Life In The Saddle

My recipe for High Energy Flapjacks has always been a favourite on the blog. So, when I heard about this great banana baked muesli bars I thought it needed to be shared with the cycling world—these are a great healthy homemade cycling energy food bar. Combining Rude Health's Ultimate Muesli with seeds, fruit, coconut oil, honey and bananas—these make a great snack either for on the bike or for those early morning or afternoon stomach rumbles. Ingredients (makes 10 breakfast bars) 300g porridge oats (or Rude Health Muesli) 4 medium size ripe bananas (peeled and mashed) 150g dates (chopped) 150g golden sultanas  150g dried apricots (chopped) 150g trail mix or mixed berries/seeds/desiccated coconut 30g pumpkin seeds and/or sunflower seeds or nuts 30g Nutiva Organic Coconut Oil 2 tbsp runny honey 2 tsp vanilla essence 1 tsp ground cinnamon 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg Method  Pre-heat the oven to 180°C Mash the bananas in a large mixing bowl Chop the dates and aprico...

I first tasted and reviewed Veloforte bars here on Life In The Saddle, back in April 2018  – they were an instant hit. After meeting members of the ever-growing Veloforte team this summer, I was eager to try out their new extended range of bars, drinks, gels and energy chews. Veloforte Natural Energy and Protein Bars  The Veloforte energy bars are where it all started. Based on Panforte – the Italian traditional Christmas dessert – these bars are a similar chewy sweet treat, packed full of fruit, nut and spices. Christmas cake has always been one of my favourite ride energy snacks, and these wholesome handmade bars bring a similar refreshing taste and energy boost to your everyday ride. The complete range is comprised of seven bars: all branded as 'energy bars', but with the Mocha and Forza versions also delivering an impressive 10-12 grams of protein (so they might also be classified as protein recovery bars). The flavours range from the tangy Classico with its apricots and...

These yummy energy balls are packed full of natural energy, protein and nutrients. They are perfect for snacking on during the day or for taking on adventures (though be sure to store them in a crush proof container). With protein from tahini and peanut butter, sweetness from honey and cocoa, and texture from the avocado and bee pollen, these tick all the boxes. Enjoy!  Ingredients 100g tahini 110g runny honey 50g cocoa powder 25g crunchy peanut butter 25g coconut oil 1/2 ripe medium avocado 20g  bee pollen   1 tbsp sesame seeds Method Combine all the ingredients except the sesame seeds and bee pollen in a food processor and whizz until a smooth paste is formed Transfer to a medium sized bowl and add the sesame seeds – stirring the mixture Place the bowl in the fridge for at least an hour for the mixture to set a little Once set, take small amounts of the mixture from the bowl and roll it between your hands to make balls In a separate bowl, add the bee pollen and a little...

We all know the importance of eating right. What you eat affects your health, your mood, and your cycling performance. You Are What You Eat —  so, your shopping list could be likened to your body's fuel receipt. Are you fuelling right for endurance sport and cycling adventures? In this post, I take a look at items that often feature on my own shopping list. The selection is strongly influenced by insights that I have gained from nutritional experts, as well as ingredients used in recipes from books such as Hannah Grant's ' The Grand Tour Cookbook '. I have split the list out into different nutritional categories — to make sure all bases are covered, and hopefully give a range of options for different dietary preferences. Protein Eggs  — egg yolks are a source of choline, important to reduce muscle fatigue Wild salmon  — fish is a great source of omega 3 fatty acids Frozen plaice fillets  — white fish is a source of low-fat protein Smoked...

Science in Sport has built a name for itself as one of the leading sports nutrition brands in the UK. In this post, I look at two of the recently updated products: the SIS Rego Rapid Protein Shake and the SIS Protein20 Protein Bar. Personally, I am tending away from processed sports nutrition products, but sometimes the convenience and portability of dedicated sports food is helpful; this is particularly relevant for recovery products – where getting in the right nutrients (protein and carbohydrate) in good time post-activity is essential to kick-starting the recovery process. The Science in Sport products are some of the best that I have tried for recovery – in terms of quality, flavour and cost. These new Protein20 and REGO products are also vegan friendly and low in sugar, making them suitable for many differing diets. SIS Rego Rapid Protein Drink Powder The SIS Rego Rapid Protein Powder helps refuel, repair, rebuild and rehydrate after exertion. Each (50g) serving contains 1...

On past bikepacking trips  I have had the opportunity to experiment with a variety of meals and foods particularly suited to bikepacking and lightweight cycle touring. The focus is always on eating decent quality, nutritious, lightweight, but varied foods that would supply fuel for the ride and keep your body functioning at its best. These are a few of tips for eating on bikepacking trips, as well as some simple recipe ideas… 1. Carry Seasoning My top tip is to bring a small pot of seasoning that you can add to meals—supplying salt and flavour. I mix up a little pot of vegetable stock powder, mixed herbs and chilli flakes to take with me—adding some spark to evening dishes. 2. Freeze-Dried Back-Up Meals In all of my past ' Gearing Up ' posts you will spot freeze-dried meals from UK brand Expedition Foods. These were a godsend on days like  Day 5 of the #CoastsandCols tour —when I got caught out by shop closures and had to camp at the top of the Col de Portet d...

" They are what they eat " says Hannah Grant—at the time Head Chef for Team Tinkoff-Saxo – one of the most successful professional cycling teams on the UCI World Tour circuit. It is a motto that I subscribe to very strongly. Food is an integral part of cycling. Food is your fuel, and your conditioning agent, as well as your recovery. Energy bars and gels can do so much, when you are on the bike; but it is what you eat the rest of the time that really makes a difference. Cycling teams realised the importance of nutrition some time back, and that is why a number of the top teams now have Michelin level chefs working for them; their role is to ensure that the nutritional intake of the riders is absolutely optimal for their performance. Hannah Grant is one of those top chefs, and just as the mechanics at Team Tinkoff-Saxo played an integral role in preparing the bikes for the riders each morning and evening, Hannah has a fundamental role in ensuring that the riders are co...

100 percent organic, natural and vegan. The range of energy bars, energy gels and hydration drink mixes from Rawvelo offer a natural fuelling solution—to keep you energised as you ride, and guilt-free about your impact on your body and the planet.  Plant-powered sports nutrition is the way forward, in my opinion. It is kinder on your body and kinder on the planet. Organic energy products are still hard to come by though, so I was interested to try the bars, gels, and hydration drink mixes from Rawvelo. Rawvelo Energy Bars Review The Rawvelo Energy Bars are organic and vegan; designed to offer a sustaining source of low-GI energy to keep you reliably fuelled as you ride longer distances.  The bars are made from wholefood ingredients such as fruit, nuts and oats; with a nutritional profile that is packed full of natural vitamins and minerals. Naturally occurring protein also helps to aid recovery and reduce muscle damage on long endurance rides, while the absence of refined...

Forget shop bought energy bars. These flapjack energy bars are packed full of natural whole-food goodness. Energy comes from low-GI oats and organic Demerara sugar; dried fruit and seeds offer sweetness and nutrients; then ginger root provides multiple health benefits including antioxidant properties and digestive support.  Whether you are on an epic multi-day cycle ride or just snacking at home, this healthy flapjack granola bar recipe will make a jersey pocket sized snack that will keep you fuelled for all kinds of adventure. Ingredients 250g rolled jumbo porridge oats 75g salted butter 75g organic Demerara sugar 75g golden syrup 30g sultanas 30g chopped dates and/or glacé cherries 30g mixed pumpkin & sunflower seeds 30g crystallised ginger 1tsp cinnamon ½ tsp vanilla essence Method Set the oven to 170°C. Place the shelf in the middle In a large pan measure out the butter and sugar Gently heat the pan on the hob until the butter and sugar are melted, then add the golden syrup...

The collection of energy bars, gels, protein bars and drinks from the Italian brand NamedSport offers a good value and great tasting variety of products; proven and used in several World Tour series races. I have been sampling the NamedSport Sport Gel, Isotonic Power Gel, 4Fuel Protector Energy Drink, Energy Bar and Rocky Protein Bar. I must admit that I am not an avid user of energy gels or energy drink; I tend to only use them when I am struggling or have low glycogen levels on long endurance rides; that makes it quite difficult for me to quantify or evaluate NamedSport's products in this area—as I have little to compare them against. Energy bars and protein bars, however, are more my staple food source on endurance bike rides. The NamedSport Energy Bar and Rocky Protein Bar have both proven to be tasty and satisfying products; both bars are aspartame and acesulfame free, and I can pronounce and recognise most of the ingredients on the packaging (always a good sign). Rathe...

The range of nutritional supplements in the PhD LIFE product portfolio supplies nutrients and vitamins to help improve your daily life; from waking up with energy to getting restful sleep. I have been testing out a selection and thought it would be interesting to fill you in on the science and function behind these lifestyle nutritional products from the well-reputed brand. DIGEST – To Support a Healthy Gut and Digestion Your digestive system plays a key role in your athletic performance, fat loss, energy levels, and even your mental health. We know more about the role of gut health than ever before, and experts now urge us to consider the gut microbiome as a "virtual organ" in the body Gut health goes beyond how well you digest your food and the level of nutrients you can absorb from your diet. A healthy gut environment will impact your mental health and mood, cognitive abilities, strength, ability to lose weight, and long-term risk of disease and illness. The PhD LIFE range...

This traditional flapjack recipe is packed full of energy for long days on the bike. The oats supply a great low-GI fuel source, while the dried fruit offers instant energy and sweetness. Whether on or off the bike, these flapjack bars are a great high-energy snack for cycling. You can adapt the recipe by adding in other dried fruit, seeds, nuts, and spices to make these even more varied and flavoursome. I particularly like pumpkin seeds and chopped crystallised ginger added to the mix. Ingredients 200g butter 100g brown sugar 1 tbsp golden syrup ½ tbsp black treacle 300g porridge oats 100g raisins 75g soft-dried figs 50g soft-dried apricots Method Set the oven to 150°C or 140°C for fan-assisted oven. Place the shelf in the middle Stick a big pan on the scales and measure in the butter and brown sugar Heat the pan on the hob until the butter and sugar are all melted Add a tablespoon of golden syrup and half a tablespoon of treacle to the mix Add the porridge oats and y...

I have been testing out the new range of BETA Fuel energy products from UK brand Science in Sport. They are tasty, easy to take onboard, and a notable scientific development over their predecessors and many other energy products on the market. Here's the low-down… BETA Fuel Drink First launched in 2018, the original Science in Sport Beta Fuel drink was an isotonic product using both maltodextrin and fructose at a ratio of 2:1 to optimise carbohydrate delivery and utilisation during exercise, while minimising gastrointestinal issues. The new Beta Fuel range has a change in the ratio of maltodextrin to fructose to 1:0.8. In comparison to the (still highly scientifically impressive) 2:1 ratio, the 1:0.8 ratio has been proven to: Enhance total exogenous carbohydrate oxidation by 17% Enhance mean power output during 10 maximal sprint efforts by 3% Increase the percentage of ingested carbohydrate oxidised from 62% (2:1 ratio) to 74% (1:0.8 ratio) Reduce symptoms of stomach fullness and n...

I have long been an advocate of nut butters for endurance fuel. Fuelling with fat and protein offers an energy source that is much more sustaining and lends itself to a more stable blood sugar profile than the peaks and troughs encountered with simple sugars. These two new nut butters from UK brand Outdoor Provisions are especially tasty blends, and they come in compact bio-degradable sachets—making them perfect for outdoor adventures and tours. Outdoor Provisions have evolved the classic jar of peanut butter that you would often find stuffed into my handlebar bag on long distance bike tours . The new 'Coffee, Almond and Cashew' and 'Almond, Date and Sea Salt' sachets are incredibly versatile and tasty energy snacks. Squeeze them straight into your mouth, add them as a porridge topper, pour them over an energy bar, or make an on-the-go banana and nut butter (BnB) sandwich... the possibilities are endless. However you eat them, you get the same smooth taste and natural e...

Dietary fibre is not something often talked about in sports nutrition; but it should be. Nine out of ten people do not get their recommended 30 grams of fibre each day; a problem that is often responsible for minor stomach discomforts, but also for more serious issues such as bowel cancer. In this blog post, I look at the importance of fibre—in partnership with the  #RyvitaFibreFit challenge. Fibre is a nutrient that exists in two forms – soluble and insoluble – you can only get it from plant sources; you will not find it in meat, fish, or dairy. Insoluble fibre is not digestible and passes through the body. Plant sources such as nuts and seeds are useful sources of insoluble fibre. Soluble fibre is digestible. Soluble fibre is found in rye, oats, and barley; along with fruits and vegetables. A healthy diet should include both types of fibre. The government recommends an adult should eat 30 grams of dietary fibre a day—but most adults are eating much less than this. Fibre i...

I. Love. Oats. They are quite simply the best carbohydrate in the world. I can count on one hand the number of days in a year that have not started with a bowl of porridge or overnight oats; for me, they are the only fuel to set you up for an active day of adventures. Find out more about the unique dietary benefits of oats in this earlier blog post: ' Fuelled by Oats – The Natural Superfood '. Oomf Foods have taken the ancient oat and created little pots of protein-packed porridge goodness. How? They have mixed oats with skimmed milk powder, whey protein concentrate, and other simple ingredients such as blueberries, ginger, cocoa, apple pieces, banana, and of course the classic golden syrup. Each pot packs an impressive 20 grams of protein, and they are free from artificial colours, sweeteners, or preservatives. They also taste fantastic. Additionally, the UK brand produces a special Probiotic Protein Porridge. This gut-loving porridge has a specially formulated prob...

Recovery is fundamental to progress. You can put in as much riding time as you like, but unless you recover well too, you will not see the sought-after improvements. A substantial part of effective recovery is the food that you consume—both in the hours and days after a hard training session. This blog post considers nutritional intake immediately after exercise—in a bid to kick-start your body's recovery. For further recipe and meal ideas, and nutrition recommendations, take a look on the Advice page .  Fast Protein and Glycogen On finishing a hard ride, your muscles are fatigued, and your energy stores depleted. In order to start the recovery process as quickly as possible you want to get protein and carbohydrate to them while the blood is still pumping, and your metabolism is raised. This means taking on between 15-25 grams of protein and 30 grams of carbohydrate within 25 mins of stopping. This can be a tough ask though, as all you may want to do is have a hot bath, wa...