Snacks come in handy when you’re hiking.
I only know this because some of the most rewarding moments spent hiking are when you reach the top of a mountain or the mid-point of a trail, or a lookout and have the chance to rest for ten minutes or so and indulge in a treat. Snacks are also useful if you’ve walked for so long you feel like your feet are about to fall off and your stomach is growling.
Andrea is going hiking this weekend so I thought I’d surprise her and try to create my own bars so she could bring them on her trip with her. I’m usually not a huge fan of bars (I’d rather sit down for a real meal), but on the trail this just isn’t possible. So I did what I could to make three different flavors of bars for her to take into the wilderness for snacks this weekend.
I made chocolate peanut-butter, plain peanut-butter (both of these flavors also have variations that include chocolate chips), and…..drumroll please…..GINGERBREAD! I know, I know, some of you think that gingerbread isn’t ‘in season’ right now, but I’ll explain my rationale.
I’m not sure if I’ve confessed this or not before, but I’m a fan of listening to Christmas music almost year round. Note, I said almost. I usually take a break of a month or two and then crank up the frosty tunes starting in about June. Last year my family moved houses and because it was summer and I had nothing else planned, I decided to physically “move” myself from one house to the other by walking. I set out on a nearly 15 mile journey from one house to the other with a water bottle in hand and speakers in my ears. To combat the above-100 degree heat, I thought it would be smart to listen to some Christmas music. So I did. The whole way. And even if the music didn’t really cool my body down at all, it put a pep in my step the entire walk.
Today I went on a walk with my iPod on shuffle and a Christmas song popped up. As soon as it did, I knew that today was the day to deck the halls. I did by coming up with this gingerbread flavored bar that would make even the grinch happy. So, without further ado, whip out your food processors and Christmas jams and let’s get snackin’!
Snacker Bars are Comin’ To Town
Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup peanut butter puff cereal
3 dates (pitted and sliced in half)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
How To
1. Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until all ingredients meld together into one ball or until the consistency reaches the point that you can easily put the batter in your hands and make a cohesive ball.
2. Shape the batter into whatever form you’d like or see below for a variation!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
Ingredients
1/2 of batter from above
1 1/2 tablespoons chocolate chips
How To
1. Split the batter above in half with a knife. Leave one half as plain peanut butter bars and mix the other half of the batter with chocolate chips.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups peanut butter puff cereal
3 dates (pitted and sliced in half)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon agave
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
How To
1. Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until all ingredients meld together into one ball or until the consistency reaches the point that you can easily put the batter in your hands and make a cohesive ball.
2. Shape the batter into whatever form you’d like or see below for a variation!
Chocolate Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
1/2 of batter from above 1 1/2 tablespoons chocolate chips
How To
1. Split the batter above in half with a knife. Leave one half as plain peanut butter bars and mix the other half of the batter with chocolate chips.
Gingerbread Bars
Ingredients
1/2 cup mixed soy nuts and pumpkin seeds
1 packet vegan maple instant oats
1/2 overflowing tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon agave
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
How To
1. Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until all ingredients meld together into one ball or until the consistency reaches the point that you can easily put the batter in your hands and make a cohesive ball.
2. Shape the batter into whatever form you’d like! (I suggest gingerbread men).
Now that you’ve got your hands on these bars, I’m sure that your brain is hungry for some reading material. Good thing I’ve got a little snack to appease your intellectual side. It’s a story called “Christ, Their Lord” by Stacey Richter and you can find it in the Best of Tin House Stories published in 2006. It’s an energetic story packed with strange happenings that all center around Christmas, which is why I thought it would be perfect for this snacker day that I’ve packed full of Christmas references and stories. I hope you enjoy this slightly different and artistic take on Christmas that Richter uses in order to convey the complex relationship that the main characters are involved in.
Happy snacker day to all, and to all a good day!
Dig Into Books 