Have you ever introduced yourself as a champion cyclist? Perhaps you imagine wearing the yellow jersey on the podium at the Tour de France? Then we have just the thing for you to get you in shape.
White’s Oats brand ambassador and world record endurance cyclist Joe Barr will host a virtual cycle on Belfast Live’s Facebook page on March 21st at 10am. So it’s time to wipe the exercise bike down, pull on your tightest lycra, and start pedaling like you’ve never done before.
But wait! With all that cycling, you need the right fuel to keep going. That’s why we caught up with Team Joe Barr’s performance nutritionist, Jillian Mooney, about some fantastic recipes that have helped empower Joe and keep him performing at their best on race day and in everyday life.
Training bar recipes
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Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups of oats
- 1 cup of rice krispies
- 1/4 cup pumpkin or sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries or raisins
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup of brown rice syrup
- 1/4 smooth almond nut butter
Method:
Preheat the oven to approx. 150 degrees. Spread the chopped pecans in an even layer in the baking pan and roast for about 10 minutes until they are golden brown.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, krispies, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, cranberries / raisins, roasted pecans, and cinnamon.
In a small saucepan, stir together the brown rice syrup and smooth almond butter until it is soft and just starting to bubble.
Immediately add the syrup, almond and butter mixture to all of the ingredients in the large bowl.
Mix well. It will be sticky, but keep mixing until the dry ingredients are well coated in syrup / nut butter.
Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch square cake pan lined with parchment paper and press down firmly to thicken the mixture. (Tip: You can compact the mixture with a small glass as a rolling pin.)
Place the pan in the freezer, uncovered, and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.
Using the parchment paper as handles, lift the mixture out of the pan and place it on the cutting board.
Cut into bars and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They last up to 2 weeks!
Note: Jillian uses brown rice syrup as a sweetener. It has a slightly slower rate of absorption and a nice, less sweet, caramel flavor. Together with the fat and protein from nuts and the complex carbohydrate from oats, this results in a bar that is a steady source of energy compared to typical sports bars.
Jillian said, “As you know, the longer you drive the longer you drive, the fat becomes the main source of fuel. Almond butter and the extra nuts in the bars provide easily accessible fat, enough protein for Joe’s needs, and tons of key nutrients like magnesium and zinc. Sometimes we add some coconut butter added to boost the medium chain triglycerides.
“And those bars keep their shape. How many times have you reached into your back pocket to pull out a pile of melted porridge!”
Join Joe Barr on March 21st at 10am for a 30-minute virtual cycle. You’ll be on board with Joe as he takes us on one of his favorite routes from the Burrendal Hotel in Newcastle via Tollymore Forest Park to Spelga Dam. Visit the Belfast Live Facebook page for details.
Mama Mooney’s Date Squares
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INGREDIENTS
• 1 1⁄2 lb. dates cut into small pieces
• 50 g or 1 3⁄4 oz granulated sugar
• 12 fl oz boiling water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1,200 g of flour
• 1⁄2 – 1 teaspoon salt (to your taste)
• 200 grams or 7 ounces of soft brown sugar
• 128 g or 4 1⁄2 oz butter
• 1,210 grams or 7 1⁄2 ounces of oatmeal
METHOD
Step 1. Put the first three ingredients in a saucepan and mix. Cook slowly over low heat, stirring frequently, until thick.
Step 2. Let cool in the pan and after cooling add vanilla extract.
Step 3. Cut the butter in the flour and sugar mixture until it is crumbly. Then add oats.
Step 4. Pour half of the oat mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 9 buttered cake pan (or a line of parchment paper). Press firmly. Add cool date mixture. Add the rest of the oats and gently press down.
Step 5. Bake 350 (180) for about 30 minutes.
Step 6. Let cool completely. Take out of the can and quarter.
Step 7. Freeze each quarter wrapped in parchment paper. After freezing, cut the date quarters into bar sizes and store in the refrigerator. Each time you go out on your bike, wrap it separately in aluminum foil.
Jill said, “The reason they’re frozen first is because when they freeze they cut so much better. Less bruising!”
Find more nutritious recipes for your health and fitness journey here.
