Bikes, Hikes, Biscotti, and Buns

Inside the Ingredients

Whether you're on two feet, two wheels, or just driving around, nothing hits better than picnic treats on a sunny spring day. Now’s the perfect time for a hike at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, a bike ride on Traverse City’s TART trails, or an M22 cherry blossom road trip. All you need to do is remember the picnic basket.

Get inspired with the recipes below, which will keep your belly filled so your eyes can feast on spring sights all day long. For these eats, source your ingredients from Omena Organics for excellent garbanzo beans and Great Lakes Chocolate & Dessert Co. for bean-to-bar goodness.

Chickpea Salad on Pretzel Buns

A creamy and crunchy salad on a homemade salty pretzel bun.

Pretzel Bun Ingredients
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
3 tablespoons honey
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup baking soda
4 cups hot tap water
Flaky salt

Pickled Red Onion Ingredients
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup water

Chickpea Salad Ingredients
4 tablespoons tahini
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 15-oz. cans Omena Organics Garbanzo Beans, drained
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 small head romaine lettuce
1 cup cherry tomatoes

To make the buns: In a large bowl, mix together the lukewarm water, honey, and yeast. Let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add oil, flour, and salt. Stir until a shaggy dough forms, then knead until smooth, about three minutes. Place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled, one hour. Divide into eight equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, shape each into a 6-inch log. Cover loosely, and allow to rest 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 420 degrees. In a shallow bowl, mix together baking soda and hot tap water. Roll each log in the soda-water, then place seam-side down, a few inches apart, on a parchment lined baking sheet. Slash three lines on each log, then sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes, until nicely browned. Let cool to room temperature before using.

To make the onions: Stir together all ingredients in a shallow bowl. Let sit for 30 minutes.

To make the salad: In a large bowl, whisk together the tahini through the pepper. Once smooth, whisk in olive oil followed by the vinegar. Add half of the chickpeas. Smash until mostly broken, but still chunky. Stir in the remaining chickpeas and celery.

To assemble: Slice each bun in half, “hotdog style.” Add a few romaine leaves to each. Top with chickpea salad, then tomatoes and onions. Wrap each sandwich. Chill until ready to eat, then pack up the picnic basket.

Chocolate Cherry Walnut Biscotti

Everything you wanted in trail mix...now in a cookie.

Ingredients
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup sunflower oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 2/3 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
Two 2.5-oz bars 58% dark milk chocolate

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together for one minute, until a little frothy. Add the oil and extracts. Whisk until smooth. Fold in the flour mixture. Stir in the walnuts and cherries. Divide in half. On a parchment lined baking sheet, shape each half into a 2 1/2-inch wide by 10-inch long log. Bake for 24 minutes, rotating halfway through baking.

Once they come out of the oven, allow to cool for 20 minutes with a towel draped on top. This allows the steam to soften the crust, so when you slice them they will not be too crunchy. After 20 minutes, slice into 1/2-inch thick slices. Place cut side down on a baking sheet.

Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees. Bake for eight more minutes. Allow to cool completely.

Melt chocolate in a small bowl. Dip half of each biscotti into the chocolate. Allow chocolate to set before serving. If going for a picnic on a hot day, chill your biscotti until ready to go.

Nora Rae Pearl is 99 percent foodie and 1 percent chef. When she is not writing about food, she can be found waiting in line at the farmers market hoping to get a croissant before they run out. Photo credits Cody Werme.

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