Portable recipes to fuel your trail run

Trail season is upon us! This means longer runs, and these longer efforts require fuel not just before and after, but during as well. On runs lasting over 75 minutes it is important to consider how you will fuel your training. Although there are many great store bought options, making your own snacks allows you to customize your ingredients and know exactly what’s in the food you’re eating. Here are a couple of portable, and nutritionally dense foods to bring with you on your next trail adventure.

SWEET POTATO MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ cups mashed sweet potatoes (2 medium or 1 very large)
¼ cup water
2 large eggs
½ cup canola or vegetable oil
¼ cup buttermilk (or yogurt)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cups granulated sugar
1 tbsp blackstrap molasses
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground allspice
A pinch salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray one 9-by-5-inch loaf pan or a muffin pan with floured cooking spray or grease and flour the pan(s); set aside.
2. Peel the sweet potatoes and chop them into 1-inch sized chunks. Place chunks in a large, shallow microwave-safe bowl. Add ¼ cup water, cover with plastic wrap, and cook on high power for 15 to 17 minutes, or until potatoes are very fork-tender. Pour off any water. Mash sweet potatoes with a fork. Allow them to cool momentarily so you don’t scramble the eggs.
3. Add the eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla to the mashed sweet potatoes and whisk until combined. Set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, sugars, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, salt, and whisk to combine. Pour the wet sweet potato mixture over the dry ingredients, and stir to incorporate. Stir and fold with a gentle hand as to not over-mix and over-develop the gluten, which results in tougher bread.
5. Turn batter out into prepared pan(s), smoothing the top lightly with a spatula. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes for a 9×5 pan and cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Muffins will take about 18-20 minutes.
6. It will keep at room temperature for up to 1 week, but can be stored by wrapping the completely cooled loaf in plasticwrap, and then placing loaf inside a gallon-sized Ziplock.

BLUEBERRY OAT MUFFINS

Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup oats–quick or regular oats
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup pecan pieces, plus more for topping
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cups plain yogurt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°.
2. Coat muffin tin with cooking spray or liners.
3. Combine flour, sugar, oats, pecans, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
4. Combine yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla in a second bowl.
5. Fold yogurt mixture into dry mixture; stir to combine completely.
6. Gently fold in blueberries.
7. Spoon into muffin tins and sprinkle with pecans. Bake until top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean, 20-25 minutes.