Collins Complete Hiking and Camping Manual: The essential guide to comfortable walking, cooking and sleeping

1 pound pre-washed spinach

2 green bell peppers

2 onions, chopped

1 cup chopped Cheddar cheese

6 tortillas

In a large frying pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the margarine and sauté the spinach, green peppers, and onions until the spinach is wilted and the onions are browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside in a bowl. Fill a tortilla with one-sixth of the spinach mixture, sprinkle with cheese, and fold in half. Reheat the frying pan and cook each quesadilla over medium heat until the cheese melts, adding margarine as needed. This can be a very sloppy procedure, but the meal is so delicious it’s worth the mess.

Serves 6

MACARONI AND CHEESE

Mac and cheese is a meal that I don’t think to fix at home, but after a long day on the trail, even something this simple tastes good. Must be all those carbs.

2 pounds elbow macaroni or rigatoni noodles

1 pound cheddar cheese, chopped (using various cheeses adds to the flavor)

4 tablespoons margarine

1 garlic clove, minced

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles, and cook over medium heat until tender, 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the type of noodle. When the noodles are tender, pour the water out (see “Noodle Water,” (#ulink_8365497f-ec3b-5682-9660-25039372eaf7)), leaving enough water in the pot to just barely cover the noodles. Add the cheese, margarine, garlic, salt and pepper to taste, and stir until the cheese melts. Serve immediately.

Serves 6

Variation: You can spice this meal up by stir-frying some veggies (broccoli, green peppers, etc.) in a separate pan with a little margarine until tender, and adding them in at the cheese-melting stage.

PESTO SAUCE

Make a batch of pesto before your trip and you’ll have a quick and easy meal for those long days when you’re too tired to cook.

2 cups fresh basil leaves

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cup olive oil

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, minced

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cup pine nuts

2 teaspoons red wine or balsamic vinegar

Add all the ingredients to a blender or food processor and grind until smooth. Store the pesto in a Tupperware container (tape it closed all the way around or you’ll find oil and basil all over your pack). Serve over your favorite pasta, fish, or chicken.

Makes 2

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cups, to serve 6

CHICKEN FAJITAS

16 ounces refried beans

30 ounces canned/packet chicken, drained

3 tablespoons margarine

2 green bell peppers, sliced

2 onions, sliced

12 (10-inch) flour tortillas

16 ounces salsa Grated cheese (optional)

In a large frying pan, heat the refried beans over medium heat until warm, then set aside in a separate bowl. Drain the chicken (save the juice to add to your frying pan as needed). Add 1 tablespoon margarine to the frying pan over high heat. When the pan is hot, lightly scorch the peppers, onions, and chicken until brown but still tender. (For easier frying, cook only

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to

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of the filling at a time, storing the finished filling in a separate covered pot.) If desired, warm the tortillas in a large frying pan; fry 2 tortillas at a time over medium-high heat, adding a small amount of margarine to the pan as needed. Fill the tortillas with the beans and chicken mixture. Cover with salsa and grated cheese, if desired.

Serves 6

DHAAL-BHAT (SHERPA RICE)

Dhaal-bhat, or curried rice and lentils, is a staple for the people of the Himalayas. I grew to love this simple dish while trekking in Nepal.

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cup lentils

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cup barley