Hello world! I’ve been lucky enough to share some of my thoughts here with all you Blu Acciaio Worldwide readers. I started biking just a few years ago and consider myself a novice within the field, so I will not be writing about bike related stuff. However, I have been a nature lover and exercise enthusiast for as long as I can remember. I am also a total foodie and passionate about cooking, both indoors and outdoors. I am a firm believer that we need to become more plant-based and reduce our meat consumption in order to save the planet. Hence, I want to inspire you fellow riders to go that extra mile through healthy plant-based eating and cross training!
Today I will be sharing some of my thoughts around food and bikepacking together with one of my favorite recipes. When I go bikepacking I want food that is easy to make, require a minimum of ingredients, is light weight and low volume, but still taste amazing and give a lot of energy. I usually try to prepare as much as possible in advance, such as chopping and seasoning vegetables and letting them marinate while I enjoy my ride.
On one of my most recent trips I made this amazing, warming polenta dish, topped with red wine mushrooms, inspired by Rabbit and Wolves. If you are not familiar with polenta, it is a side dish made from cornmeal and is an excellent source of complex carbohydrates. It also contains proteins and fibers and will help you feel full. Unlike wheat, couscous and rye, polenta is gluten-free.
When cooking in the wild, I recommend preparing as much as possible in advance. Slice the mushrooms at home, mixing them with garlic powder, rosemary, olive oil, salt and pepper, addng it in a suitable container. Also measure up the polenta so that you only bring the amount you need. Also take note on how to prepare it, it will vary depending on the type of polenta you have. I love adding some cheese to the polenta for extra creaminess and proteins, but if you want the vegan meal, stick to the vegan butter as described in the recepie. Don’t forget to bring a vegetable buillon and a bottle of red wine. The rest of the bottle should be enjoyed with the meal!
At the campsite, start sautéing the pre-prepared mushrooms in a skillet until they have released their liquid. Make sure it does not burn. Simultaneously, mix half of the vegetable buillon with water, before adding it to the mushrooms, together with some red wine. The dish is ready when the mushrooms have absorbed most of the liquid. Set aside and prepare the polenta as described on the package, together with the other half of the buillon. When it is done, stir in the cheese or butter. Before serving, reheat the red wine mushrooms quickly. Fill polenta into a tray and top with the mushrooms. Enjoy with the red wine!