First, the company is solar-powered and uses the industry’s only home-compostable wrapper. That’s awesome, but when it comes to a food bar, the ingredients and taste are the number one concern. Every LivBar is USDA certified organic; low-allergen; plant-based; made with superfood, immunity-supporting ingredients; and baked, giving it a crunchy and chewy texture.

As someone with celiac disease and other dietary restrictions, my selection is limited to the “super healthy” bars, and they are not always the most enjoyable. Enter the LivBar. I selected the ginger, lemon, turmeric flavor first.

The top of the bar wrapper includes a list of ingredient credentials and what the bars are free from: Vegan, Gluten Free, Soy Free, Dairy Free, Corn Free, and GMO free. This pretty much covers my food restrictions and might leave some people asking, What’s left?

Well, real food. LivBars are full of seeds, brown rice, flax meal, quinoa, a bit of sugar, and loads of flavor with a great, nutty texture and several unique flavors to choose from. Other options include blueberry, vanilla, kale; raspberry, kale, maca; coffee, maple, cacao; and lemongrass, cherry, matcha. At 180 calories, it makes for a healthy, allergy-friendly snack on the trail or ski hill. 

Find them locally at Natural Grocers or shop online.

Find more product reviews and recommendations in the Food & Drink lifestyle department.

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“That’s always been my heart,” says Freeman. “Serving people is my passion.”

In June 2020, she came across some food platters online that inspired her. She called her daughter Taylor Woodman and proposed they start a side business making charcuterie to-go boxes and holiday platters. Woodman, an insurance agent running her own full-time agency, had to Google “charcuterie” to make sure they were pronouncing it right.

In those first days of conception and research, they learned a lot about crafting food platters, but once they made one for themselves, the rest seemed to come naturally.

“I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to work with my mom,” says Woodman. “And balancing both jobs hasn’t been as hard as I thought it would be!”

The weekend before July 4, 2020, they created social media accounts and a PNW Platters website, then posted their first holiday-themed platter. It was so last-minute, they anticipated around three orders.

When 12 orders came through, they discovered the challenges and joys of shopping for, creating, and delivering those platters according to their strict quality standards. And the two loved every minute of it.

Their business has grown with each passing holiday, gathering, and event. From charcuterie boxes for up to four, brunch platters for up to 10, and grazing tables for a minimum of 15 people, each delicious creation brings people together over something we all share and delight in: food.

Follow PNW Platters on Facebook and Instagram or order online for local delivery or pick up.

Find more Provisions stories in the OTO archives.

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If you head into a store like Huckleberry’s or Natural Grocers, the selection of energy bars can be a little overwhelming. There are a few, however, that stand out above the rest.

Kate’s Real Food bars is one of the few top-shelf options thanks to real food ingredients that are sourced organic, including nut butters, a wide range of fruits, and complex carbohydrates including organic oats and brown rice crisps. Kate’s Real Food bars check those boxes and they’re gluten free, soy free, and only use whole ingredients including natural honey with no artificial sweeteners or flavors.

These bars also score high for nailing a texture that lets you know you’re eating something healthy and delicious that’s made from real food ingredients, not unintelligible food-industry-created Frankenfoods that feel like they just oozed out of a test tube.

Kate’s bars range around 250-300 calories per bar, which is great for taxing, calorie-burning adventures or on-the-go meal replacements. There are also plenty of flavors to choose from, including the new dark chocolate mint as well as peanut butter dark chocolate, lemon coconut & ginger, and several more options.

Pick some up at Katesrealfood.com.

For more food and drink stories, check out the Provisions archives.

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When we think about snacks on the trail, we want lasting energy and ease of carrying and eating. These easy-to-make protein bites contain just six ingredients, making them simple to make and super yummy to eat! 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup smooth or chunky nut butter of choice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pea protein powder

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients until well blended. Roll the dough into small balls up to an inch in diameter. Store in the fridge or freezer. Throw a few into a container that’ll fit in your pocket or fanny pack.

You might want to bring extra for your friends as they’ll end up taking yours otherwise.  If you are someone who likes a wider flavor profile, try adding up to 2 teaspoons of any of the following: chopped dates, dried plums, cranberries, coconut flakes, oat flour, sesame seeds, or crushed nuts. If the dough becomes too stiff or crumbly, add more nut butter until you reach an easy-to-roll consistency. 

Finally, roll in coconut flakes and/or cocoa powder and enjoy!  

Suzanne Tabert is a bio-regional herbalist, wildcrafter, founder and director of herbal education at the Cedar Mountain Herb School, teaching from a lifetime of personal and academic studies of plants and their habitats. She is a member of the American Herbalists Guild, the American Herb Association, Partner in Education at United Plant Savers, and is practicum supervisor and adjunct faculty at Bastyr University. She has been teaching herbal medicine for 30 years.

For more articles about Provisions, food, drink, or equipment, especially for a journey, visit the OTO archives.

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