I love snow days!!
Yes, it is probably going to be miserable come June when we should be getting out for summer vacation and instead we are planning school around Fourth of July BBQs but I can’t change the weather so I’m just enjoying it for what it is.
I’ve driven my car three times this month so far and only once since the snow hit on the 3rd. It has been so much fun getting around town on two feet, it is amazing how snow can transform your every day world into something magical.
I would like to say that I am getting a lot of cleaning and projects done while at home but I am realizing more and more as I grow older what a short attention span I have. So, I have a ton of things started or in mid-span and I’m just going to have to be happy with that. It’s not very often I have snow outside my own front door!
I have been having quite a bit of arthritis pain lately, not sure if it is the weather or the reduction in activity from not going to work. It hurts to walk around the house (bone spurs and arthritis in my feet) and my neck is whiny. But I know if I give in to it and just stay home, it won’t get better and could only become worse. Use it or lose it, right?
For something different, I have walked down from my house to a marina trail to see how snow is doing at sea level. My friend, Lee, wanted to check on her uncle’s boat so we were able to walk on the docks in between the boats, too.
The Port of Everett has a 3.5 mile trail around the waterfront and although we didn’t walk the entire thing, it was nice to have bathrooms accessible.
Today I walked to the other side of town to visit the arboretum at Legion Park. The first mile or so of most walks is painful, some part of my foot hurts. Eventually, it quits complaining and I can focus on my surroundings more fully.
There is an overlook where you can see the bay and surrounding islands (and Olympic Mountains on a good day). It was fun to watch birds of prey swoop down from the trees into the snowy bramble below looking for breakfast.
Across the street in the arboretum itself, the snowy path wove around the trees and sculptures giving them a different life. I hadn’t been in awhile and it was interesting to see the new art installments.
I wandered towards the back of the arboretum where it is adjacent to the golf course and watched cross country skiers taking advantage of the soft snow-covered hills. This towering sculpture spoke of spring yet to come, whenever this year’s winter decides it’s done, I suppose.
Walking back down the main thoroughfare, I tried to pretend I was in the forest by narrowing my line of vision. I think I almost got it. The meridian had much deeper snow than the sidewalks and I got a good workout breaking through the snow with my snowshoes.
Life is all about perspective and it felt good to get out of the house to explore my neighborhood while it’s encapsulated in the snow’s embrace. I may be sore when it’s all done but somehow it feels better than the pain I have if I just stay home and give in to arthritis and old injuries.
#walnuts #mushrooms #coconutoil #sage #coconutaminos #dehydrated veggies #homemadebouillon #applecidervinegar #garlicpowder #seasalt
Okay, onto the recipe!
This hearty trail mix is a combination that uses two of my favorite snack recipes as a start and puts them together for a delicious, savory trail mix that is low carb and easy to make. Yes, you will need to dry the mushrooms but if you don’t have a dehydrator just use the lowest setting on your oven. They don’t take super long!
And if you don’t want to go through the work of making homemade bouillon, you can either buy dried vegetables and toss them in the food processor or just use sage or poultry seasoning. I have made multiple batches using all kinds of combinations and they all taste delicious. The benefit, of course, to using the bouillon or vegetables is a little more nutrition and who couldn’t use some more of that?
I started with my Horseradish Mushroom Jerky recipe and dumped the horseradish. It made me a little sad but change can be good, right?
I am not too picky about mushrooms when it comes to making them into jerky, I have used portobellos, shiitakes and just straight up white mushrooms. With the marinade, they all comes out delicious but portobellos tend to be more meaty. This version uses the same ingredients as my Horseradish Mushroom Jerky but I swap out the horseradish with sage or poultry seasoning instead. Use whichever you have on hand.
Then, for the walnuts I use the same foundation as my Rosemary Cranberry Pecans except I swap out the rosemary for my Homemade Bouillon Powder. It uses powdered vegetables which ups the nutritional value of this snack. Like I said, if you don’t want to make that first, use more of the same seasoning from the mushrooms.
For the vegetable part, you can dehydrate vegetable scraps like I talk about in the homemade bouillon recipe or you can buy things like dried kale snacks and put them in the food processor. Use your imagination! Any kind of dehydrated or freeze-dried vegetables could work. You just want to break them down in the food processor until they become a powder you can sprinkle on the nuts!
Together, the two offer contrasting texture and taste, plenty of protein and a savory flavor different from your average trail mix.
You can also add any whole or chopped dehydrated or freeze-dried vegetables you have to the mix, like Trader’s Joes Broccoli or Okra. Have fun with it!
Now to see how many more projects I can finish before it’s back to work…
Veggie Seasoned Walnut Mushroom Trail Mix
A great combination of chewy unami mushroom flavor with the crunchy savory tang of walnuts in one delicious trail mix.
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Total Time
10 hours, 30 minutes
Course: Snack
Cuisine: Keto, Nightshade Free, Paleo, Soy free, Vegan, Whole Food
Servings: 14 1/2 cup servings
Ingredients
Mushrooms
- 1 pound mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning or sage
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Walnuts
- 5 cups walnuts
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons vegetable powder
- 1 tablespoon homemade bouillon or poultry seasoning for vegan
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
Mushrooms
- Cut the mushrooms into chunks about 1/2″ wide. Mix together well with the first set of ingredients and add to a gallon size Ziploc bag or other sealable container.
- Let marinate 5-6 hours or overnight until mushrooms are saturated.
- Lay out on open racks in your dehydrator for 5-6 hours on the fruit/vegetable setting until dry through and chewy. Let cool.
Walnuts
- Add the coconut oil to an oven safe dish and melt. Add all the second group of ingredients together in a large bowl and mix until all the walnuts are coated with oil and spice.
- Lay out in a single layer on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for ten minutes.
- Stir the nut mixture to redistribute the spices and then bake for another ten minutes. Be careful not to let it burn.
- Remove from the oven and let cool. Mix together with the dried mushrooms and store in an airtight container.
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