Roadtrip Recipe: Tropical Breakfast Bars to Bring On Your Next Hike
Rocky terrain, steady climbing, steep inclines, and long hiking trails -- the Yukon offers plenty of opportunities for physical challenges, so you'll want to stay well-nourished when you're here. Having a nice lunch on the summit of an alpine peak is hard to beat after a long trek up the mountain, and you’ll want portable snacks that are both energizing and tasty.
We know that being outside of your normal kitchen environment can make cooking over a campfire a challenge. You might find it easier to stick to easy foods such as pasta and boiled water meals during your explorations, although these may not satisfy your cravings and health needs. That doesn’t have to be your reality while visiting the Yukon. In traveling with a vehicle, you will be set to discover with all the equipment you need for an enjoyable meal.
Featuring just seven ingredients, these camping friendly tropical breakfast bars are an irresistible and energy-boosting snack to keep you well fueled along your Yukon journey. With just your pot and camping stove (included in your Overland Yukon rental), you can prepare this fifteen minute breakfast and head out to your explore Kluane National Park and Reserve in no time.
Camping in the wilderness can make it difficult to determine what ingredients to bring. Make smart purchases, and choose items that can be incorporated into multiple recipes during your time on the road. These tropical breakfast bars include a variety of ingredients that preserve well and can be used for a wide range of meals. Featuring oatmeal, dried fruit, Nature’s Path Organic Rice Puffs, honey, salt, brown sugar, and butter, the recipe comes together to create a chewy and irresistible delight.
Bring a few bars along with you when hiking in the Yukon. You'll be hooked after trying them once.
YOUR PORTABLE KITCHEN
In booking your trip with Overland Yukon, you will be provided with a portable home away from home through camper vans and Jeeps fitted with overland tents, cookware, and all-inclusive camping gear. Getting your meals prepared on the road has never been easier. For those looking for larger kitchen spaces, Overland Yukon vans serve as a the ideal option. These vans have been fully converted into custom campers with solar power, an electric cooler, sink, table, counter-top space, dual burner stove, plug-ins and a 4” durafoam bed. Start your day with a delicious breakfast prepared directly from your campsite.
Equipment Included: 4FT Folding Table, 45 L Cooler, Dual Burner Stove, Jet Boil, Folding Camp Chairs X 4, Pots X 2 (2.2 L and 1.2 L), Frying Pan (7.5"), Kettle (800 ml), Spatula, Spoon and Tongs, Mixing Bowls X 3, Plates X 4, Bowls X 4, Thermal Mugs X 4, Cutlery Sets (Fork, Knife, Spoon) X 4, Kitchen Knives & Cutting Board, Coffee Press, Portable Sink, Large Microfiber Towel, Hammock, Lanterns X 2, Water Jug (5 G), Axe, Garmin InReach
Optional Add-Ons: Bike Rack & Mountain Bikes, Packrafts (inflatable boats), Sleeping Bags & Pillows
Now that you’ve located your portable kitchen, let's talk about what to include in your tropical breakfast bars.
With its sweet flavor and ability to keep fresh for the duration of your Yukon journey, dried fruit is an ideal travel companion. Dried mangos, mandarins, and coconut are used in these breakfast bars, but any tropical fruit mix will do. You can usually find candied pineapple and mango in bulk bins or in the dried fruit aisle of most supermarkets.
Moreover, Nature’s Path Organic Rice Puffs cereal is incorporated to give these bars an extra crunch. If you’re looking to add a chocolate kick to your breakfast, consider substituting these for Cocoa Rice Krispies cereal. This will offer the same crunchy texture while also satisfying your sweet tooth needs.
Other ingredients include salt, butter, brown sugar, oatmeal, and honey. These cost friendly and ingredients can be incorporated into many other recipes you prepare on the road, and will also store easily in your Overland Yukon vehicle. The total recipe costs about fifteen to twenty dollars in total, but will provide you with up to a week’s worth of breakfast – depending on your group size and how quickly you eat you eat them. You will also have enough ingredients left to make a second (or third) batch, if you’re like us at Overland Yukon and love them a little too much.
Feel free to experiment or add your unique touch to the recipe, but don’t change things up too much - you’ll want to ensure the bars stick together once hardened.
Ingredients
¼ cup unsalted butter or margarine (warmed)
⅓ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup honey
2 cup quick-cook oats (do not use old-fashioned whole-rolled oats as they are too large and will not hold bars together)
1 cup Nature’s Path Organic Rice Puffs
1 ¼ cup tropical dried fruit diced into small pieces (preferably pineapple, mandarins, mangoes, and coconut)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup chopped almonds (optional)
While some items on this ingredient list will require you to add to your spice cabinet, you'll be happy to have them on the road. The honey, brown sugar, and salt will serve excellent in preparing other delicious protein-filled recipes for your breakfasts, like protein pancakes and French toast. Despite the fact that this recipe is still cost-effective, the ingredients can also be shared by your group to ease grocery costs.
Your Overland Yukon vehicle includes all the cookware you’ll need to bake these delicious treats. You will need to purchase items such as cooking spray, aluminum foil, and other cooking ingredients yourself. Before venturing out into the wilderness, make sure to pick up everything you’ll need along the way.
Instructions
Step 1. Cover a pan with aluminum foil, spray with non-stick cooking spray and place aside.
Step 2. In a medium sized pot, add butter, brown sugar, and honey. Proceed to heat on stove top just until butter has melted and ingredients can be blended smooth. Your Overland Yukon vehicle is equipped with a stovetop and kitchen supplies.
Step 3. Take the pot off the heat and whisk for one minute, then return to the stove.
Step 4. Place ingredients back on heat and cook on low for one minute. Mixture should be bubbling at this point. This is important to ensure that bars stay together once cooled. If your mixture isn’t bubbling yet, continue to heat for another 30 to 60 seconds or until it starts to bubble.
Step 5. Once bubbling, add the oats, Nature’s Path cereal, dried fruit, salt, and stir to combine.
Step 6. Pour mixture into the prepared pan with aluminum foil, hard-packing it with a cooking utensil to form an even, flat surface. Press the mixture down firmly and compactly.
Step 7. Freeze for about 25 to 35 minutes in your Overland Yukon electric cooler. Once the mixture hardens, slice it into bars, and wrap each in plastic wrap.
Just like that, your tropical breakfast bars are ready to eat!
When wrapped individually, these tropical breakfast bars can be stored in a zip top bag in the cooler for up to 10 days. Make them at the beginning of your trip once you first pick-up your Overland Yukon vehicle, and enjoy one for breakfast every morning after that! Yielding 12 servings, this recipe is a delicious go-to-snack for extra energy along your wilderness expenditures.