Yes! It’s finally Friday and you’re ready for a great weekend ride with your friends or maybe even a solo adventure exploring new roads. No matter your cycling goal, fueling your body with the right ingredients is the first step to enjoying your rides even more.
HIGH ENERGY VEGAN OAT BARS // With figs, nuts and seeds
Together with my nutritionist and friend, Gianluca Bosetti I’ve crafted an easy, delicious and nutritious energy bar recipe that will quickly become a new favorite. Stick one in your jersey pocket and enjoy with your mid-ride coffee or as a post ride snack with freshly squeezed fruit juice. They’re simple to make and oh so good for you!
THE INGREDIENTS:
½ cup oatmeal
2 tbsp. oat bran
2 tbsp. wheat germ
1/3 cup walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, cashews
1 1/2 tbsp. oilseeds
10-12 dried figs
2 tbsp. honey
1 glass of milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1 pinch of toasted barley coffee (for a touch more flavor)
HOW TO:
Take a bowl and combine the oatmeal, oat bran and wheat germ (in place of oatmeal, oat bran or wheat germ you can also use cereals like, millet, puffed, spelt or barley, bran sticks), oil seeds, walnuts, hazelnuts etc and blend.
Then roughly chop the dried figs and add them to the mixture (if you want you can also use dried prunes or raisins, but the figs have a higher nutritional value).
Add the milk, honey, cinnamon and coffee then blend one more time to make sure everything is equally mixed. Roll out the mixture on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and use another sheet of baking paper to flatten the dough by hand or using a rolling pin or bottle until you get a height of about 1.5 cm. Bake at 170°C/340°F for 20-25 minutes, let it cool, and cut in the shape you like best with a sharp spatula.
Presto! You’re ready to roll with a healthy snack on your next bike ride, on the way to the gym, when picking up the kids from school, or when just getting through a busy day at work. Either way, processed snacks will be a distant memory. Enjoy!
Looking to switch up your snacks? A fresh smoothie is an easy way to pack nutrient-dense foods into your diet. One of our favorite go-to combos is kale, baby carrots, celery, cucumber, frozen berries and a banana. You can also add protein powder for an extra dose of joy!