Northwoodsman Chipotle Quinoa (recipie)

Hey all,

I have a good long post coming about my trip to the Superior National Forest and BWCA in early July. Just waiting on some photos from the others that went and I wilpost a good long write up.

One of the things I wanted to do on the trip was try a few easy to pack and cook reipies.  My intent was to keep it to foods that just required boiled water to make, or not even that if possible.  In the big write up to follow I will include my lunch menu for the 6 days we were there so you can see just what I brought. Now on to the topic.

We had a box of quinoa sitting here at the house that we haven't used yet. In fact we have never tried it before at all. Looking at the package directions it cooks up just like rice for the most part, using a quinoa to water ratio of 1:2.  I figured on one meal, maybe 2 if I liked it so I brought 8 ounces of Quinoa in a ziplok baggie. A suggestionon the box was to cook it with some broth or boullion. I had just the thing, also something new to try, chipotle bouillion cubes from Knorr.  they come in mini cubes so one cube makes a cup of broth, I believe.  Finally to add some protein I intended to match this with a can of Chicken meat in water.

If you can boil water you can make this quick dish.  I boiled up 1 cup (8 oz.) of water to which I added the chipotle cube to get that dissolved and intot he mix.I then added 1/2 cup (4 oz.) of Quinoa. Since I brought out a full cup of Quinoa I just eyeballed the measurement here. I also added the can of chicken mea in water. I just pened and dumped it all in, water and all. I figured more water wouldn't be an issue, and it wasn't. All that was left was to boil it down until the Quinoa absorbed most of the water (just like rice). I didn't time this but it was done in about 10-12 minutes.

Now for the eating! Quinoa to me has a bit more of a brown rice flavor, less refined and a bit more startchy perhaps? The chicken added good protein and taste, who doesn't like chicken? What really got my attention was the chipotle boullion. Wow! What a great smokey, slightly spicy flavor. It wasn't too hot, more of just a hint of heat but the smokiness really came out well in each bite. Definatly going to berepeated in some form or another.

So there it is,a quick meal that can be made on the trail in a canteen cup if needed. If you take the time to prep before hand it will be cooked and eaten in 15 minutes, 20 tops.  And there are plenty of ways to customize this quick dish.  Change out the chicken for what ever protein you choose, like tuna or salmon, whatever.  I thought about next time adding in some dehydrated veggies or even some fresh ones I brought a small bag of baby carrots to eat on the side, thses could have been chopped and added. Anyway, experiment away with it.

Here is the list of ingredients, enough for one meal for one person

1/2 cup Quinoa
1 can (4 oz) Chicken in water
1 Chipotle mini bouillion cube
1 cup Water
* add in any veggies or other spices to taste

Add bouillion cube and water to your pot and boil. Once boiling adding remaining ingredients, turn down heat or move your pot a bit away from heat to finish.Cook until almost all the water has been absorbed, stirring as needed through out cooking. Remove from heat and enjoy.

Taking a break

Hey all,

I won't be very active here for about a week as I will be headed up to the lake with the kids for some much needed R & R.

I'm taking some gear and the camera so maybe I will have something to show for my efforts other than a good sunburn.

See you soon and get out and have fun!

MN Wolf Hunt

This year marks the lifting of the ban on Wolf hunting in MN.  According to my latest copy of Minnesota Conservation Volunteer magazine the MN DNR is asking for a lottery based wolf hunting/trapping season in late November. As it was a wolf could be killed if it posed a threat to livestock or people and that was about it.

We are extremely lucky in MN to have had the wolf population bounce back so quickly and even expanding out into Wisconsin and the U.P. of Michigan.

Minnesota has had a very different approach to wolf management than some of the Western states where ranchers have really been getting hit hard by wolves through the years.  In MN there has been a great deal of research done to learn how to best manage the population and nurture it back to a high, sustainable, even growing level. According the DNR we have about 3000 living in the Northern 1/3 of the state and have held that number steady for several years now.

As part of the plan to de list the wolf off the endangered species list MN has to maintain a population of at least 1600 wolves, a contrast to states like Idaho which set maximum population limits.

Here is my take on wolf hunting and I would love to hear yours:

I'm an amateur hunter at best. My hunting intentions are to be able to put a little extra meat on the table and reduce the ammount of money spent on such things if I can. I am a realist and I don't expect to run out and get a deer every year, but that's why it's called "hunting" right?

I wont be rushing out anytime soon to go on a wolfhunt but I would love to do it...until I got a wolf.  1 wolf would be enough for me for my entire life. I deeply admire and respect wolves as a predator and a remarkable, beautiful animal. I would love to learn the skills needed to go out and hunt such an intelligent predator and even if I never get one I think the doing will be an adventure in and of itself.

Well met and all that. 

This is my first blog, please bear with me and be patient.

I am a Veteran of the US Army and MN National Guard.  While deployed I found a few bushcraft and outdoors type web forum and sites and avidly read and consumed the knowledge found there. I still do and you can find links to the sites I like.

Stuck in the desert and just reading about the woods really rekindled in me my love for the outdoors. I lost this love for a time while serving in the Army. Nothing takes the love out of camping and hiking like being forced to doit and do it a certain way.

But I am back now and raring to get out and live...and take my kids with me.

I am a city kid, always have been at heart. I live in the heart of the Twin Cities area of Minnesota in a metropolitan area with a huge population. I am lucky in that my family has had access and now own a cabin "up north" like so many of my fellow Minnesotans. My particular piece of heaven is just outside of Park Rapids in "Jack Pine Savage" country. It's on a decent lake and is close to the Paul Bunyan State Forest so there is plenty to get out and do.

That's it for the introduction, I will posting various projects, hikes, adventures and what not as time goes by. Please note that when I demonstrate anything on this blog it is simply my way of doing things. Simply put this just means this is how I do it, it doesn't meanthis is the best or only way to do something. Your way may be better and I am certain it will be different. I am ok with that and by no means feel like anyone has to do things my way at all. We all have a different path to take in life, I am not going to tell you how to.

Some things shown on this blog will have some inherent ammount of risk involved. I will be using edged tools, packing and carrying heavy loads, etc... If you choose to do these you then assume that same risk. Please dont hold me responsible if you damage yourself or your proerty trying to do something you see here. You chose to do it, that risk is all yours.


Now, get out and enjoy the outdoors!