If you are like us, the last few weeks in lock-down have turned you into an extraordinaire chef! We thought it would be the best time to share with you our favourite snack recipes for your next adventures (when the COVID situation will be behind us). These three recipes are super quick, full of nourishing ingredients and easy to pack for the mountains.
1. Nourishing Seed Crackers
I always crave bread and butter on long hiking days, but I know it’s not what will fire me to the top. This super easy and fun recipe is a great alternative full of healthy fats, omega-3 and fibre that gives me more energy and is easy to pack. It is also epic with hummus, cottage cheese, eggs, salmon, avocado, blue cheese and relish, peanut butter – all the toppings! Keep an eye on these in the oven and ensure even thinness – they golden up pretty quickly in the last 20 minutes of cooking!
Recipe recommended by my friend Ash at Habit Co | Nutrition & Fitness and inspired by Quite Good Food.
Ingredients :
- 3/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup flax seed/linseed
- 1/2 cup chia seeds
- 1/2 cup sesame seeds
- Dash Himalayan sea salt
- Dash garlic powder or onion powder
- 1 tbsp of mixed herbs or oregano (I also added a hint of chilli flakes)
- 1 ½ cups of room temp water
Preparation :
- Mix all together, and wait 15-20 minutes until the mixture has thickened and the chia and linseed have absorbed the water (they bind the crackers).
- Spread about half of the mixture across a tray lined with baking powder, ensuring it is super even thickness across the tray (otherwise it won’t cook evenly). Make sure the crackers are thin – if it is spread thicker than a normal small rice cracker thickness it will be more of a seed cookie!
- Bake for 50-60 minutes at 320 degrees F (160 degrees C), and keep an eye on it in the last 20 minutes! Turn the tray around halfway through, and be sure to have it in the middle of the oven. Once done, ensure the middle of the cracker tray is ready to ‘crack’, if not it might need 5 minutes longer.
- Once cool – break into shards of similar size and store in an airtight container only when cooled.
2. Five Ingredient Energy Balls
When we prepare for a big day in the mountains, the goal is to get all our gear ready the night before and go to bed early. This is why we love making this super quick recipe from the Minimalist Baker for a good sugar fix on the trail.
5 ingredients | 15 minutes | Naturally sweetened | Tastes like a peanut butter cup
Ingredients :
- 1 cup dates pitted (If dry, soak in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain well)
- 3 Tbsp all-natural salted peanut or any nut butter
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate (roughly chopped)
- 1 Tbsp chia seeds (or sub flax or hemp seeds)
- 2/3 cup rolled oats
Preparation :
- Pulse pitted dates in a food processor or blender until they’re in small pieces or it forms a ball.
- Add peanut butter, chocolate, chia seeds and oats. Pulse or mix until combined. You want the pieces to be small but not overly processed.
- Carefully roll into 1-inch balls, using the warmth of your hands to mold them together.
- To set, pop into fridge or freezer for 15 minutes. Otherwise, eat as is!
Will keep fresh in an air-tight bag or container for up to a week or freeze to enjoy later. Easy-peasy my friends!
3. Addictive Raw Brownie
How do you celebrate when you finally reach the top of the mountain? This raw brownie is the best treat-Gluten free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free. It is still higher in sugar with the dates to gives you a quick boost of energy for the way down. Another great recipe recommended by our friend at Habit Co | Nutrition & Fitness and inspired by CoffeeCulture, Cultured Summer Ed. Magazine.
Ingredient :
- 1 ½ cups of almond meal (or switch for part oat flour or alternative flour – other flour may change the brownie texture or ‘moistness’)
- 2 ½ cups of dates chopped (to ensure no pits)
- Dash Himalayan pink salt
- ½ cup cocoa or cacao (add less if you wish)
- 3 tbsp semi-melted virgin coconut oil
- ¼ tsp real vanilla essence (optional)
- Stevia or sweetener to taste (I added 2 tsp – you can use maple or honey)
- Add-ins:
- Quality dark chocolate 50-70% cut into shards or chunks
- Walnuts – optional
- Any freeze-dried fruits – optional
Preparation :
- Blend until thoroughly combined, it will look slightly oily and grainy, but it should press together and stick to be smooth.
- Add in your dark chocolate, nuts and dried or freeze-dried berries. You can also add some peanut butter, coconut or fresh berries.
- Pour into a square dish lined with baking or non-stick paper – keep pressing until it is well packed in and smooth looking. The more it is pressed together the less likely it is to crumble or break. The smaller the dish, the thicker the brownie pieces. Pull the paper to the middle to help shape the edges. You can press baking paper on to the top to help smooth the brownie and keep it from being crumbly once set and cut.
- Store in the fridge in an airtight container. The pieces do crumble a bit when not refrigerated so I love putting them next to my water bottle inside my backpack.
What’s your favorite recipe? Let us know by commenting below or tagging @bewildadentures or #bewildadventures on Instagram
