Travel Fear #19839

For 12 of my 25 years on this little green earth I was vegetarian. For two of those years I was vegan.

Can you guess what my travel fear is.....

It's not having anything to eat, or more specifically, not having anything healthy to eat.

Sure, you can always find a bag of potato chips on the road, but I've learned from many pit stops at road side diners that considering fried potatoes as a meal, especially for days in a row, leaves me feeling like crap.

Since my travel plans are starting to include a disturbing amount of 10ish hour bus rides, I'm starting to get a little concerned.... Long distance bus rides tend to leave me feeling like crap. Subsiding off of processed potato products also has this effect on me. The results of combining these two variables could be.... DISASTROUS?!?

It's a good thing I've come up with a plan....



Homemade granola bars! Not only will they provide backup sustenance, peace of mind, but they've also helped me use up some pantry items that Matt wouldn't touch after I'm gone.



These 19 little life saving gems won't last me the whole trip. I know that. But at least I've got a trick up my sleeve. (And how I managed to cut a rectangle into 19 pieces, I do not know...)



These granola bars aren't too sweet, are full of whole grains and seeds, and are very versatile and easy to make. They are Chile friendly too, and they make a much healthier breakfast than a pancito. Come on, ex-pats! Add some whole grain to your diet!



Allie's "I will not die of malnutrition on a bus in Bolivia" Granola Bars

recipe adapted from here

• 2 1/2 cups oats

• 1/2 cup sesame seeds

• 1 1/2 cups coconut (I used a mixture of the finely shredded stuff and the larger dried flakes, "coco slice" en Chile)

• 1/2 cup wheat germ (germen de trigo)

• 1/2 - 2/3 cup honey (I used 1/2 and they are barely sweet, which I like)

• 1 egg

• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (optional)

• 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt (because the salty and sweet combination is so good)

• 1 - 1 1/2 cups dried fruit of choice, chopped into small bits (I used raisins, apricots, and cranberries)

• butter for greasing the pan

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C. Grease an 8x12 or 9x13 inch baking dish (both work, I've tried) with ample butter.
   
2. Combine oats, sesame seeds, wheat germ, and coconut on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes. When everything looks toasty (but not burnt!) it is done.
   
3. Reduce oven temperature to 160 degrees C. Pour the mixture into a bowl, and while it is still warm, stir in the honey and vanilla until well combined. Add the egg and mix well. Add the dried fruit and mix well.
   
4. Pour the mixture into your well greased baking dish. Press it into the pan with the back of a spoon. Place a piece of parchment paper (papel mantequilla) or foil over the pan. Using your hands, press press press the mixture into the pan so that it is packed as tightly as possible. (This is important if you want to end up with granola bars rather than just granola.) Save the parchment paper/foil, you're not done pressing.
   
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until light golden brown.
   
6. Let cool for 5-10 minutes. Place the parchment paper/foil over the bars and press press press again. (Yes, they are hot... be careful.) You can use the back of a spoon for this if you have wimpy fingers.
   
7. Once mostly cool, place in the freezer for about one hour. (This will make them easier to cut into tidy little squares)
   
8. Cut into squares.
   
9. Store in an airtight container. They keep longer/stay crisper when stored in the freezer.

You can make these many days in advance of your trip and store them in the freezer until you go. That's what I'm doing!

So, if this is my biggest travel fear, I think I'll be okay.

I leave on Sunday! So so so excited!

Besos,
Allie