Moroccan Delight - Dehydrated Super Food

My love of couscous has inspired me to experiment with various different sauces in an effort to include it in more of my backpacking menus. After much trial and error, this one got the nod from the entire family, and it has quickly become one of our favorite backcountry comfort foods. With just 6 main ingredients, it is super simple to make and packed full of spicy bold flavor.



Ingredients
1 package Hot Italian Sausage
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
3 cans chopped tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 medium onion
2 green bell peppers
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups couscous

Heat EVOO in large pot on high, squeeze sausage out of casings and drop into pot, discarding casings. Brown sausage for a few minutes until firm.



Chop browned sausages in your food processor or blender, then return to pot to continue browning. Finely chop or puree bell peppers and onion (I like to puree them in the food processor), then add to pot along with tomatoes, tomato sauce, and water.



Add some of your favorite spices...salt, pepper, oregano, bay leaves, some crushed red pepper to make it even hotter, and stir. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer covered for an hour or two, stirring occasionally. Stir in couscous, turn off heat, cover, let stand for 5 minutes, then serve.



If you can save enough from your hungry family, or if you make a batch just for hiking, now is the time to dehydrate it. I use parchment paper to cover the dehydrator trays, but you can substitute plastic wrap as well. Spread out on tray, set at 145 degrees F, and let it go over night.



When it's done it will be crispy and break easily. A entire batch will fit into a gallon zip top bag...break it up so it will travel and rehydrate better.



When you're ready to eat, simply add a cup or two to your pot, cover with water, and heat for a few minutes. This method really saves on fuel consumption vs freezer bag cooking.

At 109 calories per ounce, 53% carbs, 28% fat, and 15% protein, this is one UltraLight power packed meal!