Packable Pleasures

Outdoor adventure time is here, and all of that adventure requires fueling! I have let myself daydream before about how much more free time I would have if people didn't need to eat. It seems like I do this more frequently when considering the prospect of packing all of the food my family will need for a day away from home.

Monday, we went with some friends for a hike/bike trip to Craters of the Moon. It was a great day, and the food was good, so here are a couple of ideas for food on the go. Both of these are my own recipes, so I hope all of the instructions are clear. Let me know if there are any questions.

Spinach Black Bean Wraps

Ingredients:

• 8 of your favorite soft tortillas
• 1 cup plain greek yogurt*
• 1 T chili powder
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 3 cups cooked or canned beans (I like black and pinto mixture).
• 1/2 cup of your favorite salsa
• 1 can black olives, drained and rinsed
• about 2 cups cheddar cheese
• spinach

Directions:

1. Mix yogurt with chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder.
2. In a food processor, combine the beans, salsa, and olives.
3. Spread about 2 T yogurt mixture and 1/2 cup bean mixture on each tortilla. Sprinkle a handful of cheese (to taste), and a handful of spinach on top, leaving a 1" border. Roll the tortillas and place them in an airtight container.

I made these the night before and put them in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, we put them in the cooler and they were perfect at lunch time. You could individually wrap each one in plastic wrap, but I just put them all close together in one container (with a lid), unwrapped, and they were fine.

*You can make your own "greek" yogurt by taking a bit more than a cup of regular yogurt and putting it in a strainer lined with cheesecloth over a bowl for a few hours. You will be surprised how much liquid drains off. This is important as you don't want that extra liquid in your wrap to make a huge, drippy mess and make everything soggy.

Trader Joe's Sweet Basil Salad-Last summer on our trip to the Oregon Coast, we stopped at Trader Joe's to grab some food for lunch. I got this salad and loved it so much, I took notes on the ingredients so I could reproduce it at home. This is my version. It is a great lunch or dinner on its own or served with some grilled chicken Italian sausage.

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced (I have also used 2 limes with good results.)
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic or 1 small clove
• 1 bunch basil (about 3/4 cup loose)
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 1/2 cup water

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Makes about 1.5 cups.

Salad Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup (about 8 oz.) pearled or Israeli couscous (yields about 3 cups cooked)*
• 1 med cucumber, diced
• 2 cups frozen corn, defrosted
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
• 1 cup chopped, toasted pecans
• Any combination of greens that look good (I like spinach, red leaf lettuce, and arugula)**

Directions (to pack with you for an outdoor meal):

1. Prepare couscous according to package directions. Let it cool then put it in a container.
2. Combine all vegetables except greens in a container with a tight-fitting lid.
3. Put all ingredients in a cooler and assemble just before eating. I usually just add dressing to taste and almost always have some left over.

*I really like Trader Joe's Harvest Grains Blend, which contains Israeli couscous, orzo, baby garbanzo beans, and red quinoa. However, since we don't have a TJ's close, I often just use plain pearled couscous. I think whole wheat orzo would be good, too.

**The amount depends on how you like it and how many people you need to feed. I always adjust the amount of greens I use, while using the amounts listed of the other ingredients. It is good with almost any ratio.