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Vegetarian Moussaka - Dehydrated Meal Recipe

Serves 3.
Dehydrated weight: ~100g per serving.
Rehydrating time: < 5 min with boiling water (or cold soak 45-90min)
Nutrition info per serving: 392 Calories; 13g Protein; 47g Carbs; 10g Fat
A 50g serving of dried mashed potatoes will add about 200 Calories to this meal.
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Servings: 3
Calories: 392
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

For the Lentils
  • 100 g dry puy lentils or green lentils or 200-250g cooked lentils
  • 275 ml vegetable stock
For the Vegetables
  • 2 onions
  • 2 eggplant/aubergine about 350g in total
  • 1 red pepper
  • 1 green pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • Small handful of chopped fresh parsley
  • 30 ml / 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • Flavor Add-ins
  • 200 ml red wine or vegetable stock
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 400 g tin chopped tomatoes I use Mutti Polpa
Optional Toppers
  • Mashed potatoes use instant mash on the trail
  • Parmesan cheese

Method
 

  1. Preparation at Home
  2. Preheat your oven to 350°F / 180°C.
  3. Cook the lentils by combining them with the vegetable stock in a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 25 minutes for puy lentils (15 minutes for green lentils). Keep checking—you want them soft but still holding their shape, as they'll continue cooking in the oven. Drain and set aside.
  4. While the lentils are cooking, dice all your vegetables into fairly small pieces. I like to keep the eggplant slightly chunkier, with the onion and peppers more finely diced. A simple vegetable chopper can make quick work of this prep. Toss the vegetables with olive oil, minced garlic, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Spread the vegetables on a large baking tray.
  5. Top the vegetables with the cooked lentils, spreading them evenly across the tray.
  6. In a bowl, whisk together the red wine (or stock) with the tomato paste and ground cinnamon. Pour this mixture over the lentils and vegetables. Then add the tinned tomatoes, using a spatula to distribute everything evenly.
  7. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
  8. If you're making this to eat fresh at home, remove from the oven, top with mashed potatoes and parmesan cheese, then return to the oven. If you're planning to dehydrate, skip the potatoes for now.
  9. Increase the oven temperature to 390°F / 200°C and cook for another 30 minutes.
  10. Remove from the oven and either serve immediately or let cool for dehydrating.
To Dehydrate
  1. Once your moussaka mixture has cooled completely, spread it evenly across dehydrator trays lined with non-stick sheets or parchment paper. The mixture should be about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick for even drying.
  2. Dehydrate at 145°F (63°C) for 6-8 hours, or until completely dry and brittle. The vegetables should snap rather than bend. Break the dried mixture into smaller pieces or flakes for easier rehydration and packing.
  3. Store in an airtight container or vacuum-sealed bag. This meal will keep for several months when stored in a cool, dry place.
On the Trail
  1. To rehydrate your lentil moussaka, you'll need about 1 to 1.5 cups of boiling water per serving (basically enough water to cover the mix - you can adjust based on your preferred consistency). Add the dehydrated mixture to your bowl or pot, pour over boiling water, stir well, and let sit covered for about 10 minutes. Give another stir and you should be good to go.
  2. For an authentic moussaka experience, prepare some instant mashed potatoes separately. Idahoan makes excellent instant mash that's perfect for the trail—just add boiling water and stir. Serve the rehydrated lentil and vegetable mixture topped with the mashed potatoes for that classic layered effect.
  3. If you packed some parmesan cheese (the shelf-stable kind works great), sprinkle it on top for extra flavor. A pinch of dried oregano or basil can also brighten up the dish if you want to enhance the Mediterranean flavors.