To prepare for my five week cycling adventure in and around the Abruzzo mountains I needed a high energy snack that could sustain me on 5-6 hour rides with cumulative climbing of 6,000 feet or more.
I came up with this recipe through good old-fashioned trial and error but not being a food scientist or nutritionist I can't tell you what the technical specifications are in terms of calories or kilojoules. But what I can tell you is that even on my longest ride of 70 miles and 8,200 feet of climbing, involving over 6 hours in the saddle in intense heat, my home-made energy bars did a brilliant job of replenishing my energy levels and preventing me from 'bonking'. Which in cycling terms is when your store of glycogen is completely depleted and every pedal stroke requires a ridiculous amount of effort.
For long rides I generally carry three types of food. A banana, a ham and cheese sandwich with home-made schiacciata and two or three of these energy bars, though given their shape energy 'biscuit' would probably be a more accurate description.
All washed down with copious amounts of pure mountain water which you will find in every Italian village flowing from a free fountain in the central piazza, usually in fact the only piazza given how small mountain villages tend to be.
I don't use gels or any commercial energy bar product because none of them are particularly appetizing, they all seem to melt too easily in the pocket of a cycling jersey and they often contain hydrogenated oils, saturated fats and high amounts of sugar, flavorings and emulsifiers. In other words, classic examples of ultra-processed foods.
Twenty years ago when I would regularly complete 200 mile one day endurance rides in Southern California organized by Planet Ultra, often also involving 15,000 feet of climbing, (the 'Tour of Two Forests' was always my favorite) I grew to really dislike the flavor of commercial energy bars and liquid gels. I find the taste of my biscuits so much better and it's never a question of forcing myself to eat one. And off the bike I'll happily munch them for a nutritious and filling snack so perhaps they'll work for other athletes too.
You'll note from the ingredients that there is also a fair amount of protein in these biscuits because I am a firm believer that when your body's energy level is nearing depletion it is easy to lose mental concentration which on a bike can result in poor decision making - for example in traffic or on a technically challenging descent.
Proteins help neurons within the brain communicate with each other and some of the ingredients in these biscuits like nuts and seeds are high in protein and omega fatty acids, 'brain food' in other words.
Ingredients: (makes 12 large biscuits about 1 cm thick weighing just under 100 grams each as seen in the top photo)
300 g oats (rolled oats or steel cut oats or porridge oats)
120 g cereal (granola, muesli mix)
80 g walnuts and almonds
100 g mix of sunflower and pumpkin seeds
150 g mix of dried apricots, dates and raisins
120 g olive oil
80 g Lyle's golden syrup (or honey)
70 g flour
60 g milk
40 g chocolate chips
25 g butter
20 g cocoa powder
2 eggs whisked
a little salt
Directions:
1. Put the first 5 ingredients above into a blender and pulse a few times to cut them up without turning them all to dust.
2. Empty into a large bowl, add all the other ingredients and mix well.
3. Spread the mix about 1 cm thick on oven paper on a baking tray and bake at 190°C for about 20 mins.
4. Allow to cool and divide into 12 large biscuits. No need to keep them in the fridge and they will last for months.
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