We get inquires about camping and backpacking meals that our Latino community are familiar with but its a little difficult to reproduce home cooked meals that mamá might make in the backcountry.  Still this is a great backpacking recipe that LO Regional Coordinator and avid backpacker, Eduardo Gonzalez has learned through his wilderness leadership training with the Bay Area Wilderness Training.  It’s a rather simple and incorporates fresh ingredients and the best part when it comes to serving and clean up.

Ingredients:

• Instant Rice
• Dehydrated beans (see note)
• Bell peppers
• Red onion
• Cheese
• Large tortillas/wraps
• Fajita spice mix
• Canned chicken (strange, yes, but much like tuna and optional)
• Lettuce and tomato for garnish

NOTE: Dehydrated beans are the way to go, light weight without the water content. If you have had trouble finding them in stores (check Mexican supermarkets), you can also find them online- Mexicali Rose Instant Refried Beans.

Directions: 

1. In one pan, throw ingredients in a pan with a little oil or water, cover and allow veggies to reach desired texture. Adding spice mix and stir.
2. Heat the canned chicken in a separate pan. Vegetarian option – no canned chicken.  It is less intimidating to have canned chicken if it is incorporated with the veggies.
3. In another pot, boil some water. Use instant rice that comes in pouches. Submerge rice packets until cooked, then place in serving bowl. Use the same water to rehydrate the refried beans within the pot.
4. Place the tortilla in your bowl, add the things you like and top with lettuce and cheese. Eat with fork, when done, eat the tortilla and no dishes to clean but pots and forks.

LO Regional Coordinator Melissa Avery: My two cents is that this sounds delicious! I like some spicy kick to my food, so take I’d take my favorite hot sauce with me.  Tapatio, Cholula, homemade stuff whatever it is make sure it is in a sandwhich bag and then in a freezer bag to prevent spills.

Melissa is a LO Regional Coordinator for the San Francisco Bay Area where she works to partner with organizations and facilitate outdoor activities with families and youth students.  She also is a youth leader at her local church and an outdoor family blogger at Chasqui Mom, where she writes about her personal outdoor family adventures.