Imagine this: It’s midday, the weather is glorious and you’re out in the middle of nowhere with a couple of close friends and a pack of happy dogs. You’re on a hiking trip and life is good. It’s time for a rest and some lunch. You could setup the little stove and boil up something, but you’re warm enough that you don’t want something hot, and really, you just want to rest and then get back to hiking, not sit around doing dishes. It’s time for sandwiches.

So, here’s a sandwich that tastes good, packs fairly light, and doesn’t need any sort of refrigeration, even if you’re out for several days. Just don’t complain that it isn’t fancy enough (mid hike you want calories, not fancy!)

Backpacker’s wrap

• 4 6” whole wheat tortillas
• 1 ripe avocado
• Several sun dried tomatoes (dry from bulk, not packed in oil – chopped at home in advance)
• 2 small cans of flavoured tuna

Serves two hungry hikers

Peel, pit and slice avocado. Pull open the tuna cans. Spread tuna, avocado, and tomatoes on tortillas and roll like a burrito. Enjoy your minimal effort lunch and clean up rinsing the knife and cans (don’t forget to put the cans in your garbage bag and bring them out of the woods with you).

It’s a good thing that hiking season overlaps with avocado season. Avocados are a great source of healthy oils when out and about. Unlike the other backpacking recipes mentioned, this one doesn’t get prepared in advance. All you need is a pocket knife to peel, pit, and slice the avocado (and maybe chop the sun dried tomatoes if you forgot to do that before heading out).

For the canned tuna, big chain grocery stores now sell small single serving tuna in easy to open peel-top cans that come packed in flavoured oils. That’s great because it combines your meat and your condiment in one can, no need to bring separate condiments! We tried both Sundried Tomato and Basil and Thai Sweet Chilli by Walmart’s house brand. The sun dried tomato and basil mixed with real sun dried tomatoes may have been a bit strong (Cynthia, who loves sundried tomatoes didn’t complain), and the Sweet Chilli won’t be confused for fine Thai dining, but it tasted pretty good to me (I like avocado and hot stuff, it just works well).