Ramen and TVP, Two Weeks Running
One packet of noodles, a double dose of seasoning, and enough soy protein to make it count.
- calories
- 520
- weight
- 4.5 oz
- cal / oz
- 116
- protein
- 24 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 1 min
- cook
- 5 min
- total time
- 6 min
- water
- 475 ml boiled
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Canister stove
- Alcohol / Esbit
- Backpacking
- Canoe / raft
- Thru-hike
- Vegetarian
- Dairy free
- Nut free
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Dump and stir
Ingredients
| Instant ramen | 1 packet | noodles plus its seasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Ramen seasoning packet | 1 extra | from a second packet; save those noodles for another night |
| Textured vegetable protein | 1/2 cup | unflavored soy granules, rehydrates in minutes |
| Moringa powder | 1 tbsp | |
| Olive oil | 1 tbsp | optional, in a dropper bottle |
Method
- Bring 475 ml of water to a boil.
- Add the noodle block and the TVP together. Simmer three minutes, stirring once so the granules do not clump on the bottom.
- Cut the heat. Stir in both seasoning packets and the moringa powder.
- Add the oil if you are carrying it. Eat straight from the pot.
This is a plain dinner and it is meant to be. Two weeks of paddling means two weeks of the same bag, and the whole design is one boil, five minutes of fuel, and under two dollars a serving. The second seasoning packet is what keeps that from tasting like water: the extra half cup of TVP soaks up salt that would otherwise flavor broth you are only going to drink.
TVP is the reason this hits 24 grams of protein at four and a half ounces packed. It rehydrates in the same three minutes the noodles need, so nothing gets a separate step. Moringa powder stands in for vegetables at a tablespoon and no real weight, which is the trade if dried and freeze-dried greens do not agree with you. Calories are the weak point at around 500. Add the oil and you are closer to 640, which is what most people actually want after a long day.
Packing
Everything but the oil goes into one pint freezer bag per dinner: noodles, both seasoning packets, TVP, moringa. Buy moringa powder once and it will outlast several seasons of trips.
Variations
- Chili crisp or a squeeze of sriracha covers the flatness if plain gets old.
- Swap the moringa for a spoonful of dried spinach or nutritional yeast if you cannot find it.
- A foil packet of tuna instead of the TVP turns it non-vegetarian but cuts the simmer time.
https://www.canoetripping.net/threads/not-a-recipe-for-most-tastes-but.83198