Category: Fitness & Recipes

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Fitness & Recipes General Information Outdoor Adventures

Favorite Snacks for Outdoor Family Adventure

We have one rule in this house. Okay, we have more than one rule, but the MAIN rule for family adventuring is: ALWAYS pack snacks. It doesn’t even matter that we don’t have toddlers anymore, even older kids get hangry when their tummies are empty. And hangry kids are no fun to hike with. Or bike. Or anything really.

Over the years we’ve kind of gravitated to our favorite snacks, and while we do try to add new ones, these seem to be our tried and true! We do mix in fresh fruits and veggies (carrots, cherry tomatoes, apples, clementines), and fruit snacks but these are the more exciting ones- at least in my opinion. Note that most of these links are affiliates cause that’s how we keep the lights on around here. Thanks for helping us out!

Perky Jerky

We’ve been ambassadors for at least 2 years now and I have no plans to stop proclaiming the amazingness of Perky Jerky. I feel like protein is one of the hardest trail snacks to get (unless you go with a bar – but then that’s a lot of carbs too) but this is SO easy. And delicious. All of their meats are super tender, easy to chew and full of flavor. Have I mentioned they taste amazing?

Just this year Perky Jerky added pork to their line up and just thinking about the Coconut Curry flavor has me getting hungry. We eat these in the car on long drives, on the ski hill, on the way back from the ski hill, hiking, biking, and and the beach. Pretty much anywhere.

You can find Perky Jerky at most grocery stores, Whole Foods, sometimes Costco or subscribe on their website.

 

Mission Meats

We were sent a sample pack from Mission Meats this year and were excited to give them a try! The kids liked their beef sticks, but what really interested me were their Graze Bars. All their products are made from 100% grass fed beef and are pretty tasty!

Vermont Smoke & Cure

Apparently it was jerky month, because we were also contacted by Vermont Smoke & Cure – a US based company that makes meat snacks. We tried both the Maple Teriyaki & the Jalapeno Lime grass-fed beef sticks and were fans! They had lots of flavor and the jalapeno flavor had a good kick to it!

Blue Ridge Granola

Blue Ridge is a small company based out of North Carolina in the heart of the Smoky Mountains. They were a 365 Mile Challenge Kids’ Week sponsor and while their cookies are delicious, their home made granola is even better! I love to just toss back a handful while on the trail or pair it with Greek yogurt at home.

 

Just the Cheese

We were recently introduced to Just the Cheese on Instagram and when I indicated I was writing a post about snacks they agreed to send us a few samples to try out. I loved them!

They are basically baked cheese. That’s it. Gluten free, and Keto friendly, they are simple and delicious. They also have different flavors and come in bars or minis. I’m super excited to try out the rest of the flavors!

Bare Snacks Baked & Naturally Crunchy

It’s all about the coconut. I know I have a photo of apples and those are more common, but trust me on this. Their coconut chips are amazing and I HATE coconut. It looks like they’ve also come out with sweet potato, beets, and carrots in addition to the fruit. Time to go order some on Amazon.

Nature’s Bakery Fig Bars

We pick these up by the box at Costco and love them. Well, most of us do. They usually have three flavors: fig, blueberry, and raspberry. When we buy just one flavor at a time the kids prefer Double Chocolate Brownie.

Unsurprising, right? I feel like these a good alternative to plain old granola bars.

Nature Nate’s Honey

Sometimes we get approached by companies and I think “I don’t want to write a post about that” but then we actually TRY it and fall in LOVE and I think, “Write the post!” That’s kind of how I felt about Nature Nate when I first heard about it. Honey? As a snack? But its seriously like an organic sugar kick. Let’s be honest too – their little honey packets are freaking adorable and so easy to toss in a bag and go!

Justin’s Almond Butter & Back to Nature Crackers

This was a staple for us in Hawaii. I could order them both off Amazon (it might take awhile to get there) but easy to throw in the beach bag, and super filling.  I also like that the almond butter packets are smaller and easy to size portion. And they are delicious on banana pancakes.

Half Pops

We randomly picked up a bag of these at REI one day and totally loved them! Okay, Cara totally loves them which is a HUGE perk since she’s our picky eater. Our favorite is definitely cheddar – we tried the caramel sea salt and it was just weird. We recently ordered some Butter & Sea Salt and they were a hit with Rachel as well!

Honey Stinger Waffles & Chews

My kids BEG for Honey Stinger Waffles. They are kind of expensive, but we buy them at REI in bulk and get a small discount when we do. We save these for BIG adventures. And eat sparingly but dang. My kids will practically do anything for one.

The chews are also good – kind of like a hefty fruit snack. If we are doing something serious we’ll buy the caffeinated versions and give them each one or two for a pick me up.

Pretzel Thins, Hummus, & Cucumber

We buy the Pretzel thins at Costco in the BIG bags and then usually grab a small tupperware to pack them in so they don’t get smooshed. I remember one time in Wisconsin we let Cara put them in her bag and I’m heard them bouncing down the trail with her. We ended up with pretzel dust- so keep them somewhere a little more smooth than with the 5 year old.

Pair it with single serve hummus cups, slice up a cucumber with a pocket knife and even add in some Perky Jerky and you practically have lunch.

Pepperoni Roll Ups

I asked on Instagram once about people’s favorite snacks and someone mentioned these. We tried them and totally got addicted! Its basically crescent rolls layed out with some marinara, mozzarella cheese and pepperoni. Roll it up, bake them about 12 minutes and you are good to go!

They store pretty easily and we’ve packed them for lunch or snacks depending on how long we’ll be out.

Gatorade

This is a new addition to the “get kids down the trail” arsenal. Our friends started bringing small Gatorade bottles for each of the kids on hikes, and this last trip to Acadia they gave some to our kids as well. Cara told me that she had all the energy in the world and she could hike forever! I’m sold.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Power Cookies

These breakfast “cookies” are ridiculously delicious. They’ve turned into one of our go-to hiking snacks as they are easy to stash in a small tupperwear and toss into our pack. They are loaded with Peanut Butter energy goodness, apples, oats, and bananas! Full recipe here on the blog.

Whole Grain Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

These are also a backpacking favorite. They are pretty dense so they pack well, and taste pretty good 4-5 miles into a trail. Okay, they taste good all the time. We made them once for Andrew’s birthday on the Apostle Islands and added campfire roasted marshmallows and chocolate. Yup. It was good. Full recipe here on the blog.

Homemade Trail Mix

This is a big one for us when we go backpacking. My kids don’t really like nuts (unless you count toffee covered peanuts) so I came up with my own nut-less version of a trail mix. We use square pretzels, M&M’s, craisins, peanuts, & mini marshmallows. Mix together and store tightly covered.

The second option my kids like is a mix of toffee covered peanuts (I’ve literally only found them at the built section of Winco grocery stores) and skittles.

There you have it! We try and pack at least 2-3 snacks per person when on a medium length adventure. Usually some kind of bar, a fruity thing, and something fresh & crunchy. If its a long adventure we’ll also pack candy or gummies – lovingly called “trail bait” that help keep the kids going when they get tired.

What about you? What are your favorite snacks to pack on outdoor adventures?

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Fitness & Recipes

Airstream Kitchen: Huevos Rancheros

Airstream Kitchen - Huevos Rancheros Recipe from CurrentlyWandering

When I first heard of “Huevos Rancheros” I had absolutely no clue what it meant. I never took Spanish in high school so my vocabulary is basically limited to “Hola!” and “Adios!” Now that my kids having been learning Spanish using the Duo Lingo app for school, they’ve informed me that “Huevos Rancheros” means “Ranch Eggs”. Still not sure what “Ranch” means in this context, but we’ll go with it.

Whatever its origin, this a super easy, quick dinner when I really don’t feel like cooking. Everyone gobbles it up. My only hang up is that I feel like we eat in shifts as I can only cook two, sometimes three sets of eggs at a time on my stove. I typically make eggs for the kids first, then Sam, and then mine come off last. Serve with a side of fruit and you basically have your food groups covered!

Huevos Rancheros

Serves 5
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 tsp coconut oil
1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
3 roma tomatoes, diced, separated
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp lime juice
salt and pepper to taste
10 small corn tortillas OR 5 large flour tortillas (depends on what I have on hand)
10 eggs
10 slices of cheese (or shredded if that’s easier)
spinach
Avocado
Tomatoes
Hot sauce

Directions:

  1. In a small sauce pan saute onions in coconut oil until softened. Add black beans. Stir until warm and then smash the beans with a fork until slightly chunky.
  2. Add in about two of the tomatoes, the spices, and the lime juice. Salt and pepper as needed for the flavor to come out. Keep stirring.
  3. Heat up a griddle and fry corn tortillas in coconut oil, or warm up your flour tortillas. Set aside to keep warm.
  4. On same griddle fry two eggs at a time until almost well-done (I find if they are overly running my kids make a mess, but they like them a little soft!). Add the cheese once you’ve flipped the eggs so it’ll melt as your cook the second side. If you are using corn tortillas I usually do one egg per tortilla.
  5.  Layer black bean mixture, and spinach on top of tortillas. Top with fried eggs & cheese.
  6. Top with leftover fresh tomatoes, avocado, and hot sauce (we love Green Chili Tabasco sauce!) with a grapefruit on the side. DSCF5466
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Fitness & Recipes

Airstream Kitchen: Spaghetti Squash Burrito Bowls

Airstream Kitchen Spaghetti Squash Burrito Bowls

We love spaghetti squash in this house and I was excited to find this recipe on Pinterest. Since our oven heats up the entire house, however, I’m pretty careful about the days I bake. We happened to have an overcast day in Arkansas that was perfect to throw the squash into the oven for 45 minutes. This one is kind of like twice baked potatoes, only with spaghetti squash. I suppose you could ditch the skin and put the whole thing into a cast iron pan as well. Oooohhh… I think I’ll try that next time!

Spaghetti Squash Burrito Bowls

Serves: family of 5
Adapted from Christine Pechulis

Ingredients:
1 medium spaghetti squash
2 tsp coconut oil
1/2 lb lean ground turkey
1 small onion, chopped
1 sweet bell pepper, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 can kidney or black beans, drained & rinsed
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 Tbsp canned chilies or jalapenos (I omitted this and we just put Green Chili Tabasco sauce on it instead – definitely needs some kick however you do it!)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup cilantro finely chopped
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup cheddar, colby jack or Mexican cheese, shredded
Toppings: cilantro, avocado, plain Greek yogurt, chopped tomatoes, Tabasco sauce.
Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degree F.
  2. Cut squash in half, scoop out seeds. Lay skin side down on baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until tender.
  3. While its cooking, heat coconut oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add ground turkey and cook until almost done.  Add onions and peppers (and more coconut oil if needed) and continue to saute until veggies are soft. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add beans, chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, chilies/jalapenos, tomato sauce, salt and cilantro. Stir to combine and then remove from heat. Add half of the cheese and stir again.
  4. Remove spaghetti squash from oven and let it cool a little before using a fork to remove strands. Try and keep the shell intact because you are going to need it!
  5. Add spaghetti squash to meet mixture and stir to combine.
  6. Divide mixture in half and put it back inside the shells. Cover with remaining cheese.
  7. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Garnish with avocado, extra cilantro, chopped tomatoes, Greek yogurt, and Tabasco sauce.

DSCF4795

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Fitness & Recipes

Airstream Kitchen: Skillet Ham & Cheese Scones

Everything seems to taste better in our cast iron skillet, and these scones were no exception! I was looking on Pinterest for a way to use up our leftover Easter Ham when I found this recipe on Damn Delicious. We’ve loved everything I’ve made of hers, so we thought to give it a try!

Yeah. They were good. Especially warm right out of the over with butter. Ahhh…

I served these with a big ol’ salad and some fruit. Everyone was happy!

Skillet Ham & Cheese Scones

adapted from Damn Delicious
8 servings, 1 wedge each

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp dried chives (can also use fresh, but I never have those either)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut into cubes
3/4 cup buttermilk (or milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice if you are lazy like me and never have buttermilk on hand)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup diced ham

Intructions:

  1. Preheat over to 425 degrees F.
  2. In a large bowl mix your dry ingredients – flour, sugar, baking powder, garlic powder, and salt. Add the cold butter using your fingers to work it into the mix. I usually end up with flour covered butter chunks and that’s okay too.
  3. Stir in buttermilk, cheese, ham and chives until you have soft dough.
  4. Knead the dough 3-4 times on a flour covered surface until it all comes together. Spread it out into a 10″ skillet so it has uniform thickness.  Cut into 8 wedges inside the pan. I also like to shape the edges a little just so they get a little crispy all over.
  5. Bake in oven for 18-20 minutes or until firm to the touch and lightly brown.
  6. Eat and enjoy!

Delicious Ham and Cheese Scones from CurrentlyWandering

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Fitness & Recipes

Airstream Kitchen: Italian Meatball Wedding Soup

Its a rainy day here in Arkansas, which is a perfect day for soup! This is one of our recent favorites, although I apparently don’t make it enough. Each time I was asked what’s for dinner, and responded with, “Italian Wedding Soup”, I received an “Ooooh! Yum!  I LOVE that!” comment. Cara is our pickiest eater (at 5.5 years old) and she’ll gobble down the meatballs and turn her nose up at the spinach. That doesn’t fly around here and I make her eat it anyway. So mean.

I usually make the meatballs one day and we’ll eat half of them over zucchini noodles (or zoodles),  and then freeze the other half of them to make this soup later in the week. The ingredients for both meals are very similar, but they are totally different meals. Works great when you have very little fridge space.

I serve the soup with our Cast Iron Skillet Vegan Cornbread or a salad. Depends on my mood and how many other veggies we’ve had that day.

Italian Wedding Soup

Serves 6, 2 cups each

Ingredients

1 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups spinach (or greens, but we usually just have spinach on hand)
20 Italian Meatballs (or however many you have left over after eating pasta – see recipe HERE)
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black papper
2 tsp lemon juice (or fresh lemon cut into wedges – which we never have)

Directions:

  1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 4-6 minutes or until translucent.
  2. Add garlic, stirring frequently for 1 minute.
  3. Add broth and bring to a boil.
  4. Add greens. Reduce heat to low and boil uncovered, gently for 10 minutes.
  5. Add meatballs, cook for another 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
  6. Combine egg and cheese in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
  7. Slowly pour egg mixture into hot soup, stirring constantly. Boil, uncovered until eggs are just set (takes about 30 seconds).
  8. Add lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately!

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