Sometimes I make something with one idea in mind and end up with something completely different. I guess I’m not afraid to experiment and play with my food!
This was a dish I originally made up when I cooked some spaghetti squash to eat during the week and then got near the end of the week and realized it was still waiting in the fridge for me. I usually just roast the squash in the oven for 5 minutes or so until it’s soft enough to cut in half, then roast with some coconut oil until the squash “shreds” into noodles.
#spaghettisquash #coconutcream #garlic #nutritionalyeast #seasalt
With the squash to use up, I thought I would try making something like cheesy mashed “potatoes”. Except, of course, without the cheese or potato. What I ended up with was actually this yummy, creamy delicious dish that I loved.
So, I then wondered what would happen if I dehydrated it and made it into a powder? Would it rehydrate like mashed potatoes?
Umm, looked a little stringy.
The food processor to the rescue…
That looked better! I have a Ninja; I imagine if you have a fancier Vitamix or maybe more patience to let your food processor break it down further you could get a very fine powder.
But the test would be to see how it was rehydrated. And then let the bf taste test it for me.
It did rehydrate quickly with hot water and had the creamy texture I was hoping for. And my bf gave it the thumbs up! I asked him if he thought I could try it with another kind of squash that might be creamier to start with but then he said it would be orange and ruin the “faux” potato effect I was going for. So, I stuck with the spaghetti squash because it really has the mildest squash flavor.
I imagine if you didn’t want to make the powder, this would be a great “hash browns” on the trail, as well. This has been some real comfort food this backpacking season. Tell me what you think!
I, also, have my (You Won’t Believe It’s Not) Loaded Instant Mashed Potatoes to enjoy.
If you are new to dehydrating or want more information, especially if you need your meals to last more than a few months without refrigeration, please visit my Dehydrating 101 page to find out how to do it safely. If you enjoyed this recipe, head over to my Hiking and Backpacking Paleo Index for over 60 tasty treats to take on your next outdoor adventure!
Paleo Cheesy Instant “Taters”
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Total Time
30 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Nut free, Paleo, Soy free, Vegan
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 roasted spaghetti squash
- 1 cup coconut cream
- 3 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- dried green onions
Instructions
- Roast the spaghetti squash in the oven 20-25 minutes until very soft (almost mushy).
- Add in the other ingredients and mix well.
- Lay out on the dehydrator using a jelly roll tray.
- Dry for 8-10 hours until dry and brittle.
- Break up and pulse in the food processor until it becomes a powder.
- At camp, reconstitute with a 1:2 ratio of water (it took a bit more than the standard “to cover”). Add dried green onions and enjoy!
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