Packed lunch in the mountains? Sure, you can have the usual sandwich... and those with a sweet tooth will surely be tempted by the refuge's polenta with sausage! We instead recommend a light, summer-perfect menu featuring buckwheat salad and homemade snack bars.
Buckwheat salad
Photo credit: nuovaterra.net
INGREDIENTS (for four people)
- Buckwheat with pumpkin, carrots and ginger Arnaboldi
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 bunch basil, washed
- 10 capers in brine
- 40 g of pitted green olives
- 150 g of feta
- 1 clove of garlic
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
PREPARATION (60 minutes)
First, boil the carrots. Meanwhile, pour the contents of the Arnaboldi buckwheat with pumpkin, carrots, and ginger packet into 700 ml of cold water in a nonstick saucepan. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, cook for 16-18 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. Then drain and let cool completely.
Dice the tomatoes and feta. Then, place the basil leaves, capers, olives, and 4 tablespoons of oil in a blender and blend until smooth. Season the buckwheat with the basil cream and add the tomatoes and feta. Season with salt and add a drizzle of oil if necessary.
Store the rice salad in the fridge and enjoy it cold as part of a packed lunch!
Snack bars
Photo credit: giallozafferano.it
INGREDIENTS (for twelve bars)
- 100 g of oat flakes
- 95 g maple syrup
- 130 g dried cranberries
- 150 g of almonds
- 120 g cashews
- Nutmeg (to taste)
- Half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon
PREPARATION (25 minutes)
Toast the unpeeled almonds in a preheated oven at 190°C (375°F) for about ten minutes. Let the almonds cool, then blend them in a blender. Pour the resulting cream into a bowl and add the rolled oats. Add the dried blueberries, cashews, and maple syrup and mix everything together, then season with nutmeg and cinnamon.
Separately, cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and pour the mixture into it. Using a spatula, smooth the surface of the mixture and press it towards one side of the pan until it forms a 1 cm thick layer. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to firm up.
After removing the pan from the refrigerator, turn it upside down onto a cutting board and remove the sheet of baking paper.
Using a long-bladed knife, cut the mixture in half lengthwise and then cut 6 rectangles from each half.
Your snack bars are ready to give you energy after a long hike in the mountains!
