Backpacking Lunch/Snack Recipes

• 1 cup natural-style peanut butter
• 3 cups dry uncooked oatmeal
• 5/8 cup honey
• Protein powder (optional)

At home: combine the peanut butter and honey in a large nonstick pot and warm over low heat until runny and mixed. Mix in the oatmeal and protein powder. Do not bake, but heat enough to mix nicely. Press into a 9x9 inch pan and let cool.
Makes 16 bars

Note: because these no-bake energy bars are natural, there is no need to refrigerate them.

• 2 12-ounce cans of chickpeas
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 6 Tbsp sesame tahini
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• Juice of three lemons

At home: mash the chickpeas with a fork. Add the olive oil, tahini, and lemon juice. If the mix is too thick, add two tablespoons of water. Add the garlic. Mix until smooth. Store it in a zip lock bag.

In camp: serve with slices of pita bread.
Makes 6 servings

Note: This is a great energy food as a snack of for lunch. It is full of protein and calories, and can last more than a week. If you want to carry less weight, you can bring dry hummus, which can be mixed with water on the trail.

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup candied ginger, chopped

At home: preheat oven to 250°. In a large bowl, combine the oats, wheat germ, nuts and brown sugar. In a separate bowl, combine the honey, lemon zest and juice and grated ginger. Combine both mixtures, tossing very well to combine. Pour onto a cookie sheet and spread out evenly. Bake, stirring every 15 minutes until the mixture is as dark as you'd like it to be. Allow to cool. Store in a air-tight container.

• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup instant coffee crystals
• 1/4 cup milk or heavy cream
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

At home: Preheat oven to 325° F. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 inch pan. Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the sugar, vanilla and butter, beating to combine. Stir in the flour and salt. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of batter. Stir the coffee crystals and cream and add to the remaining batter. Spread the coffee batter into the prepared pan. Add chocolate chips to the reserved batter and spoon over the coffee batter. Run a knife through the two batters to marble them. Sprinkle the pecans over the top. Bake 20-25 minutes or until the center is firm and set. Cool before cutting into bars. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap.

In camp: Unwrap and enjoy!
Makes 12 dozen

• 7 cups whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup dry milk powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts
• 1 cup raisins, craisins or other dried fruit

Stir all above ingredients together. Then add:

• 2 cups water
• 3/4 cup honey
• 3/4 cup molasses
• 3/4 cup melted butter or margarine

At home: Stir first ingredients together. Then add water, honey, molasses, and butter or margarine. Stir all the gooey stuff into the dry stuff until you get a stiff dough. Smash into a greased pan. Bake for 1 hour at 300° F. Then turn the oven down to 200° and open the oven door the least amount you can so it still stays open, and thus let it dry out/bake for 2 more hours. This recipe will fill an 11x17 inch pan (1 inch high), and makes about twenty four 2.5 inch square pieces.

In camp: Unwrap and enjoy!
Makes approx. 2 dozen pieces

Note: This energy-packed backpacking recipe, a classic originally used by climbers, is very dense so it resists smashing.

• 1 foil pouch tuna (use the small 3 oz size pkg)
• 1 packet mayo
• 1 packet relish
• 2 medium tortillas

In camp: Rip open tuna pouch, add mayo and relish, beat around with spoon, and put on tortillas.
Makes 1 serving