Bikers are beasts. At least when it comes to food. While they burn off calories turn after turn of the cranks, their legs are already begging for more - almost like children at the Christmas biscuit plate. Claudia Eder can tell you a thing or two about it. For two years, the Tour de France riders from the Bora Argon 18 team tore home-baked bars out of her hands: Muesli bars, energy balls, rice cakes. The natural power suppliers from Claudia's recipe box were her daily companions on the stages of the world's toughest cycling race. A nine-person team eats around 1000 bars and gels during such a tour - so supplying the BIKE editorial team with delicious energy bars was a piece of cake for the Tyrolean. In her private kitchen, the sports nutrition expert wielded a hand mixer and wooden spoon to conjure up two new recipes exclusively for BIKE readers. Her very personal preparation for Christmas biscuit baking.
But why bake it yourself when the shelves are bursting with bars of all flavours? "It just tastes so much better," smiles Claudia. She kneads the last oat flakes into the dough, pauses briefly and adds more:
"My body is my own personal power station. I should do something good for it so that it can give me something good in return." But that doesn't mean that she wants bikers to self-flagellate. On the contrary: "If you train or race a lot, you should also pack food for your psyche." On long marathons and Alpine crossings, it is not always easy for bikers to consume enough carbohydrates. Those who put together customised bars have a clear advantage. As many athletes get sick of eating sweet food all the time, we also present a savoury recipe with polenta and ham on the following pages. Variety is key, especially during long marathons or stage races.
Claudia's self-designed speculoos bar appeals more to the taste buds and is a motivator on winter rides. Her second creation, the date and peanut bar, won over the greedy BIKE editors with its juicy consistency. You can taste the pure power of peanuts, dates and oat flakes from the very first bite. This makes the power pack ideal for intensive rides and competitions. By the way: Claudia based the recipe on her favourite bar from client Clif Bar.
Energy balls, rice cakes and polenta slices are the classics of self-made power food. They have proven themselves to provide even the greediest beasts with sufficient supplies.
We invite you to relive your childhood memories in your own kitchen over the coming weeks. And then head outside: diligently convert the calories you have eaten by turning the crank.
Interview with Claudia Eder, expert in sports nutrition, works for Clif Bar and cycling teams: "The less the industry messes around with food, the better. Home-baked bars are 100 per cent natural."
Why should bikers bake their own bars?
Everyone can realise their own individual wishes in terms of taste and composition. This is also ideal for allergy sufferers. I know exactly what's in it and can be sure that there are no additives - 100 per cent natural.
Don't I need industrial ingredients to get the special power of an energy bar?
No, with purely natural ingredients I can mix together a great bar and get a very good carbohydrate composition. If I'm baking myself, then I should only use natural ingredients. The less the industry messes around with food, the better.
And with these natural bars I can even make it through tough marathons?
Variety is crucial. For example, you can combine conventional bars with home-baked ones. I would also recommend gels when you are pushing yourself to the limit. They are easier to consume and provide energy even faster. But nobody wants to eat this sticky and sweet mass all day long.
These nutrients are included
What does a good bar need? We tell you which ingredients fulfil which purpose and what you need to bear in mind.
Cereals
As a medium-term source of carbohydrates, cereals provide sustained energy and are a key component of most bars. Flour and rolled oats are the classics, while popped grains such as quinoa or amaranth are a great way to add some flavour variety.
Sugar
Whether honey, rice syrup, maple syrup or conventional household sugar makes little difference. The decisive factor is the rapid energy production, as none of these simple sugars need to be broken down much in the body. Claudia swears by regional products and therefore favours honey.
Fat
Fat gives the bars a juicy consistency and binds the ingredients. Overall, the fat content of the bars should be kept low. Claudia simply recommends using conventional butter. She can't understand the hype surrounding coconut fat, as it contains too many saturated fatty acids and therefore has a negative effect on the cardiovascular system.
Dried fruit
Dried fruit is sweet and flavoursome and therefore contributes significantly to the good taste of the bars. They provide quick energy and make the baked goods moist. Whether dates, sultanas, apricots or prunes is a matter of personal taste.
Nuts
Although nuts are very high in calories, they are a healthy source of energy. The fat from nuts, such as cashew or almond butter, is also suitable for making bars. Nuts can be used as flavourings to suit individual preferences.
STORE & PACK
The bars can be frozen in portions in the freezer. Simply take them out of the freezer in the morning before use and pop them in your jersey pocket. The bars will have defrosted by the time you eat them. Wrap them individually in greaseproof paper before freezing. You can read how to do this in a particularly practical way at www.bike-magazin.de, webcode #34289
THE RECIPES
ADVENTS-POWER (but can also be eaten at other times of the year)
Baking time 15 minutes Quantity 10-15 bars
Ingredients
150 g butter
100 g honey
100 g soft rolled oats
100 g of grainy rolled oats
100 g wholemeal flour
100 g grated
speculoos biscuits
2 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp speculoos spice
100 g chocolate drops
Preparation
Mix the butter and honey with a hand mixer until smooth, then gradually mix in all the ingredients. Leave the dough to stand for half an hour. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and line a baking tray with baking paper. Shape the dough into even balls, place on the baking tray and flatten into an oval shape. Bake for approx. 15 minutes.
DATTEL PEANUT
Baking time 12 minutes Quantity 10-15 bars
Ingredients
200 g dates
100 g rolled oats
70 g peanuts
100 g rice syrup
20 g puffed quinoa
70 g peanut butter
Preparation
Soak the dates and puree. Chop the rolled oats and peanuts in a blender. Mix all the ingredients together and leave the dough to stand for half an hour. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Shape into evenly sized balls, place on a baking tray lined with baking paper and flatten into an oval shape (approx. 1 cm). Bake for twelve minutes until golden brown.
RICE CUPS
Cooking time 20 minutes Quantity 12-15 pieces
Ingredients
500 g rice pudding
1 litre water
1 tbsp cashew puree
2 tbsp cane sugar
100 g dried fruit
100 g cashew nuts
possibly chocolate drops
Preparation
Bring the water to the boil, add the rice and simmer over a low heat for 20 minutes. Mix with cashew puree and cane sugar. Chop the dried fruit and cashew nuts and add. Spread on baking paper. The rice cake should be approx. 3 cm high. Leave to cool. Then cut into portioned pieces. Bake briefly in the oven for firmer, but also drier pieces.
ENERGY BALLS
Baking time 0 minutes Quantity 12-15 balls
Ingredients
400 g dates
100 g apricots
3 tbsp coconut flakes
3 tbsp puffed amaranth
50 g cocoa butter
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp cocoa
Coconut flakes for turning
Preparation
Finely chop the dates and apricots or blend with a hand blender. Melt the cocoa butter and gradually mix with all the ingredients. Leave the mixture to stand briefly and then shape into small balls (walnut size) and roll in coconut flakes - done.
POLENTA SLICES
Cooking time 10 minutes Quantity 10-12 slices
Ingredients
200 g maize grits
500 ml water
100 g ham
50 g parmesan
½ bunch parsley
salt
pepper
nutmeg
Preparation
Bring the water, salt, pepper and nutmeg to the boil, stir in the polenta and leave to infuse. Dice the ham and chop the parsley. Stir the parmesan, ham and parsley into the lukewarm polenta mixture. Pour the mixture into a lined baking dish, press flat, chill for 3-4 hours and cut into pieces. Optionally fry.
Florentin Vesenbeckh
Editor CvD
