While bike touring and mountaineering in South America, a good friend of mine discovered a confection sold in stores under the label Mantecol or Nucrem. It became a significant source of calories on his big days and he brought some back to the states to share with me. I packed some in my bag for a long run and was hooked upon first bite. The crumbly, dissolve-in-your-mouth texture makes it incredibly easy to eat while running. It also has an impressive caloric density, meaning you get a lot of calories for every ounce you’re having to haul around (unlike all those gels). And it tastes amazing! Unfortunately, it’s not available in the states, unless you want to pay too much for it on Amazon. Fortunately, it can be made at home very easily. Note, because most of the calories come from fat and fructose, this is not an ideal source of calories for intense, short efforts. Bring it on long runs, longer runs, and multi-day adventures instead.
- 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 cup powdered milk(1.) or powdered soy milk for vegan version(2.)
- 1 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons MCT oil or mild vegetable oil
- 3 Tablespoons honey (or agave nectar for vegan version)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt (3.)
Put all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until combined, frequently scraping down sides/bottom. It will be dry and clumpy. Once well combined, check texture by forming a bit into a ball in your hand – it should stick together well and feel dry (4.) Dump onto a 9×9 cake pan lined with parchment or wax paper. Press into a square/rectangle 1-inch thick. Cut into 16 pieces and wrap in material of choice(5.) Freeze until ready to use.
Recipe Notes:
- You can find non-fat powdered milk everywhere. If you want whole milk, go to Walmart for inexpensive “Nido” brand whole milk, or Amazon for a variety of brands
- Powdered soy milk is available on Amazon
- Try Himalayan and/or Celtic salt for better electrolyte diversity
- This ratio of ingredients works well for Truckee, where everything is dry, using powdered soy milk. In moist environments, ratios might need to be adjusted. If it falls apart, add more liquid. If sticky, add more powdered sugar.
- I really like wrapping homemade trail treats in Reynold’s Pan Lining Paper, but it has been discontinued. Foil Backed Parchment Paper can be found on Amazon. When I don’t care about weight, I will use my son’s reusable snack bags. Silicone snack bags are especially durable but relatively expensive and heavy.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 16.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 271 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 17 g | 26 % |
| Saturated Fat 3 g | 16 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 7 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 5 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 1 mg | 0 % |
| Sodium 80 mg | 3 % |
| Potassium 3 mg | 0 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 23 g | 8 % |
| Dietary Fiber 2 g | 6 % |
| Sugars 19 g | |
| Protein 8 g | 15 % |
| Vitamin A | 6 % |
| Vitamin C | 11 % |
| Calcium | 9 % |
| Iron | 6 % |
Have a recipe you would like to share with the community? E-mail Renee@DonnerPartyMountainRunners.com
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