Five Recipes For The Crag

When planning a trip, it’s easy to select crags, pick routes and remember gear. Food prep may fall by the wayside, but it’s just as important as checking your knot! Here are five recipes from pros, nutrition experts and our editors to keep you properly fueled for the send.

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Campfire Sweet Potatoes

“One of my favorite things to make and it’s super easy.” 

• 1 Large sweet potato 
• Aluminum foil (optional)
• Butter (optional)
• Thyme or sage leaves (optional)

Scrub sweet potato clean and remove any blemishes, leave skin as intact as possible. If adding thyme or sage, slice lengthways and insert leaves Wrap the potatoes individually in foil. Place in coals for about 45 minutes, turning often. Add butter or maple syrup if you sent your project.

No foil: Place potato directly in coals. The skin will char but the inside will become soft and sweet. 

-Matty Hong, pro climber

 

Overnight-Soaked Oats

This is a balanced breakfast option with carbs, fat and protein. It’s also very easy on the stomach and to take on the go. Add berries, apples, pear or dates and a pinch of cinnamon and cardamom or a drizzle of maple syrup and it’s down right delicious.

• 1/4 – 1/2 cup whole rolled oats (depends on personal preference) 
• 2 Tbsp chia seeds
• ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
• ¼ cup coconut flakes

Add all ingredients to bowl or container with lid (my favorite is the empty Talenti containers). Cover with water. Make sure it’s mixed well and everything is submerged. Can place in fridge or leave out. Soak overnight. 

In the morning, add ½ to 1 cup of yogurt, kefir or milk. Additionally, you can use milk powder if you don’t have access to refrigeration. Go for full fat goat milk powder if you do go that route—its’ easy to digest and provides the fat for long-lasting fuel. 

Mix and enjoy. This can stay refrigerated for two days. Makes for a great snack as well.

With yogurt or milk, approximately 631 cal, 71g carbs, 25g fat, 21g protein.

-Katie Lambert, Masters in Nutrion, pro climber 

Oatmeal Coconut Blueberry Pancakes

You can blend all ingredients prior to leaving for the crag. Cook morning of consumption.

• 1 cup of oats
• 1 cup of unsweetened coconute shreds
• 1 banana
• 5 dates (pitted)
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 cup of walnuts (soaked and rinsed)
• Cinnamon, vanilla and salt to taste

Optional: Drizzle with a  blueberry reduction (basically, boil down blueberries and enjoy).

-Emily Ipsen, Certified Holistic Nutritionist, Certified Nutrition Therapy Practitioner, Master in Nutrition Therapy, and climber.

[Also Read: Eat Carbs and Climb Harder]

Breakfast Smoothie

I don’t like feeling full or bloated while gearing up for the proj (who does?). Hence, the smoothie vector: it goes down easy, tastes good and is easy on the stomach. After some experimentation, I created my favorite recipe, which weirdly comes out tasting cookie dough-ish, possibly in part because of the thick texture (weird, I know, but trust me on this). I put all ingredients except the milk in a jar and freeze the night before. After blending, it keeps surprisingly well, so you can pack it in your cooler for weekend trips.

• ¼ cup chickpeas
• ¼ cup rolled dates
• ¼ cup of oatmeal
• 1 Tbsp of coconut oil
• About ½ granny smith apple
• 1 scoop Gnarly Vegan vanilla protein powder
• Handful of kale
• About 1 cup of almond milk

Top with pistachios for added crunch! (Note: I go for pistachios because they’re a complete protein and contain beneficial fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. They’re also high in fiber, which helps me stay full)

-Delaney Miller, associate editor

Salmon Tacos, by Alison Osius

Easy for camping, and how about that omega-3? Ingredients are nicely variable, but I do recommend that easy mango salsa.

• 1 package corn tortillas
• 1 can black beans
• 1 package smoked wild salmon
• Jar of mango salsa
• Avocado
• 1 container feta cheese
• Fresh mango, lime slices and cilantro if you want. Lettuce or cabbage if you want.

Heat up the tortillas and black beans. Add other accoutrements. Put cheese on black beans so it melts. Yum.

-Alison Osius, senior editor

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