Three Square
Dirty Gourmet: uncomplicated, outdoor-friendly recipes from three friends
Bouillon Powder
Using broth in place of water makes almost everything taste better. It is most commonly used as a base for soups and stews, but it also can be used with pasta, grains, and casseroles. Broth is made of water, though, so it is heavy and bulky to pack for camping and can spill. Bouillon paste is great, but it generally needs to be refrigerated and can get a bit messy. Bouillon cubes work well in situations requiring nonperishable ingredients, but sometimes one cube is a bit too much for a small recipe and can stubbornly resist dissolving fully. Here is a powder to solve all of these problems. You can add it directly to a recipe and not worry about clumps. You can use as much or little as you want without having to figure out how to break a cube for small meals. And you can drink a cup of it as a little warm-up if you’re feeling depleted. —Emily
- 1 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
- 1 teaspoon mushroom powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- At home: Put all of the ingredients in a food processor, spice grinder, or blender and grind into a powder. Store in an airtight container.
- At camp: The ratio for 1 cup of broth is 1¼ teaspoons of Bouillon Powder dissolved in 8 ounces of water.
Caramelized Banana Pancakes
Finding a plant-based pancake mix at the grocery store seems to be pretty hit or miss, and they don’t always taste the best. Here’s a simple mix that you can keep in your pantry at home or in your camping bin. To make it at camp, you just need to add water, and it’s super versatile. Pack a small portion for a backpacking trip, or bring the whole batch with all the toppings for a large crowd on a car camping trip. —Aimee
- Just Add Water Pancake Mix
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup soy milk powder
- ½ cup potato starch
- ½ cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla powder (optional)
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- To Make the Banana Pancakes
- 3 cups Just Add Water Pancake Mix (see above)
- 2 cups water
- 3 bananas, sliced
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup plant butter
- Pinch of salt
- Cooking spray or more butter
- Maple syrup for serving
- At home: Combine the flour, soy milk powder, potato starch, sugar, baking powder, vanilla powder, and salt in a large resealable container or ziplock bag to make the Just Add Water Pancake Mix. Mix everything together well.
- At camp: In a medium bowl, stir together 1½ cups of the pancake mix with 1 to 1¼ cups of water, depending on how thick you like your pancakes. Mix well, but don’t worry if there are some lumps.
- Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray or melt a little butter in the skillet.
- Pour about ⅓ cup of pancake batter onto the hot skillet. Cook until bubbles form on the pancake and the bottom is golden brown. Flip the pancake and continue cooking until the second side is golden brown.
- To make the banana topping: Melt the butter in a skillet, then sprinkle with the brown sugar and a pinch of salt. Arrange the banana slices on the sugar mixture, then gently stir to coat. Allow the bananas to heat through and caramelize a bit, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Serve the pancakes with the caramelized bananas and, if desired, maple syrup and walnuts.
Mexican Lime Soup
During the height of the pandemic in 2020, my husband Daniel and I did all fifty-two walks in the book Secret Stairs: A Walking Guide to the Historic Staircases of Los Angeles by Charles Fleming. This was our escape, exploring local neighborhoods and discovering places we had never seen or even heard of before. I sought some escapism in the kitchen too, as standard recipes became too familiar or difficult to source. This recipe is one that made me feel both comforted and nostalgic. First made for us by Daniel’s mom, Paula, Sopa de Lima is a recipe she discovered while traveling in Mexico. Over a hot bowl of soup, I was reminded that adventure is a mindset and possible without hopping on a plane or driving for hours. —Mai-Yan
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 red onion, quartered and sliced
- 1 large poblano chile, seeded and diced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 5 scallions, chopped
- 3 tablespoons Bouillon Powder or bouillon cube equivalent
- 8 cups water
- 1 to 2 cups soy curls or similar, broken into bite-size pieces
- 3 to 4 limes
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 cup tortilla strips or chips, for topping
- In a large pot over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the red onion, poblano chile, oregano, salt, thyme, and pepper and sauté until the onions are translucent but not browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and scallions and cook for a few more minutes, until fragrant.
- Add the bouillon, water, and soy curls, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil.
- Turn down the heat to low, add the juice of 2 of the limes, and taste. Add more lime juice if needed, and salt to taste.
- Simmer the soup for another 10 minutes to meld flavors.
- Stir in the cilantro and serve topped with tortilla strips.
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