Lentine Alexis believes in real, wholesome food as the catalyst for pursuing your passions and living your best life outdoors. With a background as a classically trained chef, former professional endurance athlete, and avid backpacker, Lentine is uniquely qualified to share recipes and nutritional advice for active outdoor pursuits. If you’d like to dive deeper into Lentine’s favorite recipes, adventures, and stories, check out her website. 

Seeing Lentine’s love is sharing delectable, highly nutritious meals for an active life outdoors, we’ve partnered with her to bring you the following recipes tailored for backpacking trips. Please note, you’ll need to prepare a few components of these meals and energy bars before heading onto the trail for an overnight outing or multi-day backpacking trip. 

Energy Bars

Makes 16 Bars

Ingredients

• 3 cups of pitted fresh dates
• 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 cup almond or cashew butter
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
• 2 tbsp warm water
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1 cup puffed kamut, quinoa or amaranth
• Handful of raw almonds, chopped coarsely
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup coconut chips

Instructions:

Line an 8 x 8-inch pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor (or in a bowl with the back of a fork), mash the pitted dates with the coconut oil, warm water, and cocoa powder. Add the nut butter and ginger, then mix to combine into a nice paste.

Turn the nut butter and date paste out into a broad bowl and add the pumpkin seeds, puffed cereal, chopped almond, and sea salt. Press with your hands into a congruent mixture that’s not crumbly and will stick together when squeezed.

Now, press the mixture into your prepared pan, making sure to even the surface with your hands or the backside of a rubber spatula. Sprinkle the coconut chips over the top and press them in a bit, then transfer the pan to the refrigerator to firm up for at least 30 minutes.

Remove from the fridge, then cut into bars to your liking. Wrap individually and take them wherever your adventures lead you!

 

Multigrain Pancakes with Chia + Flax

Serves 2-3

Pancake Mix

• 3/4 cup heirloom wheat flour or organic unbleached flour
• 3/4 cup einkorn flour, spelt flour, oat flour, or another whole-grain flour
• 2 tbsp brown flaxseed, chopped
• 2 tbsp coconut palm sugar
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1  1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 3 tbsp buttermilk powder

Assembly

• 2 tbsp flaxseed meal, bloomed in 4 tbsp water
• 1 1/2 cup water
• Vegetable oil (for skillet)
• Pure maple syrup (for serving)
• Bacon + eggs (optional!)

Instructions

For the pancake mix:

Mix flours, flaxseed, sugar, chia seeds, baking powder, baking soda, buttermilk powder, and salt in a large resealable plastic bag. Pancake mix can be made one week ahead. Store at room temperature.

Assembly

When you’re ready to make the pancakes, whisk together the flaxseed + water in a small cup and allow it to sit while you set up your cooking area. Then, add the bloomed flax to the dry mix along with 1 1/2 cups water. Whisk well until just combined in a bowl, or carefully in a plastic bag with a spoon. Some lumps are ok! Add a bit of oil to your skillet and warm over medium heat. Working in batches, scoop spoonfuls of batter onto griddle (or pour carefully from the plastic bag!) and cook pancakes until bottoms are golden brown and bubbles form on top, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until cooked through and other side of pancakes are golden brown, about 2 minutes.

Serve pancakes with maple syrup, and perhaps bacon and eggs if you have two skillets – you don’t wan’t those pancakes to get cold!

 

Miso-Quinoa Grain Bowls w/Spicy Sesame Dukkah

Serves 2// multiply the ingredients to suit your group size

This grain bowl base can be topped with anything you like to make a savory, flavorful grain bowl. Kale chips, coconut chips, potato chips, dried fruits, nuts, or this spicy homemade dukkah are a nice touch. The dukkah is a great trail staple to spice up any meal with super-nutritious seeds and flavorful spices. Mix up a batch and keep it in your backpack all trip long.

For the Grain Bowl:

• 1 1/2 cups quinoa
• 1 packet dehydrated miso soup mix
• 1/2 cup dehydrated vegetables (from your grocery store bulk section)
• 2 cups water

For the Homemade Dukkah :

• 3 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
• 3 tbsp coriander seeds, toasted
• 2 tbsp pistachios, toasted
• 1/4 cup cashews, toasted
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds, toasted
• 1/2 tbsp fennel seeds, toasted
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• Pinch red pepper flakes

Assembly:

• Beef or salmon jerky
• Kale chips
• Homemade seed + spice dukkah
• Maple syrup (optional)
• Nutritional yeast (optional)
• Flaky sea salt

If you’d like to shop for camp kitchen necessities before your next backpacking trip, click the link below to browse our selection of stoves, mugs, eating utensils, cookware, freeze-dried meals, and more.

Camp Kitchen Items & Accessories