provisions
(n.) food drink, or equipment, especially for a journey.
LIVBAR WHOLE-FOOD BARS
There are a few things that set LivBar whole-food bars apart from the dozens and dozens of other bars to choose from at stores like Natural Grocers or Whole Foods. 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 No. 1 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, allergyfriendly snack on the trail or ski hill. Find them locally at Natural Grocers or shop online. (Shallan Knowles)
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PHOTO: JON JONCKERS
DISHMAN HILLS PILS FROM YAYA BREWING
The hallmark of a fresh pilsner is a dense, white head, sort of like a lenticular cloud resting on a Cascade volcano. Most Pilsners are medium-bodied and characterized by high carbonation and tangy Czech and German varieties of hops that impart floral aromas and a crisp, bitter finish. The Dishman Hills Pils from YaYa Brewing features a beautiful golden color and a modest 5.4% ABV. This beer is unique for a pilsner with subtle aromas and no bitter taste; it’s just smooth and tangy. It’s the perfect beer after a long hike up Iller Creek. YaYa Brewing gets its name from the childhood mispronunciation of co-founder Jason’s sister Lara (lah-rah). Co-founder and brewmaster, Chris, has been involved in the home-brewing scene since the early-2000s, and he and Jason started brewing together in 2018. Their most popular beer might be the Angel IPA, but the team is always releasing new and exciting beers in the taproom, including the Dishman Hills Pils, which supports a great, local outdoor recreation and conservation cause: the Dishman Hills Conservancy (DHC). The DHC ensures safe hiking trails and protects wildlife within the 3,200-acre Dishman Hills Natural Area in the heart of the Spokane Valley. It also just happens to be a stone’s throw away from YaYa Brewing Company. A portion of all tasting room sales of the Dishman Hills Pils will always be donated to the Dishman Hills Conservancy, making this a great pick for post-hiking refreshment. (Jon Jonckers)
OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022
PHOTO: S. MICHAL BENNETT
WHAT TO DRINK WHEN YOU’RE NOT DRINKING: SEEDLIP
According to Nielsen Media data, non-alcoholic (n/a) and low-ABV imbibing has grown 506% since 2015. And it continues to grow. With a record high of 12 new non-alcoholic spirits brands launching in the US in 2020, there are now 29 US and 42 UK non-alcoholic spirits available to drinkers. Many of them mimic popular liquors, such as tequila, rum, whiskey, and liqueurs. There are also a bunch of dealcoholized and no-proof beers and wines to choose from. In 2020, a lot of home drinkers turned to n/a alternatives. As one of the owners of the mobile, non-alcoholic, pop-up Steady Bar in Coeur d’Alene since 2019, I have sipped my way through a lot of n/a liquids. I have also mastered my own Campari, vermouth, whiskey, and tonic alternatives. One of the first n/a spirits I ever tried was Seedlip®, and it remains my favorite to this day. Instead of copying the flavors of an ABV liquor, Seedlip Distilled Non-Alcoholic Spirits are crafted to bring three distinct flavor profiles to a drink: herbal, citrus, and spice. Named after baskets used 300 years ago by English farmers to hand-sow seeds, Seedlip draws on the medicinal traditions from the same time period used to distill herbal remedies in copper stills. Founder Ben Branson, frustrated by unimaginative, sugary n/a drinks and inspired by the recipes of 1651 physician John French, spent two years perfecting the sophisticated vegan, allergy-free, sugar-free, and calorie-free options available today: Garden 108 (blend of peas and hay with traditional home garden herbs), Grove 42 (blend of three types of oranges and spice distillates), and Spice 94 (blend of allspice berries, cardamom and two bark distillates). My absolute favorite is Garden. On the nose, it is surprisingly intense with aromas of sweet peas, dewy grass, and herbal leaves fresh off the stem. Seedlip calls it a “celebration of the English Countryside.” As a mixer, it deftly fills the space where gin might have been and adds balance to a fruit juice or sweet syrup. It’s deeply refreshing topped with tonic and lime on the rocks, but my favorite way to drink Garden is in a Steady Bar Peter Rabbit: muddled lime with 2-oz. Garden and 1-oz. Sugar Snap Pea Shrub, topped with club soda over ice. Garnish with a carrot shaving. Order your Seedlip or get more recipes at seedlipdrinks.com. (S. Michal Bennett)
