Backcountry Brunch

By Brittany Manwill

Brunch is the best. This favorite breakfast/lunch overlap turns everyday eating into a fancier affair by incorporating special ingredients and plenty of options. This lazy-Sunday meal should be a workhorse—hearty enough to take the place of two meals—especially when you’re depending on it to fuel a demanding hike.

Topping off an early adventure with a big meal in town is a great idea, but packing food and celebrating midway through is a better one. Try one of these two-person menus for brunchworthy upgrades on standard hiking fare. Or, cook up all three for a diverse menu robust enough for a small group.

• beverages
• Sure, you don’t need a mimosa or fancy coffee in the backcountry, but why not live a little? If you have the room, here are two fun, albeit frivolous, items to enhance your outdoor brunching experience:
• GSI Chamapagne Flutes
• Wine with breakfast? A little tacky. With brunch, though? Totally acceptable. These Champagne Flutes turn your brunch into a celebration. Toast to good company and amazing scenery by packing a mini-bottle of champagne and OJ for mimosas. Or substitute powdered Tang to save weight. Although if you packed a glass bottle of bubbly, you’ve probably given up on ultralight packing anyway. GSI, $7
• Snow Peak Titanium French Press
• Instant coffee is snazzy, but nothing beats a strong cup of your favorite roast. This standalone device is constructed of titanium and weighs just 7 ounces. Let the grounds sit for four minutes before plunging and pouring. It makes three cups—plenty to share, but not too much for coffee-loving Pacific Northwesterners to drink all on their own. REI, $55.

SWEET STACKS

Pancakes + Wild Friends Chocolate Peanut Butter
This one is dangerous, because it’s way too easy and it’s basically dessert. Protein-packed peanut butter gives normal hotcakes an instant upgrade. Start with your favorite dry pancake mix and cook on a hot skillet according to directions. Any brand will do, but we like one with extra protein, like Kodiak Cakes. Spread the tops of the pancakes with a thin (or thick) layer of Wild Friends Protein+ Chocolate Peanut Butter. Then, just stack them up as high as you want. Top with syrup and dig in. Available at wildfriendsfoods.com. $8

WHOLESOME BOWLS

Good To-Go Foods Oatmeal + Granola
While lightweight, those standard little oatmeal packets are boring and puny, calorie-wise. Amp your daily oats up a notch for brunch day. Good To-Go’s oatmeal is packed with all sorts of goodies, including pumpkin seeds, banana, currants, coconut, quinoa, chia and hemp hearts. For extra oomph and crunch, top with the company’s granola—equally interesting with Turkish fi gs, dried blueberries and pecans. These breakfast bowls are one of the few backcountry meals that may honestly put your athome version to shame. Available at goodto-go.com. $6.50 each.

SAVORY WRAPS

SeaBear Smoked Salmon + OvaEasy Eggs
Since they are often heavy and spoilable, animal-based protein sources can be the trickiest things to build into a hiking menu. But this flavorful and fuss-free scramble comes together easily with dehydrated eggs and smoked salmon. Make dehydrated eggs according to instructions. Flake smoked salmon and fold into the mixture. Tuck a big scoop in a fl our tortilla. This is an easily customizable breakfast. If you’re just going on a day hike, consider bringing a few add-ins that are normally smart-food-packing no-nos. Avocado and chives pair well with the smoked salmon and make these wraps especially decadent. Available at rei.com. OvaEasy $10 for 12 servings; SeaBear $7 for 3.5 oz.