn't the easiest thing to find but is worth finding it. Look in
natural grocery stores in their bulk bins and on the sweetener shelf.
You can also find it online through maple syrup companies and through retailers like Frontier Food.
Cranberry Sunshine Grits:

In a quart freezer bag put:2 pouches instant grits1/4 cup dried cranberries1 Tbsp dried milk1 tsp brown sugar1/4 tsp cinnamon2 packets True® OrangeAdd 1 cup and 2 Tbsp boiling water. Stir well, for a minute or so then let sit till cool enough to eat.Serves 1.
Raisin Nut Bulgur:
In a pint freezer bag put:
1/4 cup bulgur
2 Tbsp golden raisins
1 tsp brown sugar (or to taste)
1 Tbsp chopped almonds
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp powdered milk (or to taste)
Add enough hot water to cover. Stir and put in a cozy for 10 minutes.
Serves 1.
Thanks to Dicentra.
Golden Breakfast Bulgur:
In a pint freezer bag put:
1/4 cup bulgur
2 T dried apples, diced
1 T golden raisins
1/2 t cinnamon
1 T powdered milk
pinch nutmeg
1 packet honey
Add hot water to cover. Stir and put in a cozy. Stir in the honey and serve.
Serves 1.
Thanks to Dicentra!
Turbo Charged Oatmeal:
In a quart freezer bag put:
2 packets of Trader Joe's Complete Oatmeal
dried cranberries
golden raisins
pinole nuts
(the fruit and nuts can be in any ratio or amount as desired)
1/3 cup powdered Milk
2 scoops of Muscle Milk® "Chocolate Caramel Pecan" flavored drink
Put
boiling water in bag to achieve desired consistency and stir well.
(Start with the amount called for on the oatmeal bags and add as
needed).
You could use any instant oatmeal brand, the Trader
Joe's is a bit healthier overall. As for the nuts, you can also use
whatever nuts you like, be it pecans, walnuts or even pistachios. For
ratio I would suggest starting at 1 Tbsp each on the fruits and nuts.
This breakfast provides 850 calories, 45 grams protein, 24 grams fat (0 trans fat) and 45 grams complex carbs.
Thank you to Mitchell for the recipe.
Fruity Breakfast Rice (vegetarian):
In a quart freezer bag put:
1 1/2 cups instant rice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup dried fruit, diced
2 Tbsp dry milk
1 Tbsp brown sugar
Also take:
1-2 Tbsp butter
Add 1 1/2 cups boiling water and the butter to the bag. Stir well and put in a cozy for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork and serve.
Serves 2-3. This recipe makes quite a bit, but it can be cut in half. It would also work well as a rice dessert as well.
Basic Oatmeal with a little extra (vegetarian):
In a quart freezer bag put:
2 packets instant oatmeal, your choice of flavor
2 Tbsp dry milk
1-2 Tbsp dried fruit
Add 1 cup boiling water. Stir well, let cool a bit, and eat.
Serves 1.
CyndiH's Super Oatmeal (vegetarian):
In a quart freezer bag put:
2 packages instant oatmeal
1 Tbsp dry milk
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp each: dried cranberries, chopped dates and sliced or chopped almonds.
Add 1 cup boiling water, stir and let sit till cool enough to eat.
Serves 1.
Couscous and Fruit for Breakfast (low sodium/vegetarian):
In a quart freezer bag put:
1 1/2 cups couscous
1/2 cup ground dried berries of choice
1/4 cup ground dried bananas
1/2 cup dried pineapple bits
1/4 cup raw sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp or 1 packet
olive oil
Pour 3 cups boiling water into the freezer bag. Stir well
and put in a cozy for 5 minutes. Fluff the couscous and eat.
Serves 2-3.
Dried-Fruit Couscous (low sodium/vegetarian):
In a quart freezer bag put:
1 1/3 cups couscous
2 tsp low sodium bullion of choice
1/3 cup pitted dates, diced
1/3 cup dried figs or prunes, diced
Add 2 cups boiling water, stir well and put in a cozy for 5-10 minutes. Fluff and eat.
Serves 2-3.
Super Charged Oatmeal (low sodium/vegetarian):
In a quart freezer bag put:
1/2 cup oats ground in a coffee grinder or food chopper. A couple pulses will do, use quick cooking oats.
1/4 cup instant dried milk
2 Tbsp. TVP (textured vegetable protein)
1 Tbsp milled Flax seed
1 Tbsp wheat germ
2 tsp brown sugar
A handful of raisins
Add 1 cup boiling water. Mix well, and put in a cozy for 5 minutes.
Warning: This recipe is very high in fiber. Thanks to Turbobill for this recipe.
Brown Sugar & Cinnamon Quinoa:
In a pint freezer bag add:
1/3 cup Quinoa Flakes
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Add
1 cup near boiling water to the dry ingredients. Start stirring and
keep stirring for a minute. Let sit in a cozy tightly sealed for 5
minutes. It will thicken up considerably. This will also work well in
an insulated mug.
If you have a Ti or aluminum mug you can also cook this over a low flame for 90 seconds, stirring constantly.
Serves 1.
Note: I came across Ancient Harvest® Quinoa Flakes
recently and brought a box home to play with. I found it at the local
natural foods grocery store. Quinoa products are often found in the
natural foods or gluten free section in large grocery stores. You can
also find it online at Amazon: Ancient Harvest Quinoa Flakes, 12-Ounce Box (Pack of 7)
While
they don't claim to be instant they do work perfectly for FBC meals.
The box is 12 ounces which is quite a bit of Quinoa! A hearty serving
is 1/3 cup dry Quinoa flakes.
Unlike
traditional Quinoa that takes 15-20 minutes cooking time and needs to
be rinsed beforehand all you need here is boiling water and some
sitting time in a cozy. A good comparison is to oatmeal or grits &
polenta. Any recipe you have for those will work with the flakes. I
tried it out in a quick breakfast and was quite happy with the results.
Quinoa does have a quirky texture if you are not used to it but has so
much more nutritionally to offer over wheat.
Granola:
Nora Ann's Homemade Granola (low sodium/vegetarian):
Preheat oven to 225-F. In a large bowl, mix:
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups Bob's Red Mill® 5-grain cereal (rolled mixed grains)
1/3 cup toasted wheat germ
1 Tbsp cinnamon
2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
In a separate bowl, whisk together:
1/4 cup honey or real maple syrup (not 'pancake' syrup)
1/4 vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
2 tsp vanilla
Add liquid mixture to grains
mixture and toss to coat evenly. Spray 2 jelly roll pans with cooking
spray, and spread mixture evenly in a thin layer on the pans. Bake for
75-90 minutes, or until starting to brown lightly. Cool in pans, then
store in heavy plastic bags in cool, dry place. Granola will get crisp
when it cools.
You can increase the calorie content by adding more oil (up to 1 cup) and more sweetener -- this is not a very sweet granola.
Take about 3/4 cup of granola in a quart bag, add some dried fruit and 1/3 cup of powdered
milk. Add 1 cup cold water in camp and eat from the bag.
Thank you for the recipe Ken and Nora!
Not-Gorp Trail Mix/Breakfast Cereal (vegetarian):
2 parts Quaker Oatmeal Squares® cereal
1/2 part Grapenut® cereal
1 part dried cherries
˝ part dried cranberries
˝ part dried blueberries
1 part whole raw almonds
1 part hazelnuts (aka filberts)
˝ part macadamia nuts
˝ part Brazil nuts
˝ part dehydrated banana slices (unsweetened, not fried)
I usually take a “part” to be a
cup, then half-fill as many quart bags as it takes. I eat this often
during the day (I’m a grazer) but it also makes a great breakfast.
For breakfast:
Combine 3 Tbsp your choice of milk
powder (soy, rice, cow – plain, vanilla, carob, cocoa) and
1 cup cold water – shake – pour over your Not-Gorp.
Thanks to Catzia.
Cran-Orange Cereal (low sodium/vegetarian):
In a quart freezer bag put:
3/4 Cup bulgur or a hot cereal with bulgur
4 Tbsp dried cranberries
2 Tbsp dried blueberries
3 Tbsp orange powder (Tang® can be used, but it doesn’t quite taste the same!)
Add 1 1/2 cup water before bed. In the morning, add 4 Tbsp toasted chopped walnuts (or your favorite nuts/seeds) and enjoy!
Serves 2.
Thanks to Catzia.
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