The ultimate hiking snack – SCROGGIN!  Also known as trail mix  (food for mad keen hikers)

Scroggin is another word for trail mix and is an absolute staple of any mad keen hikers diet.  It is always carried with easy access, to be bought out at any break and nibbled on over the day.  Scroggin literally stands for what it contains and there is some dispute as to where the word originated – but here lets just go with Sultanas, Chocolate, Raisins and Other Goodies, Glucose, Imagination & Nuts. I understand that many foody experts claim to have the best recipe but they pale into insignificance when you see my recipe.  You see I have a secret magic ingredient and I’m going to share it with you!

Combine equal amounts of

• Pumpkins and pepitas – oven dried – rolled in soy sauce (you need the sodium from the soy sauce) – trust me it is worth the effort, the salt is very much needed if you sweat a lot
• M and M’s, or choc drops
• Snakes, lollies, jelly beans (full sugar)
• Nuts you like, dates, dried apricots, sultanas,

A half cup of each combined will last you 2 or 3 day trips – ultimately you want a mixture of fast and slow energy release foods which is necessary to keep you vigorous over your long day hike.  Now for the secret ingredient that many have said is somewhat weird and could not possibly add delight – but it does – it’s wasabi peas!

Watch how to make Jo’s SCROGGIN here

I have a jar of scroggin made up and ready to go and somehow the lollies don’t get stolen by the kids – they know mum’s scroggin jar is sacred and you eat little bits of everything when hiking or you don’t touch it at all!  Transfer this into plastic bags and keep them in your coat pocket.  You’ll never unexpectedly go hungry while there is scroggin to be consumed!

Actually after a few weeks of hiking the Larapinta Trail last year I can not face this scroggin recipe.  It seems I overdosed.  So, on return I sort out this new recipe and I love it!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of cashews, almonds and pecans
• 4 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tsp coconut palm sugar
• 4 tbsp curry powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• Cayenne pepper to taste.

Preheat your oven to 150C and line a baking tray with baking paper.  Melt the oil with the sugar, curry powder, salt, cummin & cayenne powder.  Stir for a few minutes until the sugar has dissolved.  Pour the mixture over nuts and stir well to coat.  Spread the nuts out on the lined baking sheet and bake for 25-30 mins until golden brown.  Let it cool and store in an airtight contain and take what you need on each adventure!  This additionally is an excellent afternoon snack whether you are hiking or not!  

Enjoy

Other great snacks for day walks include muesli bars, biscuits and cheese, fruit, and banana bread.  All are nutritionally dense which means they are small but contain a lot of nutrients and calories.  You need this over your day walk.  Top this off with a small thermos of tea or coffee or miso soup and you will find your self with oodles of energy to get you through your day.  Something to avoid would be a food that makes a sandwich soggy like beetroot or tomato – avoid those completely.  Instead go for a full grain roll and then something like vegemite and cheese, or meat and salad that won’t make your lunch soggy.  I wrote an article about hiking food here – specifically food suitable for the Three Capes Track in Tasmania.

I also made you a handout on suitable hiking food?  Go here

#wheretonext