My husband and I have adopted a new way to eat while we’re on the trail. We’ve always taken good care of our bodies at home by eating organic, sustainable, healthy foods, yet on a backpacking trip we were always eating ramen, Pop-Tarts, and Snickers bars! That had to end, as we realized we need to give our bodies the nutrients they need to hike further and better, with more energy and stamina. So when I discovered Patagonia Provisions, I knew I was onto something good.
In a recent essay by Patagonia’s founder, Yvon Chouinard, he states that his mission toward a new kind of future begins with “deeply flavorful, nutritious foods that restore, rather than deplete, our planet.” His path forward includes the adoption of Regenerative Organic Certification, which ensures that food is produced in ways that build soil health and ensure animal welfare. This new approach to eating better on the trail was exactly what we needed.
We recently purchased a few Patagonia Provisions and took them on a 2-day backpacking trip and we were very pleased with the taste, ease of cooking, and versatility. We always take fresh foods with us, too, to add to our prepackaged meals, and the end result is well worth a little extra weight. The following are some of our recipes using Patagonia Provisions foods:
Organic Red Raspberry Breakfast Grains
This is a stick-to-your-ribs morning meal that contains buckwheat, barley, rolled oats, and red raspberries.
Ingredients:
- 1-package Patagonia Provisions Red Raspberry Breakfast Grains
- 2-cups water
- 1-chopped ripe peach
- ¼ cup chopped pistachios
- 1 teaspoon honey, more or less to taste
Preparation:
Bring 2-cups water to boil on your camp stove. Add the contents of the breakfast grains, stir, boil for about 30-seconds more, then cover and turn off heat. Let sit for 9-minutes. Pour breakfast grains into two bowls, stir in honey to taste, then top with peaches and pistachios. Makes 2-servings.
Organic Green Lentil Soup
This dish is super high in fiber and contains 13 grams of plant-based protein.
Ingredients:
- 1-package Patagonia Provisions Organic Green Lentil Soup
- 2-cups water
- ¼ cup dehydrated shiitake mushrooms
- 1-sliced serrano pepper
- 1 ½ ounce coconut milk powder
Preparation:
Before you cook the soup, rehydrate the shiitake mushroom according to package directions. (This usually involves pouring boiling water over the mushrooms and letting them sit for about 10-minutes to rehydrate.) Next, bring 2-cups water to a boil on your camp stove. Add the contents of the soup, stir, boil for about 30-seconds more, then cover and turn off heat. Let sit for 9 minutes. Add the mushrooms, serrano, and coconut milk powder, and stir until combined. Pour lentil soup into bowls. Makes 2-servings.
Organic Spicy Red Bean Chili
While packing for our hiking trip, I made up a mixture of fresh corn kernels, cilantro, and shredded cheddar cheese, approximately ¼ cup of each, and placed it in a Ziploc bag. This held up quite well and was a nice addition to the chili.
Ingredients:
- 1-package Patagonia Provisions Organic Spicy Red Bean Chili
- 2-cups water
- ¼ cup each fresh corn kernels, cilantro, and shredded cheddar cheese
Preparation:
Bring 2-cups water to a boil on your camp stove. Add the contents of the chili, stir, boil for about 30-seconds, then cover and turn off heat. Let sit for 9-minutes. Add corn, cilantro, and cheddar cheese and stir. Place chili in two bowls and garnish with extra cheese and cilantro if desired. Makes 2-servings.
Almond Butter, Banana, and Buffalo Wraps
Adding Patagonia Provisions Buffalo Jerky to these wraps adds extra protein to keep you going all afternoon.
Ingredients:
- 2-sundried tomato tortillas
- ½ cup almond butter
- 1-banana, sliced
- ¾ package Patagonia Provisions Buffalo Jerky
Preparation:
Remove jerky from package and slice thinly with a sharp knife or scissors. (I use the tiny scissors from my Swiss Army knife.) Spread each tortilla with almond butter, and top with bananas and buffalo jerky slices. Roll them up and eat! The remaining jerky can be tucked into your pocket to finish later in the day as a snack. Makes 2-wraps.
Peanut Butter, Fruit + Almond Bar, and Ginger Wraps
This is a different way to incorporate a snack bar into a quick and healthy lunch wrap.
Ingredients:
- 2-sundried tomato tortillas
- ½ cup peanut butter
- 2-Patagonia Provisions Organic Fruit + Almond Bars
- 4-large pieces crystalized ginger
Preparation:
Using a sharp knife or scissors, slice bars and ginger into thin slices. Spread each tortilla with peanut butter, and sliced Fruit + Almond Bars and crystalized ginger. Roll them up and eat! Makes 2-wraps.
We particularly liked Provisions’ Organic Fruit + Almond Bars, which fit in our pockets and were easier to eat than our normal crumbling granola bars—Plus there are a couple different flavors so you’re not getting bored with the same old afternoon snack. Patagonia Provisions also produces sustainable fish products, like wild sockeye salmon, mackerel, and sardines, which are easy to eat on the trail as a snack or stirred into a hot meal with rice and veggies.
I definitely give Patagonia Provisions two thumbs up for taste, ease of cooking, and the fact that most of their foods are organic, with no preservatives. But it’s the company’s efforts to create positive change within the food industry that will make me a lifetime customer.
