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Wrap It Up With Fireless Food

menu_book picture_as_pdf bookSonya Muhlsimmer Bushcraft Australia
Issue_20_December_2016-66

Wrap It Up With Fireless Food

Sonya Muhlsimmer

'Tis the season to be jolly, and careful of fires. Now that summer is here, again, we should consider taking food that does not require cooking for our walks. There is no point taking more of a risk lighting a fire or using your stove when there's a total fire ban or when conditions are such that fires or stoves are best avoided. More than likely there will be days with a total fire ban, so plan your menu around this and be prepared I say. Wraps can be a lightweight and tasty meal suggestion that is versatile, and great for the track. You can have anything in a wrap, for lunch or dinner too. There are different types of wraps to choose from. Mountain bread, pita pockets or even tortillas, all have their merit so choose your own. Now, to wrap up this article with a couple of ideas. Get it, wrap up

Blue Gum Forest, Blue Mountains, New South Wales

66 | BWA December 2016


Salad Wrap

For the first few days of your trip you can carry some fresh vegetables. Carrot, celery and capsicum will last the few days distance no problem. Also throw in a few sun dried tomatoes. Why not even have a salad wrap with some Camembert or Brie cheese? This is sounding better by the minute. By the way, Camembert and Brie are different. Camembert becomes gooey, softer and stronger flavour when mature and Brie is creamier and has a higher fat percentage. These types of cheese are best eaten "at room temperature". This is how the cheese makers want you to eat it as the flavours really develop more. My niece’s favourite food is Brie. When I take her out hiking I dare not leave home without the Brie. So why not throw a block in your pack for lunch, or dinner (for the first couple of days!). But be warned the cheese can get pretty soft so keep the cheese wrapped separately from the vegetables, until you are ready to eat. Also you can add either some salami or even a sachet of tuna too. So much choice in just one wrap!

At home preparationPut all ingredients into a bag, keeping the cheese and salami wrapped separately. Or peel the carrot then slice the carrot, celery, capsicum and sun dried tomatoes into strips and place into a snap-lock bag. Keep the salami separate.

Method in campCut the carrot, celery, capsicum, sun dried tomatoes, Brie and salami in thin slices. Add them to the middle of the bread in a long line, if using tuna open the pouch and add the tuna to the mix. For mountain bread and

tortillas, leave a gap at the top and bottom of the bread. From the base of the mix fold the bottom part of the bread up over the mix then fold one side over. From the side folded over, roll the rest of the bread up. Handy hint - The fold at the bottom means you do not lose the contents from the hole in the base of the wrap. For Pita pockets, make a hole in the top of the bread, place the mix inside and enjoy!

Bag 1 (salad mix)

Carrot

½

Small celery stalks

2

Capsicum

1/3

Sun dried tomatoes

3

Block Brie

1/3

42 grams

Salami or tuna pouch

6 to 8 slices100 grams

Wrap (mountain bread, pita pocket or tortilla, your choice)

1

BWA December 2016 | 67


Falafel Wrap

Falafels can be so easily prepared and cooked at home, and are a convenient way to have a good variety of food. Vacuum seal them for better food safety and storage in your rucksack. Falafels will last a few days out on the track. When I was in Egypt on a sail boat for a few days travelling down the Nile I ate falafels every day and night, and did not get sick. Not like a few others in the group who ate meat and other stuff! The crew cooked a huge amount before our trip and just stored them in a plastic bag for the journey. Here is a meal suggestion for you. Falafels in a wrap with a cous cous and herb salad, drizzled with some sweet chilli sauce. Yum!

At home preparationFor the falafels: Make the falafels according to the packet directions pack gives you 3 or 4 falafels). Let them cool completely. Store them in a snap lock bag or vacuum seal them. For the cous cous salad: Place all ingredients into the allocated bag. Copy or print out Method at camp and keep together with the bag, falafels and sweet chilli sauce.

Method at campAdd the contents of the cous cous mix into an air tight container. Pour over cup of water. Place the lid on the container and leave for a minimum of 15 mins (make at breakfast for lunch). When ready to eat, add the falafels, cous cous salad and sweet chilli sauce to the wrap (same wrapping instructions as above) and eat.

Bag 1 (falafel mix)

Falafel mix

½ pack

100 grams

Water for the falafel mix- 85 grams

Bag 2 (cous cous salad)

Cous cous

¼ cup

25 grams

Dried parsley

½ tsp

1 gram

Vegetable stock

½ tsp

3 grams

Dried dill

1/8 tsp

1 gram

Water for cous cous salad- 1/3 cup

Sweet Chilli sauce

Container

68 | BWA December 2016