American Discovery Trail

Just learned the American Discovery Trail passes right through Pueblo. When I don't have time to head to the mountains, or when it gets too cold, I may do some segments of the trail. Nothing too serious. Just walks.

Yesterday, I did a little section on the bicycle trail between Runyon Lake and Main Street. I'd never been to Runyon Lake before. It's pretty nice.

My starting point at Runyon Lake. Actual trail is across the lake

Boetcher Pedestrian Bridge

Mural on Levee

Main & Corona St. Trailhead

Vegetarian Pizza - $1.20/serving (home use)

This makes about a 14 inch pizza. If each person takes two slices, they get about 300 calories.

Preheat oven to 420.

To make the crust, mix the flour, sugar, 1 egg, water and yeast and put them in bread machine. If it doesn't have a pizza/dough setting, just interrupt the cycle during the first rising. Allow to rise about 90 minutes.

Press dough out on cookie sheet, or better yet, roll it out with a rolling pin on a pizza peel (like they use in the pizza places.  If you make a lot of pizza, getting a pizza stone for the oven is a great investment. Be sure to sprinkle the pizza peel or the cookie sheet with flour so it doesn't stick.

Put on the spaghetti sauce. Use it sparingly or the pizza will be soggy.

Then add peppers, onions and finally the cheese.

Cook for about 20 minutes. Check after 10 or so to see how it's doing.

Enchillada Casserole - $3.51 (For home use)

This one looks like it goes way over the top for the $5.00 a day budget, but it contains 599 calories, so the cost for 300 calories is $1.75. Still over budget, but it can be made up over a few days.
The gram measuring is pretty inappropriate for this, but it's useful for determining nutrition. I'll give other measurments later.

The chile is in a can about the size of a soup can. A one pound bag of yellow corn, half a medium onion. Half a pepper. About a cup of Salsa and half a soup size can of enchillada sauce.

Cut the onions and peppers into small pieces. Mix everything but the chips in a 2 quart pot or large bowl. Make in an 8 x 8 pan or similar area pan.

Put chips on the bottom. Add mixuture from pot and grate cheese over top. Repeat until pan is full.

Makes 4 servings.

Bake in oven at 350 for about 45 minutes.

Homemade Bread - $2.05 a loaf

When making bread, measurements and specific ingredients are very important. Measuring flour is pretty inaccurate because it can be packed tightly or loosely. Weighing it is much better. Same with sugar which may be large grain or small grain.

The type of flour and sugar make a big difference, too. I stay away from the cheap flours as they just don't do well.

Making this is real easy. Just toss it in the bread machine and let it go.

If you bake bread a lot, it's much cheaper to go to Amazon and order 2 pounds of yeast than to buy the little jars or the packets. I've had no problem with yeast keeping a couple years in the refridgerator.

Lasagna - $2.85 (for home use)

This is one of my favorite meals. Be sure to use a really good sauce or it won't be so good. It's expensive at $2.85 a serving, but it has a bunch of calories. Those watching calories could cut serving size and maybe add a vegetable on the side.

1. Chop onions and peppers. (About half a pepper and half an onion.)
2. Cook in 8 x 8 pan or something with a similar area
3. Spread sauce thinly over bottom of pan
4. Put a layer of lasagna noodles. (If substituting, use a no boil variety.)
5. Spread layer of sauce, ricotta, onions and peppers.
6. Layer noodles. Repeat until pan is full. On the top layer, put Mozzarella cheese.

The sauce is what makes this recipe really special. I get it at Vitamin Cottage. It's expensive, but worth it.

Bake uncovered at 350 for about 45 minutes. Let cool about 5 minutes befor serving to make it easier to cut.
Butter 4 slices of bread with soft butter. Cut slices in half, lay on cookie sheet and sprinkle with garlic salt. Put in oven for about 25 minutes. (Times vary depending on the bread.)

Annie's Macaroni and Cheese - $0.45

Normally, I won't eat Macaroni and Cheese. But it does seem to be a favorite of thru-hikers. At least in the books I've read.

Annie's is one brand I will eat. I found it on sale for $1.00. Normally it's a little more than that.

The cheese comes in a separate packet. If separating the box, I see no problem with mixing it with the noodles in a snack size Ziplock.

Chocolate Raisin Oatmeal - $0.41

This one is for those who prefer a less fat in their diet. When I'm at home, eat less fats than I do on the trail. The recipe makes 4 servings which fits in a quart Mason jar with room for mixing ingredients before pouring out a serving. One serving is 75 grams. I like to make it a little soupy so the chocolate mixes well.