Oatmeal Bars - a recipe for an energy bar replacement
Powerbars are expesive. And while their edible, they aren't wonderful tasting. As I'm trying to get in more milage this year in training for and rracing, I am going to need fuel. I made the mistake this past weekend of going out for a ride and not eating breakfast before going out. Now understand that it wasn't a long ride by anymeans. 30 or so miles, a little over 2 hours. But by the end I could feel a slight bonk coming on. I took a banana with me, but that wasn't enough to cover the 1,700 calories I was expending. (calculated from Sporttracks) Maybe if I took a couple of bananas and some energy bars. But I didn't.
Energy bars are handy because they can fit in a jersey pocket and be eaten easily. But like I said above, the commercialy available ones are expensive. So I've been playing around with a recipe to bake something that tastes good and (hopefully) is packed with nutrients and calories to get through some rides.
Here's a list of things you'll need to make some oatmeal bars.
- 2 sticks of butter (actually I used 1 cup of smartbalance margrine)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (or any combo that suits you, 3/4 & 3/4, all white, or whatever)
- 2 eggs
- a big splash of vanillia (or 2, or 3)
- 1 1/2 cup flour
- 1 tsp baking soda (yeah, yeah. it's sodium. But it's needed in the baking process)
- 1/2 tsp cinimon (more or less for your tastes, I like less, like 1/4 tsp)
- 1/2 tsp salt (I tried it with 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp salt replacement - potassium chloride. It seemed to work fine.)
- 3 cups oats
- 1/4 cup ground flax seeds
- A bunch (cup or 2) of dried fruit and nuts. This is optional, but I think for the added protiens and carbs, it's good. Plus it adds flavor. I used a mix of chopped apricots, prunes, dates and almonds.
Take everything you keep in the oven out and turn it on to 350 degrees. Take the butter or margrine out and let it soften.
While you're waiting you could play with your kids, fiddle with your bikes a little, or share a cup of coffee with your wife. When you remember that the oven's on and butter's out, go wash your hands and get a big and smaller mixing bowl.
Place the butter and sugar in the big bowl and cream it all together. When it's smooth add the eggs and vanillia.
In the small bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, cinimon and salt.
Then slowly mix the flour mix into the big bowl. Mix-add-mix-add-mix-mix-mix.
When it's completely mixed. Add the rest of the stuff. Mix this until your arm gets ready to fall off, then spread it out into the lubed up pan, dish thing.
Plop the dish into the oven for about 50 minutes to an hour. you can check it for doneness like you do for brownies. Stick it with a toothpick, knife or fork and see if anything sticks. If so let it cook a little longer, if not pull it out. Let it cool completely, then cut it up. If it doesn't cool, it'll fall apart when you try to remove the peices. Eat a couple right away. Make sure to offer some to your wife and kids. Then take the rest (if there is any) and stash it in the freezer (or fridge). I pack em in a big ziplock or a sealable container (tupperwarestyle) to store.
To take some on a ride, just place as many as you want to take with you in a baggie and place into your jersey pocket. While rideing, pull the baggie out and remove a bar. Try not to drop it as you put the baggie back into your pocket. Then just coast along enjoying the nutty, fruity, oaty goodness knowing that you saved a little cash and got to make these the way you like them.
Oh... and they are also good enough to just snack on when not riding. You may have to hide them from the kids who seem to think they're cookies.
Update: You can totally customise this to your liking. I just made it with a tiny dash of cinnimon, no nuts and fruit, 1/4 bag of shredded coconut and a package of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Needless to say, they were good. I didn't get to freeze any. So the moral of this update is: play around with the recipe to get it where you like it.
powerbarpowerbarclifbarclifbarenergybarenergybarenergy+barenergy+baroatmealoatmealoatsoatscookcookreciperecipeyummyyummycookingcookingcyclingcyclingcyclistcyclistbikebikeyum+yumyum+yum
Tuesday 02/05/2008 | 11:14 am
John on Tuesday 02/05/2008 | 01:07 pm
Someone sent me a link to home made GU that their dad makes, I'll see if i can track it down.
Gunnar on Tuesday 02/05/2008 | 03:57 pm
That would be cool. Thanks.
John on Wednesday 02/06/2008 | 02:38 pm
Took a little digging through my team's message board, but I found the link.
http://www.summitpost.org/view_object.php?type=vote_comments&object_id=239378&page=3
I haven't tried it, but it's gotta be better than buying the stuff...
Gunnar on Wednesday 02/06/2008 | 03:05 pm
Awesome find. I've used straight-up brown rice syrup in the past. Tasted ok, sweet. I think I'll try finding some maltodextrin and/or barley malt to mix in as well as honey. I guess we'll see how it tastes.
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