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...

Last year I wrote a post 'What's in Your Gravel Adventure Handlebar Bag?' – it proved to be popular, perhaps because it provided a glimpse into my personal choices for my ride support kit. In this post, I turn to my road riding set-up, which is distinctly different from my gravel bike bag—with a lighter weight and more streamlined kit.  An obvious difference with my road handlebar bag is that to keep weight down, I also use a saddlebag on my road bike to house my tool kit, spare tube and repair kit. I also store my pump on the frame of my road bike rather than in the handlebar bag—to further distribute weight. I do not do these two things on a gravel bike because these two areas tend to receive too much in the way of wheel spray and muck. Omitting the tool kit from the line-up, you will see that my adventure road cycling handlebar bag is also subtly different in design and contents… Apidura Racing Handlebar Bag Mini Pack I have long admired Apidura kit, and their new ...

My recipe for High Energy Flapjacks has always been a favourite on the blog. So, when I spotted this great looking recipe on the Rude Health website, I thought it needed to be shared with the cycling world—these are a great homemade cycling energy food bar. Combining Rude Health's Puffed Oats with seeds, fruit, and nuts, these make a great snack either for on the bike or for those mid-afternoon stomach rumbles. Best of all, there is no need to bake. Ingredients (makes 8 breakfast bars) 2 ½ cups (65g) Rude Health Puffed Oats   ¾ cup (150g) dates (about 7 medjool dates)  ¼ cup (80g) honey (or substitute in maple syrup, for a vegan option)  ¼ cup (60g) almond butter  ¼ cup (50g) almonds  ¼ cup (50g) pecans  ¼ cup (35g) sesame seeds  ¼ cup (50g) sour cherries or dried blueberries Method  Line an 8×8 inch (20×20cm) pan with parchment paper Add the dates into a food processor and run until the dates are well chopped. If...

I bloody love banoffee pie. This one is a bit different though... no cream, no biscuits, no syrup, and gluten-free; it sounds like a recipe for disaster. In fact, this Rude Alternative Banoffee Pie is something I dreamed up as a more whole-food plant-based version of the classic. It is not exactly a healthy banoffee pie recipe, but it is a damn sight better than your average. Utilising coconut cream, oat cakes, Rude Health Date Bars, and Bonraw Coconut Sugar; it is still a naughty treat, but without so many of the processed high-cholesterol nasties.  Ingredients  Base 130 grams Rude Health Spelt Oaty Oat Cakes (2.5 pouches) 2x Rude Health Date Peanut and Banana Bars 2 tbsp Butter or Coconut Oil 1 tbsp Maple Syrup Filling 1x 397g Tin Carnation Caramel  2x large ripe bananas 1 tbsp BonRaw Coconut Sugar  1x Can full-fat coconut milk, chilled in fridge Cocoa powder to dust Method Melt the butter on the hob Place all the Base ingredients in a food processor and blitz unt...

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...

It is an age-old cliché, but You Are What You Eat . As a cyclist perhaps you realise it more than most; but if you fill your diet with processed food and the wrong balance of nutrients, you soon realise it. What you put into your body has a direct correlation to what it will give back to you; both in terms of feelings and performance. Eat Right, and you will perform at your best. Eating natural whole-foods, in their raw and unmodified state, is one step towards eating right. Celebrating seasonal produce is another. Adopting age-old production methods and experimenting with foreign traditional foods and recipes, is a third. It is all part of enjoying and getting the most from your food. That is what Nick Barnard's 'Eat Right' is all about. Nick is the co-founder of Rude Health —a brand that regular blog readers will be familiar with. Their ethos is around the best possible natural products that make the most of whole-grains, nuts, seeds and fruit; through a range of snac...

Read a cookbook such as Vélochef or The Grand Tour Cookbook, and you will see that many sports nutritionists are moving away from white flour based pasta; turning instead to traditional ancient grains such as spelt and rye. These light and fluffy spelt pancakes are a flavoursome low-GI carbohydrate energy source, as well as being rich in protein. Ingredients (Makes 5 large pancakes) 150 grams – Spelt Flour 25 grams – Icing Sugar 150 ml – Milk  2 Eggs 1 tsp Baking Powder 1/2 tsp Cinnamon Method Add all the ingredients to a bowl and whisk together until smooth Cover and place in the fridge for 2-3 hours Melt a knob of butter or coconut oil in a heavy frying pan on a medium heat Spoon in the mixture and flip the pancake halfway through cooking Enjoy!

The more endurance sport and expeditions you do, the more you realise that "sports nutrition" is not necessarily the answer. Adopting a whole-food diet, with recipes like these Yoghurt Granola Recovery Food Pots, provides not only a tastier post-activity treat, but also a healthier alternative to processed sports supplements. Protein shakes and bars have their place—they are convenience foods, for occasions when you really do not have time. Much like convenience pre-packaged meals though, they are not a sustainable solution for good long-term nutrition—something that is vital to getting results in endurance sport and long distance expeditions. Whole foods, by definition, are foods made with minimal processing; they have not been tampered with or modified to make them longer lasting or to make them packable. Whole foods are made with ingredients that are as close as possible to their natural state. Minimal processing of food substances has multiple advantages: The na...

Horchata is a creamy and sweet drink from the Spanish city of Valencia; made from soaked, ground, and sweetened tiger nuts. The light and nutty flavour, along with its creamy texture, make for a great dairy alternative. This Horchata Porridge recipe uses Horchata in place of dairy milk, and has a fruity and tropical flavour thanks to other ingredients such as vanilla, banana, and cinnamon. This is one of my favourite pre-ride fuels. Ingredients 1/2 cup Rude Health Daily Oats 1 cup Tiger Nut Drink (or ½ Tiger Nut Drink ½ water for less sweet porridge) 1/2 ripe mashed banana 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract/powder 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon Optional toppings: Desiccated coconut Dried apricots Blueberries Chopped walnuts Nut butter Method Combine oats, mashed banana, cinnamon, vanilla and Tiger Nut Drink in a pan Simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally until desired consistency Pour porridge into a bowl and add toppings of choice >> Shop Rude Health Tiger Nut Drink h...

Lactose intolerance is common in my family, and there are many cyclists that actively avoid dairy products. Personally I drink a lot of milk, but enjoy experimenting with dairy-free alternatives too. This Hazelnut Hot Chocolate is a warming super-food treat. Ingredients 350 ml Rude Health Hazlenut Drink 2 tsp Nature Creative Raw Cacao Powder 1 tsp Honey or Agave Syrup (Top with whipped cream if you wish) Method Gently heat the Hazelnut Drink in a milk pan, being careful not to boil Once steaming, pour around 50 ml into a tall glass, and add the Raw Cacao Powder and honey Stir the mixture well, until there are no lumps Add the rest of the hot Hazlenut Drink, and keep stirring Serve immediately, with a squirt of whipped cream and a dusting of cacao powder for decoration

Muesli bread... a convenient way of getting your oat boost! This bread-maker recipe is one of my favourites, and super easy to follow. Slow release carbs at their best. The seeds and coconut in the Rude Health Super Seed Muesli give the bread a great crunch, while the oats and spelt flour provide a lovely taste and soft fluffy texture. Enjoy straight from the machine, with some nut butter and honey. Ingredients 1 tsp Yeast 1 tsp Salt 2 tsp Sugar 25 grams Butter 75 grams Rude Health Super Seed Museli 150 grams Strong White Bread Flour 150 grams Rude Health Sprouted Spelt Flour 200 grams Wholemeal Flour 360ml Water Method Place all ingredients in the bread-maker tub, in the order listed above Place on the programme for a large size normal wholemeal loaf (not rapid cook) Wait (normally 5 hours). Smell the beautiful fresh bread cooking. Enjoy.

This low-fat, high-protein banana bread recipe is an adapted version of a childhood favourite. It has all the sweetness and flavour of your traditional banana bread; but also delivers added vitamins, fibre, and protein, to help kick-start your recovery. Ingredients 6 scoops - MultiPower 100% Pure Whey Protein powder 3 ripe bananas 3 free-range eggs 1 ½ cup water 1 cup ground almonds 1 cup plump sultanas and/or chopped dates ½ cup milled flaxseed ½ cup  Rude Health  Smoothie Oats ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional) 4 tsp runny honey 2 tsp coconut oil - melted   1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp baking powder Method Pre-heat the oven to 160°C Line a loaf tin with baking parchment Mash the bananas and whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the water, honey and melted coconut oil, and ensure the mixture is well combined Add the protein powder, almonds, sultanas, flaxseed, oats, ginger, cinnamon and baking powder Stir the m...

Winter training has started in earnest. Long miles, and hard efforts. Rides that require more than your morning bowl of porridge to get you through them. Rides that require #fuelfortheride . Energy bars and bananas are all well and good, but after a time you crave something different. Something to add some flavour and excitement, when you pull the foil wrapped package from your jersey pocket, with frozen fingers. Using a selection of products from Rude Health , I have come up with these 'Rudely Alternative Ride Snacks'… Chia Peanut Butter and Ginger Oaty Sandwiches How many superfoods can you pack into a jersey pocket? Chia Charge Peanut Butter, and Rude Health's Ginger and Turmeric Oatys, contain four at least. The recipe is pretty self-explanatory: grab two oat cakes, make a peanut butter sandwich of them, and then wrap it in tin foil to keep it all together. Alternatively, take the component parts with you, using Pip and Nut's Squeeze Packs , and a fo...

So far for #TryJanuary , I've provided #RudelyAlternative dairy-free recipes for Hot Chocolate , Almond Banana Pancakes ,  Dairy-free Porridge , and a Turmeric Latté . In this post, I've saved one of the best till last... welcome to the 'Ultimate Oatmeal' - with banana, chia seeds, almonds and dates... Oatmeal is ancient porridge, and it produces an incredibly smooth and satisfying warming breakfast (or snack). To get the most of your oatmeal, you are best to soak it overnight; it helps to plump up the texture, and provide a more satisfying meal. In this recipe, I add bananas and chia seeds to the mix; to provide extra richness, and a creamier texture. Ingredients (Serves 2) 100 ml Rude Health Oatmeal 150 ml Rude Health Oat Drink 150 ml cold water 2 tbsp chia seeds 1 tbsp of chopped dates 1 banana 1/2 tsp cinnamon Maple syrup and almond butter for topping Method The night before: Soak your oatmeal in a glass bowl with the water (stir before ...

So far for #TryJanuary , I've provided #RudelyAlternative dairy-free recipes for Hot Chocolate , Almond Banana Pancakes , and of course  Dairy-free Porridge . In this post, I'm introducing the scrumptious and nutritious Rude Health Turmeric Latte - a wonder for the taste buds, and for the body. Turmeric is a super-spice. Made from ground root, and traditionally found in plenty of curry powders, it has been shown to have benefits ranging from sun protection, to being an anti-depressant. Whether you manage to feel the numerous benefits or not, the spice also has a great flavour. This warming winter drink is a winner for cold evenings and early starts. Ingredients (Serves 2) 400ml Rude Health Almond Drink 2 tsp turmeric powder  1 tsp ginger powder  Pinch of cayenne pepper  Pinch of black pepper  Method Measure out 400ml of almond milk Add the spices and pepper Heat gently on the hob, stirring constantly Froth with a handheld drinks frothe...

These pancakes are dairy-free, gluten-free, whole-food goodness. They are also super easy to make. Another recipe as part of my Rude Health #TryJanuary campaign , where I'm looking for #RudelyAlternative breakfasts and snacks that don't use dairy. Top these pancakes off with whatever you fancy... Ingredients (serves 2) 1 cup Rude Health Ultimate Almond Drink 2 cups Rude Health Daily Oats 2 eggs 1 ripe banana 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt Method Blend all of the ingredients together in a Nutribullet or blender Cook on a medium heat in a non-stick pan or griddle, using coconut oil to avoid sticking  Enjoy Read more about Rude Health #TryJanuary here (Link) Dairy-Free #RudelyAlternative goodness! Top these dairy-free pancakes off with honey, nut butter, or your favourite fruit preserve

This Hot Chocolate drink is made from Coconut (or Hazelnut) Drink, combined with natural sweeteners, cocoa powder and almond butter. Completely free of dairy and refined sugar, it is the tastiest evening (or anytime) drink that I've had in a long time. Ingredients (serves 2) 400ml Rude Health Hazelnut or Coconut Drink  2 tbsp Maple syrup or Agave nectar 4 tsps Cacao powder  2 tsp Almond butter  1 tsp Cinnamon  Method Gently heat a pan containing all of the ingredients listed above Stir gently on a medium heat and remove before boiling  Enjoy This dairy-free Hot Chocolate drink is a doddle to make Opus Magnum - Great work. This Hot Chocolate recipe is a sure winner on winter days

January has always been a month of traditional health-kicks, detoxes, and diet changes. I'm not one for unnecessary change; but with two non-dairy drinkers in my family, I was keen to see if I'd personally notice any benefits of kicking the dairy habit in 2017. It is time to a #TryJanuary #RudelyAlternative. Why #TryJanuary and #RudelyAlternative Rude Health are my main motivators for joining this particular dairy-free revolution. The Rude Health #rudelyalternative campaign is a nationwide challenge for cafés, to try introducing more dairy-free drinks into their line-ups this month. I've always been a fan of Rude Health's recipes, foods, snacks, and drinks ( Read more about Rude Health here ); so I thought it would be a great challenge to jump aboard their proverbial band-wagon. Of course, dairy-free has been the preferred approach for many athletes for some time now. There is a strong belief that getting rid of lactose from your diet can lead to a healthi...