My take on Super Spackle!

Here is an update to a little known secret that backpackers and hikers (and me as a cyclist!) have been using for years. Recently, I tried a recipe for a Century ride called the High Pass Challenge, I felt like I was going to need something extra for this ride. I was
right..

Working with the Washington Trails Association, doing trail maintenance in the Enchantments during Aug. 2012, our camp host told me of a snack called “Super Spackle” He said that he had heard about it in a book, but forgot who the author was, and that
he had modified it somewhat from the original recipe. Since backpackers and cyclists typically are not dieting when on the trail or the road, I figured this might be the ticket! This can be used as a substitute to GORP, or a power bar, and with my little addition, even a replacement for the popular GU packs,

Some of the ingredients might be a little tough to get, but if you can find yourself an organic grocery store and you should be fine.
List of ingredients:

• 1 Cup unsalted almond butter
• 1 Cup unsalted cashew butter
• ½ Cup agave syrup
• ¼ Cup almond oil
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 Teaspoon almond extract
• A touch of salt. (if you add the gel base, you can skip this)
• See below for my “special addition”

To make this wonderful concoction, start by adding together the drier components, the Almond and Cashew butter. Then add in the other ingredients which are the liquid ones.  Mix all this together in a bowl with a large wooden spoon, or something other than your little mixer, as mine did not like the thick goopy mess..  That’s it!!

Basically you’re done with the recipe that he gave me, he told me just to store it in an airtight container He didn’t even refrigerate his
mixture, which actually makes sense since it lives either in a backpack, or cycling jersey while backpacking or riding.

Nutritional Info:

I took things once step further for my century ride, I added about a 1/8 cup of Energy Gel Base from http://www.energygelcentral.com/

This took things to a whole other level… I use the unflavored gel base w/caffeine which contains;

Ingredients:

Maltodextrin, Dextrose, Fructose, Citric acid, and Sea Salt

First, I followed the directions to make the energy gel,

Mixing Directions:

Put
1 cup (8 oz.) of water in a heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Add the entire contents of gel powder to the pot and stir well.
Reduce heat to medium low and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes or until most of the white lumps have disappeared; the gel will have a thin consistency.

Remove
from heat. Add flavor(s) if desired and let cool for 20-30 minutes. It is normal for a film to develop on the surface while the heat
dissipates.  As it continues to cool, the gel base will thicken to the viscosity of honey. Refrigerate in an airtight container until
needed. Then I added it to the Super Spackle mix at the end, and combined it altogether.

One
bag of EGC base will produce 32 1-oz servings (by weight), which is equivalent to about 24 fluid ounces (when measured by volume).

I used Coghlan’s Squeeze Tubes to put the mixture in, it worked out great. A two pack is about $4.75 at REI

So
give it a try with or without the energy gel added, I bet you will be surprised on how much energy it gives you,and doesn’t leave you hungry every half hour!!

Enjoy