FOOD FOR THOUGHT
"All God's children gotta eat " especially when they are hiking in the mountains. Ample and correct nutrition is important when exercising to maintain physical stamina and psychological and emotional well being.
Hiking burns calories. An adult hiking up a trail can consume 500-600 calories an hour on top of the calories that it takes to maintain the body functions. Hiking at higher altitudes can cause the calorie consumption rate to double. An average hiking day of 4-5 hours can mean you are using thousands of calories. I can hear the cheers from the calorie counters. Sorry, but these calories need to be replaced. Any one involved with sustained physical activity knows that you have to eat to maintain your output. Try eating an inadequate breakfast and hiking for three hours and see what happens. You will fade and get tired and drop behind and then get grouchy because you can't keep up and don't feel good. I've seen it happen. Lay over days on the longer expeditions provide rest but also let us catch up on our calories.
El Paseo LLama takes all of this into consideration when planning expeditions and the menus. We also ask for your dietary restrictions and food allergies and then putting it all together arrive at a menu plan that will provide tasty varied meals that are good for you. In between meals, healthful trail snacks are provided that keep the blood glucose at levels necessary to maintain the level of activity.
On Family treks the menu is adjusted to account for the tastes of little ones without insulting adult tastes. We will consult with you on your kid's likes and dislikes.
Gourmet meals, expertly prepared, await you on your expedition. Using the finest ingredients and produce from our 100% organic garden ( in season ), we will serve you hot, hearty and satisfying breakfasts and dinners. Lunches are picnic style, featuring sumptuous sandwiches and veggies. The desserts are outrageous. I have been cooking for over 50 years and know that good food nourishes the soul as well as the body. Count on El Paseo for the best eats on your adventure.
The following is a selection from our gourmet meals. We select the meals to fit the trek and any dietary restrictions of our guests.
SHITAKE CHICKEN A wonderful blend of spices (ginger, fennel, orange zest, etc.) adds a complex and pleasing flavor to this dish of chicken and shitake mushrooms. Served with brown rice, green peas and pearl onions.
HAM LINGUINE FLORENTINE Virginia ham with slivered almonds and mushrooms in a sauce flavored with Dijon mustard and marjoram is served on a bed of fresh spinach.
MANDARIN SHRIMP & VEGETABLE STIR-FRY Shrimp served with stir-fried red and green bell peppers, broccoli and scallions. The sauce of orange marmalade, soy sauce, vinegar, Tabasco sauce and spices makes a wonderful oriental sweet and sour flavor. Served on white rice.
GO BIG RED CHILI Texas style chili that features sausage, beef and beans in a beer flavored sauce. The spices add a uniqueness that is a treat. Served with sourdough bread or corn bread.
BOILERMAKER JAMBALAYA Italian sausage, ham and shrimp are the basis for this Creole delight flavored with beer and Tennessee Sour Mash. Spices galore make for a complex flavor that is SO good. Served with hearty bread.
FEOJUADA A Brazilian tradition. Butterfly cut pork chops cooked in a sauce of black beans, lime juice and orange juice. Served with white or brown rice, with a vegetable medley.
BEEF CACCIATORE Thinly sliced top sirloin beef cooked with green peppers and Italian spices. Served with noodles, Parmesan cheese and Italian sourdough bread. A salad completes the meal.
CARNE ADOVADA Cubes of pork marinated in our own special red chile sauce and baked with cubed potatoes. Rolled in a tortilla and served with pinto or black beans. This is topped with shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream. Served with a Mexican salad.
BURRITO TAOS A tortilla is wrapped around a mix of beef (seasoned with our secret spice blend), refried beans, onions, cheddar cheese, and one New Mexico green chile. Lightly browned and served with black beans and smothered with our home made green chile gravy and topped with shredded cheddar cheese. Served with sour cream and Mexican salad.
VEGGIE BURRITO A tortilla filled with our own mix of brown rice, stir-fried vegetables and refried beans. Smothered with veggie green chile gravy and served with sour cream and Mexican salad or avocado and tomato slices
CARNITAS Y PAPITAS Diced pork marinated in our southwestern spices along with cubed potatoes fried in canola oil and our secret spice blend are served with pinto or black beans. The potatoes are covered with green chile gravy. Avocado and tomato slices with sour cream also.
POLLO Y PAPITAS Just as good as the carnitas with marinated chicken instead of the pork.
GREEN CHILI STEW Our own seasoning makes this bowl of green chili, beef, and pinto beans a delight. Topped with shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream. Also served without the meat for the herbivores. All get warmed tortillas.
INDIAN STYLE FISH Indian flavors (not curry) in a spicy tomato sauce with lime juice make this fish dish exceptional. Served with white rice and a vegetable.
GREEK POTATO SALAD A Mediterranean delight of potatoes, kalamata olives, celery and green onions. Olive oil (no mayo), Dijon mustard, and garlic add to the flavor of this treat, Served in pita pockets with diced tomatoes and bits of marinated chicken.
CHICKEN & ORANGE STIR FRY An oriental delight. Chicken stir fried with snow peas, green bell peppers, green onions, mushrooms and orange sections. The sauce is orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar and dry sherry. Served on rice.
ANGEL HAIR ALFREDO Alfredo sauce blends with the angel hair pasta made with Jerusalem artichoke or garlic and parsley. Italian sausage is added for the carnivores. Served with garlic toast and a salad.
BREAKFASTS
OMELET: VEGGIE, CARNIVORE & FEATHER Eggs cooked with a blend of veggies, cheese, spices and mushrooms and served in a warmed rolled tortilla.. Carnivore adds sausage links or bacon. Feather is served with turkey bacon.
CEREAL Various cooked cereals are served with berries and maple syrup. Toast or English muffins are served with or without bacon.
FRENCH TOAST French bread soaked in an egg/milk mixture, and flavored with our own blend of spices. It's like eating eggnog with maple syrup for breakfast. If you like, we add sausage or bacon (pork or turkey).
PANCAKES Blue corn or 7-grain pancakes with maple syrup. Sausage or bacon and margarine if you like. Buttermilk pancakes when little ones are along.
HUEVOS RANCHERO Fluffy scrambled eggs served over a bed of pinto beans and topped with our green chile gravy (veggie or meat), sour cream and ripe olives. Carnivores get crumbled bacon and everyone gets a warm tortilla.
LOX & ONION OMELET Our special scrambled eggs cooked with lox and diced onions and served in a rolled warm flour tortilla.
LUNCHES, DESERTS & OTHER DELIGHTS
YOGURT GRANOLA Non fat yogurt topped with toasted coconut, toasted pecans, berries and maple syrup.
SANDWICHES A variety of sandwiches made from locally baked gourmet bread, plus fresh vegetables and salads are prepared and served on the trail.
DESSERTS Our desserts are to die for. Magic bars, raspberry squares, two-tone brownies. fudge pudding cake, strawberry shortcakes, cookies, pecan puffs, cheese cake, layer cakes and pies of various stripes, Canadian blackberry pudding, banana cranberry nut bread. The list goes on.
BEVERAGES We serve juices, natural soft drinks, coffee (hi-test & decaf), spiced apple cider, hot chocolate, milk and herbal teas depending on your tastes and the meal. We do not serve alcoholic beverages but you may bring your own.
SOUPS & SNACKS These are served when appropriate.
SALADS We use fresh organic ingredients right from our garden (in season) and the finest dressings.
THE MENU IS SELECTED WITH YOU IN MIND
The sun rises...time to get breakfast ready.
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