Herb Crackers

Easy Herb Crackers

(gluten free, grain free, paleo, vegan, refined sugar free…nothing but the good stuff)

Unless you’re new here, you may know that I have a strong affinity for salty, crunchy snacks. I’m always on the look-out for convenient foods that will make my body function optimally, and of course, snacks should be tasty.

Hit with a crunchy craving recently, I went rummaging through my cupboard and nary was a salty snack to be found. Not feeling like going to the store, it was time to get creative, and thus these Herb Crackers were born. They’re gluten free, grain free, vegan, contain no refined sugar, and are made up of few simple ingredients. They’re also ridiculously simple and result in a house filled with savory scents while they bake.

I’ve had a couple bags of tapioca flour in my freezer that a friend gifted me while I was on the Autoimmune Paleo diet as part of a protocol to heal my adrenal fatigue and hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Prior to these crackers, I hadn’t baked with tapioca flour, so I’d put off using it for over a year. Today was the day.

I searched online to generate ideas and inspiration for the basic cracker process and to see if there was anything special to know about baking with tapioca flour. Tapioca flour is the starch extracted from the cassava root, while cassava flour is the whole root. Generally, tapioca is well-tolerated and avoids causing an immune response, as happens with many other grains. Plus, it’s fairly neutral and lends itself well to taking on any flavor you want. However, it’s still a starch and will therefore raise insulin, so eat in moderation and pair these crackers with a fat and a protein.

These crackers are quick and easy to make, even if you’re not an experienced baker and have never worked with alternative flours. They only have a handful of ingredients, most of which you likely already have. The tapioca flour could be swapped out for other fours like cassava, almond, or coconut.

In addition to making your house smell glorious, and being able to tailor the herbs to your personal preferences, another benefit of homemade crackers is that you don’t get the myriad of preservatives, food coloring, and additives that are often found in commercial baked goods. That alone makes it worth the little bit of effort it takes to whip up these savory little crunchies.

Easy Herb Crackers (grain free, gluten free, vegan)

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 55-60 minutes

Ingredients:

1½ cups tapioca flour
½ cup coconut flour
½ teaspoon Himalayan salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground fennel seed
½ teaspoon celery seed
2 teaspoon basil
2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon tomato powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 tablespoons filtered water

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine the dries in a mixing bowl. Feel free to use the combination of spices listed above, or create your own concoction. This is just what I had on hand. Add in olive oil and water. Combine thoroughly.

Dough should be a somewhat sticky consistency, but it will stick together in a lump. It won’t be overly loose nor will it be so dry that it doesn’t stick together. You should be able to hold it without it falling through your fingers. Add more flour and/or liquid to adjust consistency as necessary.

Dump the dough onto a piece of parchment, flatten it into a rough rectangle with your hands, and place another piece of parchment over it. Smooth dough and press into an even 1/4″ rectangle(ish) with a rolling pin. Remove the top piece of parchment and pull the bottom piece onto a baking sheet.

Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and use a pizza wheel or knife to cut the dough into roughly 1 inch squares. Return squares to baking sheet with some space in between each. Bake another 25-30 minutes until golden brown and lightly crisp.

Cool completely and store in airtight containers. Enjoy with soup, nut butter, hummus, cheese or cured meat.

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October 5, 2018October 5, 2018

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies (gf)

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies aka Autumnal Equinox Cookies

Sweaters, fuzzy slippers, flannel pajamas, golden leaves, and cozy evenings by the fire. Ahh, fall. The season for hygge. In my book, the autumnal equinox is the mark for when it’s officially time to start baking with pumpkin again and roasting root veggies on the daily.

After finishing my hike of the Oregon Desert Trail at the end of September, I returned to my hiking partner’s house in Portland for a couple of weeks. As often happens when I’m on trail, I missed preparing food. Real food. There’s something about chopping, mixing, and combining beautiful ingredients that is so tactile and enjoyable.

As it’s wont to do in Portland in the fall, the weather cooled down and the skies clouded over. The cool rainy weather coupled with a dinner party in honor of my hosts’ 15th wedding anniversary meant some baking was in order.

We kept it casual with roasted veggies, grilled fish, and the following fall-flavored cookies. These cookies are naturally gluten free, and can be made dairy free by substituting the butter for coconut oil. They can be made free of refined sugar by swapping the brown sugar for coconut sugar. They can be made vegan by swapping the eggs for flax eggs (1 egg=mix 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed meal + 3 Tablespoons water & allow to sit for 15+ minutes).

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Makes ~15 small cookies

Ingredients

3/4 cup light brown sugar

5 Tbl butter, melted, cool

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup organic pure pumpkin puree

1 cup organic rolled oats

1.5 cups oat flour (I grind rolled oats in a coffee grinder)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp ground ginger

3/4 cup add-ins (chopped walnuts or almonds, pumpkin seeds, raisins, cranberries, chocolate chips, etc.

Cream the butter and the sugar together until light and fluffy. Mix in the pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla until evenly combined. Mix all dries together in a separate bowl then slowly add to wets, mixing until well combined. Add in whatever ‘add-ins’ sound good to you.

Form into small (golf ball size) balls on parchment-lined baking sheet. Press flat. Bake at 350* for 12-14 minutes.

Enjoy 🙂

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August 21, 2018December 5, 2021

Oregon Desert Trail Resupply Planning

Food Resupply Plan for the Oregon Desert Trail

This post details how I planned my food for the Oregon Desert Trail. I’ll post more on general trail information and planning resources in a separate post. This one is all about where, what, and how much I planned for food resupply for the ODT. I’ll do a follow-up post when I return about how this plan worked out.

Grab a cup of coffee. This is a long one, but hopefully you’ll find it’s jam-packed with useful info.

The following table details where I sent each box, the calorie goals for each day, the specific food I sent, and how that broke down in term of macronutrients (percentages of fat, carbs, and protein), as well as total food weight carried.

The calorie goal for each resupply box is in the top left corner of the table for each location. The actual calories in the box are at the bottom of the table for each section, which is also where you’ll find the macro breakdown and the food weight of the box.

Determining Goal Calorie Intake

I loosely track daily calories and nutrients with the app MyFitnessPal. To create my calorie goals, I used that data of my current intake and expenditure, coupled with knowledge from previous hikes.

The numbers may seem low considering that I’m 5’7″, have a normal BMI, and I’ll be hiking 25-30 miles per day. However, I made them low for a couple reasons: 1) I’m still recovering from a hypo-thyroid issue, and the thyroid is the master regulator of metabolism, so my current basal metabolic rate (BMR) is lower than it has been in the past. I know this because I track my calorie intake and weight. While some might consider the downside of this being that ‘I have to’ eat less food to maintain my weight, the upside of a currently lower BMR is that ‘I get to’ eat less food to maintain my weight. That’s convenient when you’re backpacking and you have to carry it all on your back 🙂 And reason 2) The time frame (30 days) is relatively short, so I won’t get into full on hiker hunger, and if I do go into a calorie deficit, it won’t be for long. You’ll also notice that in each box I include several hundred additional calories above the goal amount, just in case.

Macronutrient Percentages

Let’s start by saying that I strongly believe in bio-individuality. Every body is different. Figure out what works best for you. I mean that in terms of both what your diet is made up of, as well as in terms of calories and macronutrients, and in terms of specific foods you do or do not tolerate well. Food quality and a focus on whole foods is the constant and the details are variable.

I’ve found that I thrive when I eat a diet higher in healthy fats, moderate in protein, and slightly lower in carbs. The numbers in this chart show my diet as generally being 50-60% fat, 10-20% protein, and 30-40% carbohydrate. Off trail, the fat number tends to be higher and the carbs lower, but this is how it settled out for the trail and I’m comfortable with that. We’ll see how I feel.

Also, I’m aware that in the table, the macro percentages don’t always add up to 100%. In a couple spots they add up to 102 or 105%. I believe this is due to averaging values for different varieties/flavors of granola, bars, etc. While this is not ideal, the data is still accurate enough to give a good reflection of what the nutritional spread looks like.

Food Planning on a ‘Restricted Diet’ while Going Stoveless

All foods in this resupply plan are gluten free and dairy free. This list does also not rely heavily on grains or added sugars, though there are a few in there. The focus is on including real foods with either no ingredient list or very short ingredient lists made up of recognizable foods. To avoid toxin exposure, most of these foods are organic.

I firmly believe in doing the best you can, and not obsessing about being perfect. While I’m all for eating a high-quality diet on trail, don’t let the idea overwhelm you to the point where you give up before you start. Start where you’re at and any small improvements you can make in food choices and quality will translate into feeling better on trail and supporting a cleaner environment.

Supplements & Other Items in Each Box

There are a few items that went into each box that aren’t listed in the chart. This includes maps for each section, wet wipes, and supplements. Oh, and resupply baggies of coarse celtic sea salt 🙂

Supplements I’m carrying: Magnesium Citrate Powder to help with muscle relaxation and sleep; Turmeric capsules to reduce overall inflammation; Vitamin C for electrolyte replacement and antioxidants; and probiotics to maintain optimal gut health. Not a ton, just the basics.

I also have cordyceps mushroom powder in my morning smoothie mix, along with the coconut creamer, collagen, chia, and spices. The cordyceps is for improved oxygen utilization and endurance. The spices, while not necessarily supplements, serve similar anti inflammatory and medicinal roles.

For a deep dive into performance nutrition and meal planning for backpackers, check out our online course on the topic.

Specific Brands I Carried

In the table, I left most food descriptions fairly general because I want to convey that in many instances you don’t have to choose one specific brand, and you can often find healthy substitutions that are either more available to you or suit your preferences better. I want the focus to be on the overall quality of the food and the idea that you can fuel a long distance hike with whole foods, made up of real ingredients.

The following are the specific brands I carried on this hike. While some of this food was donated to me, these are all brands I had tried in advance and approve of the ingredients and nutrition profile. Trust me, I wouldn’t be carrying them if I wasn’t certain they would fuel my hike properly. Having gone through adrenal and thyroid issues in the past, I’m well aware that my energy and my body are my greatest asset on any long distance hike.

It’s worth it to me to be thoughtful in my food choices, as well as in what brands I support. I like to feel aligned with the brands behind the products I consume to the extent that I can. This also goes for the gear I purchase.

Laird Superfood Coconut Creamer

Laird Superfood Hydrate Coconut Water

Vital Proteins Collagen Powder

Amazing Grass Greens Powder

Nutiva Chia Seeds

Trader Joe’s Almond Butter

Trader Joe’s Organic Tortilla Chips

Supernola Granola

Gorilly Goods Trail Mix

Wild Zora Meat & Veggie Bar

Trader Joe’s 85% Cocoa Chocolate

Wild Zora Meals

Sante Fe Dehydrated Beans

Natural Grocers Dehydrated Bulk Veggies

Trader Joe’s Individual Coconut Oil Packets

Kate’s Real Food Bars

Four Points Bars

Trail Nuggets

Cusa Premium Organic Instant Tea

If you want ideas for additional foods on my shopping list beyond what’s listed here, download my free Healthy Hiker Grocery Guide here.

Without further ado, the data…

	calories/serving	fat g/serving	carb g/serving	protein g/serving	weight/ serving (grams)	servings taken	total calories	total fat (g)	total protein (g)	total carbs (g)	total weight (g)
Start/eastern terminus (5 days) @ 2000 cal/day = 10000 cal
coffee/tea	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
laird superfood creamer	75	3	3	0	4	5	375	15	0	15	20
greens powder, cinnamon, ginger, cordyceps	30	5	7	1	10	5	150	25	5	35	50
collagen powder	70	2.5	1	10	15	5	350	12.5	50	5	75
chia seeds (1 tbl)	60	5	5	3	13	5	300	25	15	25	65

almond butter	190	17	7	7	32	14	2660	238	98	98	448
organic corn tortilla chips	140	8	15	2	28	8.5	1190	68	17	127.5	238
trail mix	200	17	6	12	34	6	1200	102	72	36	204
granola	210	16	14	6	42	4	840	64	24	56	168
bars	260	12	31	10	70	4	1040	48	40	124	280
chocolate	250	20	13	4		2.5	625	50	10	32.5	0
jerky	110	6	10	7	31	4	440	24	28	40	124

beans	130	0	24	7	35	6	780	0	42	144	210
mixed veg	30	1	8	3	13	5	150	5	15	40	65
coconut oil	120	14	0	0	15	4	480	56	0	0	60
spices	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
wild zora dinner	310	7	38	35	85	1	310	7	35	38	85

TOTAL							9715	662	381	736	4.20
Calories from F/C/P								5958.00	1524	2944	pounds
Percent of Total								61.33	15.69	30.30

ROME (5.5 days) @ 2200/day =12,000 cal
coffee/tea	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
laird superfood creamer	135	3	3	0	4	5	675	15	0	15	20
chia seeds (1 tbl)	60	5	5	3	13	5	300	25	15	25	65
greens powder, cinnamon, ginger, cordyceps	30	5	7	1	10	5	150	25	5	35	50
collagen powder	70	2.5	1	10	15	5	350	12.5	50	5	75
hydrate mix	40	0	10	0	12	9	360	0	0	90	108
								0
almond butter	190	17	7	7	32	14	2660	238	98	98	448
organic corn tortilla chips	140	8	15	2	28	8.6	1204	68.8	17.2	129	240.8
granola	200	16	14	6	42	6	1200	96	36	84	252
jerky	110	6	10	7	31	4	440	24	28	40	124
bars	260	12	31	10	70	8	2080	96	80	248	560
trail mix	210	17	6	12	34	6	1260	102	72	36	204
chocolate	250	20	13	4		2.5	625	50	10	32.5	0
								0
wild zora dinner	340	2	32	41	85	1	340	2	41	32	85
beans	130	0	24	7	35	6	780	0	42	144	210
mixed veg	30	1	8	3	13	5	150	5	15	40	65
coconut oil	120	14	0	0	15	4	480	56	0	0	60
spices	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

TOTAL							13054	815.3	509.2	1053.5	5.73
Calories from F/C/P								7337.70	2036.8	4214	pounds
Percent of Total								56.21	15.60	32.28

(MCDERMITT: BUY IN TOWN)

FIELDS (3 days) @ 2500 cal/day =7500 cal
coffee/tea	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
laird superfood creamer	75	3	3	0	4	3	225	9	0	9	12
greens powder, cinnamon, ginger, cordyceps	30	5	7	1	10	3	90	15	3	21	30
collagen powder	70	2.5	1	10	15	3	210	7.5	30	3	45
chia (1 tbl)	60	5	5	3	13	3	180	15	9	15	39
								0	0	0	0
almond butter	190	17	7	7	32	14	2660	238	98	98	448
potato chips	140	7	17	2	28	7	980	49	14	119	196
bars	260	12	31	10	70	3	780	36	30	93	210
trail mix	210	17	6	12	34	4	840	68	48	24	136
granola	210	16	14	6	42	2	420	32	12	28	84
jerkey	110	6	10	7	31	3	330	18	21	30	93
								0	0	0	0
wild zora meal	310	2	32	41	85	1	310	2	41	32	85
beans	130	0	24	7	35	6	780	0	42	144	210
mixed veg	30	1	8	3	13	5	150	5	15	40	65
coconut oil	120	14	0	0	15	4	480	56	0	0	60
spices	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

TOTAL							8435	550.5	363	656	3.82
Calories from F/C/P								4954.50	1452	2624	pounds
Percent of Total								58.74	17.21	31.11

FRENCHGLEN (4 days) @2500 cal/day =10,000 cal
coffee/tea	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
laird superfood creamer	75	3	3	0	4	5	375	15	0	15	20
greens powder, cinnamon, ginger, cordyceps	30	5	7	1	10	5	150	25	5	35	50
collagen powder	70	2.5	1	10	15	5	350	12.5	50	5	75
chia (1 tbl)	60	5	5	3	13	5	300	25	15	25	65
								0	0	0	0
almond butter	190	17	7	7	32	14	2660	238	98	98	448
potato chips	100	7	17	2	28	10	1000	70	20	170	280
trail mix	210	17	6	12	34	5	1050	85	60	30	170
granola	200	16	14	6	42	4	800	64	24	56	168
bars	250	12	31	10	70	8	2000	96	80	248	560
chocolate	250	20	13	4		2.5	625	50	10	32.5	0
jerky	110	6	10	7	31	3	330	18	21	30	93
								0	0	0	0
wild zora dinner	370	8	33	36	85	1	370	8	36	33	85
beans	130	0	24	7	35	6	780	0	42	144	210
mixed veg	30	1	8	3	13	5	150	5	15	40	65
coconut oil	120	14	0	0	15	4	480	56	0	0	60
spices	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

TOTAL							11420	767.5	476	961.5	5.24
Calories from F/C/P								6907.50	1904	3846	pounds
Percent of Total								60.49	16.67	33.68

PLUSH (2 days) @ 2500 cal/day = 5000 cal
coffee/tea	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
laird superfood creamer	75	3	3	0	4	5	375	15	0	15	20
greens powder, cinnamon, ginger, cordyceps	30	5	7	1	10	5	150	25	5	35	50
collagen powder	70	2.5	1	10	15	5	350	12.5	50	5	75
chia (1 tbl)	60	5	5	3	13	5	300	25	15	25	65
								0	0	0	0
wild zora breakfast	520	36	43	10	92	1	520	36	10	43	92
trail mix	210	17	6	12	34	4	840	68	48	24	136
granola	200	16	14	6	42	4	800	64	24	56	168
bars	250	12	31	10	70	10	2500	120	100	310	700
jerky	110					2	220	0	0	0	0
nut butter	180	14	8	9	32	1	180	14	9	8	32
wild zora dinner	370	8	33	36	85	1	370	8	36	33	85

TOTAL							6605	387.5	297	554	3.18
Calories from F/C/P								3487.50	1188	2216	pounds
Percent of Total								52.80	17.99	33.55

(LAKEVIEW: BUY IN TOWN)

PAISLEY (2 days) @ 2500 cal/day = 5000 cal
coffee/tea	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
laird superfood creamer	75	3	3	0	4	5	375	15	0	15	20
greens powder, cinnamon, ginger, cordyceps	30	5	7	1	10	5	150	25	5	35	50
collagen powder	70	2.5	1	10	15	5	350	12.5	50	5	75
choc coconut creamer	35	1	2	0	3	12	420	12	0	24	36
wild zora breakfast	520	38	40	11	92	1	520	38	11	40	92
trail mix	200	17	6	12	34	4	800	68	48	24	136
granola	200	16	14	6	42	4	800	64	24	56	168
bars	260	12	31	10	70	10	2600	120	100	310	700
jerkey	110	6	10	7	31	2	220	12	14	20	62
wild zora dinner	340	7	38	35	85	1	340	7	35	38	85

TOTAL							6575	373.5	287	567	3.18
Calories from F/C/P								3361.50	1148	2268	pounds
Percent of Total								51.13	17.46	34.49

CHRISTMAS VALLEY (4 days) @ 2500 cal/day=10,000
coffee/tea	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
laird superfood creamer	75	3	3	0	4	5	375	15	0	15	20
greens powder, cinnamon, ginger, cordyceps	30	5	7	1	10	5	150	25	5	35	50
collagen powder	70	2.5	1	10	15	5	350	12.5	50	5	75
choc coconut creamer	35	1	2	0	3	12	420	12	0	24	36

almond butter	190	17	7	7	32	14	2660	238	98	98	448
potato chips	100	7	17	2	28	10	1000	70	20	170	280
trail mix	200	17	6	12	34	6	1200	102	72	36	204
bars	260	12	31	10	70	7	1820	84	70	217	490
chocolate	250	20	13	4		2.5	625	50	10	32.5	0
jerky	110	6	10	7	31	5	550	30	35	50	155

beans	130	0	24	7	35	6	780	0	42	144	210
mixed veg	30	1	8	3	13	5	150	5	15	40	65
coconut oil	120	14	0	0	15	4	480	56	0	0	60
spices	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

TOTAL							9685	647	362	811.5	4.35
Calories from F/C/P								5823.00	1448	3246	pounds
Percent of Total								60.12	14.95	33.52

Despite my best efforts, this chart is a bit difficult to read. For a copy of the chart, as well as a template for your own resupply planning, click here: ODT resupply.

Questions? Post them in the comments below.

Need help planning your own resupply? Learn more here.

July 7, 2018July 9, 2018

Paleo Granola

This granola is super simple to make. It’s quick (less than an hour including bake time) and the ingredients are easy to find in any supermarket. A little bit keeps me satisfied and full of energy for a long day in the mountains.

I like to make a batch of this to have on hand as an easy on-the-go snack for long day hikes and backpacking trips. It’s full of healthy fats and protein. It’s free of gluten, grains, dairy, and refined sugar. It’s calorie-dense, healthy, and delicious. Plus, it’s easy to omit or swap out ingredients depending on what’s in your kitchen!

Paleo Granola

*free of gluten, grains, dairy, refined sugar

1 cup (4.5 oz) chopped pecans
3 cups (6 oz) coarse coconut flakes
1.5 ( 6 oz) cups sliced almonds
1 cup (6oz) pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup (4 oz) sesame seeds
1/2 cup (3 oz) sunflower seeds
1/8 cup (0.75 oz) chia seeds
1/4 cup (1 oz) hemp hearts
1 tsp sea salt (Pink Himalayan is my favorite)
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (blend of nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves)

1/2 cup (4 oz) grass-fed butter (or olive oil or coconut oil)
1/2 cup (6.5 oz) honey

Mix all the dries together. Melt honey and butter, and mix into dries. Spread onto parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake 25 min at 300 or until lightly golden brown. Be careful not to overbake! This can happen quickly.

Allow granola to cool, and break into clusters of whatever size you like. Add in dried fruit, such as blueberries or cranberries, if desired.

Store in glass jar at room temp for up to 10 days.

Yum!

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