Example Program 4: Diet/Menu

Welcome to a few fine possibilities for some culinary delights. Take some time and imagination and you can only eat well. Remember you have a limited amount of food, so plan carefully and don't be over zealous out there - otherwise you may run out - major stress.

See the food as an exciting challenge and don't be limited by this menu.

REMEMBER TO WASH YOUR HANDS WITH SOAP AND GELSAN BEFORE COOKING OR PREPARING FOOD.

SNACKS

Biscuits

Tea, Coffee, Milo, Sugar and Milk Powder

MILK - to get smooth milk you should add to a clean, dry Trangia bowl, 4 or 5 spoonfuls of powder and mix with a little water to make a thick paste (like whipped cream). Ensure you stir/squash out all the lumps, than add water to make bowl 2/3 full.

EVENING MEALS

POINTS TO REMEMBER:
You will be using a “Trangia” stove to prepare your meal, so plan one - two pot meals
Plan quick easy nourishing meals to give you energy for the next day (pasta or rice is great)
The food you bring you will carry in your pack so think about:

Weight- eg. canned food is really heavy.
Packaging- leave excess packaging at home Double bag food in plastic bags. Transfer “wet” food (eg taco sauce) into screw top plastic containers.
Clearly check the label of any items that require refrigeration. Remember your pack is not a fridge so food that does not require refrigeration is preferable.
Meat is difficult to cook on a trangia, and store!
No fresh meat!!

Carefully estimate the quantities you will need. Too much is wasted effort and you have to carry out left overs, too little and you will be hungry.

Following are some suggested menus which may help you with planning.

THAI CURRY
1 packet Thai Curry (use sml spoon only
1 Carrot
1 Onion
1 tblsp Dried Peas 1/2 cup Rice
2 tblsp Coconut Milk Powder
1/2 Capsicum
1 tblspTomato Magic

Boil water for the rice and dried peas. Fry onion in a little water and margarine until soft. Add curry paste, coconut milk and tomato magic and stir until it is smooth. You may need to add a little more water to achieve this. Add chopped carrots and capsicum to onion sauce. Once the peas are cooked add these Yumm....!!

SPAGHETTI BOLOGNAISE
250 g. SPAGHETTI
2 TOMATOES diced or 1 tblsp. tomato magic
1 clove GARLIC
TEXTURED VEGETABLE PROTEIN (TVP) 1 ONION
VEGIES eg. carrot, zucchini, capsicum
1 teaspoon BASIL/OREGANO or mixed herbs
2 tblsp TOMATO PASTE
2 tblsp Grated cheese
Bring pot of water to boil and then add pasta, stir while cooking, its’ ready when soft - drain excess water.

Rehydrate TVP in Trangia bowl for 10 - 15 mins. Fry the onion in trangia bowl with marg. and garlic/mixed herbs. When brown add TVP, tomato paste and cut up vegies. Add water if needed. When these are soft add Tomato magic. Serve with grated cheese. Note; Try to have sauce and pasta ready at the same time.

TACOS
Can be served hot or cold.
2 tacos per person extra if you’re a hungry type.
1 med. can four bean mix.
1 salsa sauce, 4 tblsp mayonnaise 4 tomatoes
1/4 lettuce
6 tblsp grated tasty cheese.
1 onion, 1 capsicum, 1 clove garlic.
Fry capsicum and onions in a little oil, also some finely chopped garlic if wished, add beans, mix with taco sauce and warm though. Serve in tacos with shredded lettuce and mayonnaise,grated cheese, and diced tomatoes.

FRIED RICE
1/2 cup rice
1 onion
1 zucchini
2 tomatos
1/4 salami or 6 slices
2 Eggs 1 pkt peas & corn
1/2 capsicum
2 tblsp sunflower seeds
1 tsp cumin, coriander, ginger powder
2 tblsp soy sauce
1 tblsp honey
Boil water for rice. Boil water for peas and corn. The rice, peas and corn may be cooked together however the later two will not take as long. Boil the eggs. Fry onion and soy sauce in pot, when onion is cooked add the chopped capsicum & salami, ginger powder and honey and fry for one minute. Add seeds, herbs, tomato, drained boiled peas and corn, rice and sliced boiled egg. Stir carefully as you do not want your efforts to turn to mush!! Serve and munch out.....

POTATO SURPRISE
1/2 packet Dry mashed potato (eg. Deb) 1 Onion
1 tablsp Tomato Magic 2 sp Marg
1/2 cup grated Cheddar Cheese 2tablsp Milk Powder
1/2 pkt. Dried Peas
1/2cup sultanas
3 serves mixed Fresh vegetables
Fill pot three quarters full with water (milk may be used also) and heat to boiling, then add mashed potato slowly until thick and creamy. Mix a spoonful of marg. to pot to create smooth mashed potato.

Boil water with peas added, then add vegies and allow to cook. Stir in some tomato magic, marg. then grated cheese and sultanas. Add garlic and herbs for extra flavour.

TALLARINGA TWIST
1 pk.SOUP (MUSHROOM OR CHICKEN)
1 cup grated CHEESE
250 g MACARONI
1 ONION 2 POTATOES
Small piece PUMPKIN (1 serve)
1 piece BROCCOLI
1 CARROT
2 spoon marg.
Cook macaroni in boiling water till soft drain before serving.

Fry chopped onion in marg till soft. Add soup mix and chopped vegies and water. Stir over heat till vegies are cooked. You may need to add more water.
Stir in cheese and serve on macaroni. Very Tasty.......

STIR FRY NOODLES
200 g Chinese NOODLES
1 ONION
1 CARROT
1 piece BROCCOLI
2 sticks CELERY 8-10 MUSHROOMS
10 GREEN BEANS
1 tblsp SOYA SAUCE
1/4 cup SESAME SEEDS
Boil noodles in water till soft, drain and serve.

Stir fry chopped vegies in a little water till just soft. Mix Vegies and noodles. Serve topped with sesame seeds. Enjoy.....!!

PASTA WITH CHEESE SAUCE
1/2 cup grated tasty cheese
1 onion
1/2 tsp paprika
1 packet peas & corn 2 tblsp flour
2 tblsp margarine
2 tblsp milk powder
250 g Macaroni or other pasta
Boil pot water with dried peas & corn. Add macaroni (or other pasta) when water is boiling, stir regularly - it is ready when soft.

While cooking macaroni/pasta, prepare sauce in second bowl. Fry onion in marg. with paprika until onion are soft. Mix milk powder and flour and stir into the onion mixture till it becomes like a paste. Gradually stir in water (approx 1 cup) a little at a time till the sauce is smooth. Then add grated cheese. Add salt/pepper to taste and serve on pasta.

FETTUCINE CARBONARA
250 g FETTUCCINE
1 ONION
1 CARROTS
1 ZUCCHINI
10 slices salami 4 tblsp grated CHEESE
1 tsp SPICES (BASIL, PARSLEY, CHILLI)
1 small packet UHT CREAM
1 tblsp MARGARINE
1 tblsp TOMATO PASTE
Boil water, cook pasta until soft.

In margarine fry chopped onion till soft. Add other chopped vegetables.Stir till vegies are soft, may need to add a little water. Add chopped salami, spices, tomato paste. Stir over heat till combined. Add cream. Stir till warm. Serve on pasta topped with grated cheese. Excellent.....!!

VEGERONI CACCIATORA
250 g VEGERONI
1 tblsp TOMATO PASTE
1 ZUCCHINI’
1/2 SALAMI/ 6-10 slices
1 CARROT 1 ONION
2 tsp SPICES (BASIL, OREGANO, GARLIC & PARSLEY)
1/2 cup grated CHEESE
1 tblsp MARGARINE
Boil pasta in water till soft, drain to serve.

Fry onion in margarine till soft. Add spices, chopped vegies, tomato paste and salami. Stir over heat till vegies are cooked. Mix through pasta and serve topped with grated cheese and pepper to taste.

PASTA & VEGIE SAUCE
250 g Pasta 1 tblsp Tomato magic
1/2 cup Grated Cheddar 1 tblsp Parmesan Chees
1 tsp Garlic and mixed herbs 1 Onion
4 serves Fresh vegetables 1/2 pkt. Dried Peas
eg. broccoli, red pepper

Bring pot of water with dried peas to boil and then add pasta, stir while cooking and it’s ready when soft - drain excess water.

Fry the chopped onion in another trangia bowl, with marg. and garlic/mixed herbs. When brown add cut up vegies and a little water to steam vegies. When these are soft add Tomato magic. Serve with grated cheese. Note; Try to have sauce and pasta ready at the same time.

DESSERTS.
1. Chocolate Ripple Cake
UHT CREAM CHOCOLATE RIPPLE BISCUITS
Whip cream (shake vigorously). Sandwich between biscuits.

2. Fruit Salad and Cream
2 PASSIONFRUIT 1 BANANA 1 APPLE
1 ORANGE 1 KIWI FRUIT uht CREAM
Chop fruit mix and serve with cream

3. Apricots and Cream
1 sm pkt.DEHYDRATED APRICOTS UHT CREAM
Before you prepare the main course. Let apricots soak in a bowl of (warm) water. When soft and ready to eat drain and serve with cream.

4. Fruit Cake and Custard
FRUIT CAKE 1 sml. pkt. CUSTARD(instant sachet or UHT)
Chop cake and serve with custard.

Good luck and remember that the quality of your final product depends upon the patience and imagination of the cooks. Again, do not be limited by this menu plan.

HELPFUL HINTS

Packing fragile items should be carefully planned - use plastic boxes and trangias. Even inside mugs. Newspaper can be used as padding.

Cook and eat always as a group. A circle can help you monitor food consumption, communicate easily and manage safety.

Meals should be a relaxed time. Maybe group discussions and reviews can be built in. You can start the meal with a reading or a thought.
Think about the benefits of using bulk food and how to recycle the food, plastic and paper.

Make sure each person has their own rubbish bags - emphasise that rubbish is an individual responsibility. Ensure rubbish is kept clean and separated as you go. Rubbish is to be carried all week

COOKING EQUIPMENT
Trangia stoves and fuel bottles are provided for cooking. Stoves must be cleared of all food stuffs after each meal. Stoves should be cleaned in the field.

Other related catering equipment:

tarps - shelters for cooking or storing food in camps
2 washing bowls per group - wash up
4 - 6 water bags per group - extra bladders are available
Hand washer and soap, gel san
GL to provide detergent
Students to provide matches, t-towels, chux , jex pads, sharp knives, can opener etc
1 spice kit