Energy for the Trail!
In celebration of Earth Day, enjoy two recipes perfect for pairing with your next outdoor adventure. Recipes by Sarah Davidson, originally published in Issue 19::WANDER. Photographs by Demetria Provatas.
Through the summer and fall, the White Mountain Guide sits prominently on our kitchen table as a resource, an inspiration, and a daily reminder to get out and wander. Since any long day of adventuring with young children involves a lot of snack breaks, over time I’ve developed a repertoire of homemade snacks that are easily portable, energizing, nourishing, full of protein, and simple to make. In fact, the simpler the better—it leaves more time for our wandering adventures.
Date Protein Bars
Makes 8 to 12 bars or balls.
Ingredients
1 cup pitted Medjool dates, soaked in warm water to soften
1 cup pumpkin seeds (raw or toasted)
½ cup sunflower seeds (raw or toasted)
¼ cup chia seeds
Pinch of sea salt
2 tablespoons raw cacao powder
Instructions
- Line a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper. (If you would like to make balls instead of bars, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Put the dates into a small bowl and add warm water until well covered. Allow to soak until soft, 5 to 10 minutes, then drain through a fine-mesh sieve and set aside.
- Put the pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds into the bowl of a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer the ground seeds to a small bowl and set aside.
- Put the drained dates into the food processor. Pulse until there are no large pieces, then process until the mixture resembles dough. Stop the food processor and scrape down the sides with a spatula.
- Add the reserved ground pumpkin and sunflower seeds to the date paste. Add the chia seeds, salt, and cacao powder. Pulse the ingredients until everything is well combined, but do not overprocess.
- Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and use a spatula to spread evenly. (To make balls, use an ice cream scoop to form the balls, placing each one on a baking sheet.) Place in the refrigerator and chill for 1 hour before serving. Store in a rigid airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Granola Bars
Makes about 24 bars.
Ingredients
1½ cup rolled oats
1½ cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup dried goji berries
½ cup chopped dried fruit of choice
2 eggs
¾ cup maple syrup
½ cup milk of choice
½ cup coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9 × 13-inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, stir together the oats, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, walnuts, goji berries, and dried fruit of choice. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, maple syrup, milk, coconut oil, and vanilla. Add the maple syrup mixture to the oat mixture and stir well to combine. Pour into the prepared pan and spread out evenly with a spoon or rubber spatula.
Bake for about 25 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool completely in the pan, then cut and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Enjoy!
