What's your beverage of choice?!?!

PICK WATER!!!

Although it is a bit on the cold side, where ever you are on the continent, the value of water has not dropped!

I raced in sub-thirty degree weather this weekend and went through just as many bottles as I would on a warmer day. Sweat was pouring off my head and I was thirsty!

So don't forget to drink! You may have to remind yourself when it is cooler, but don't forget!

No Bake equals best bet yet!!

NO-COOK PROTEIN BARS

Cooking Spray

1.5 cups dry oatmeal - old fashioned rolled oats

2 scoops whey protein powder

2 Tbsp flaxseeds

1 cup nonfat powdered milk

1/4 cup all natural peanut butter

1/4 cup water

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup raisins (other dried fruit would be good too!!)

1. Lightly spray an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray

2. In a large bowl mix oatmeal, whey powder, flaxseeds and powdered milk.

3. In a serate bowl, whisk together peanut butter, water and vanilla. Add the peanutjbutter mixture to the dry ingredients and stir to form a sticky dough. Stir or knead in the raisins.

4. Using wet hands or a spatula, spread the mixture evenly into the prepared 8-inch pan. Freeze for 1 hour - or refridgerate overnight. make sure Mixture is firm enough to cut. Cut into 9 squares. Wrap individually and store in your refrigerator to grab on your way out the door.

THIS IS AN AMAZING SNACK! We have already thought of ways to mix it up, change the flavor or add different items! SO EASY!!!!

I CRACKED, ok!!!!

A weekend of hard racing, long rides, big training volume, and quality friends, must be topped off with really, really.....bad food!!!

It's TOTALLY cool guys!

Here's the theory. I basically eat Squirrel food all week. I read every label, I stress about fat content, nutrient density and timing of intake. Sometimes, you just have to get over it. Really.

This first meal here was pretty rough though. Homestyle potatoes, giant omlette with spinach and feta and grease. Plus about 4 cups of coffee.

It was cold, I had a huge race, and well, I deserved it!! And so do you!

Meal two was way healthier!

Pita with a bit of hummus and a grease-free omlette with spinach, feta, and tomatoes.

Yes, I totally have a thing for breakfast.

Yes, I usually get the same thing.

And no, i DO NOT feel guilty!

But I completely ready for the week of clean eating. My snack arsenal is packed and ready to go, my fruits have been selected and my veggies have been cut!!

The Muffin Man!

They were supposed to be cookies....

I read a lot of fitness magazines, one of my favorites is Oxygen. This magazine actually boasts some amazing meal plans and recipes.

I tried this one the other day. It was SUPPOSED to end up in a hard ball that you put in the refrigorator for a few hours then made into hermit cookies. No dice. My batter turned out WAY too runny! I *may* have forgotten some of the flour, or over-whipped the liquids. None the less, the muffins are great! i tested them on about 7 people before i told them what was inside, and they voted YES on having them again!!

INGREDIENTS:
2.5 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup protein pwder
2 tsp baking powder
1.4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp mace
1/8 tsp cardamon
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup agave nectar
4 egg whites
1/2 cup unsulfured black-strap molasses
1/2 cup applesauce
1 Tbsp vanilla
2 Tbsp plain greek yogurt
1 cup sultana raisins
1.2 unsweetened dried cranberries
1 cup unsalted, raw, slivered almonds

I totally did not have ALL the spices, so I improvised with Pumpkin Pie spice, and extras of the others. Ginger could be ok too...

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat over at 350
2. Sift all dry ingredients and spices together in large bowl. Cream olive oil and avage nectar together until smooth in another dish.
3. Beat egg whites together seperately and add to olive oil mixture. Mix well. add molasses, applesauce, vanill and yogurt, mix well again.
4. Add raisins, cranberries and almonds. Mix well
This is where i got off track. Mine was pretty soupy, but the recipe says it should be mixed and form a ball. If so, put in regrigrarotr for a few hours. If not...make Muffins!!
5. Bake for about 10 minutes!

They work AWESOME as mid morning snack at work. I haven't taken one on a ride, but I am not apposed to it. I have consumed them pre and post workout and found them delicious!!

FACTS:
per cookie 87 calories; Fat 5 g; Sat Fat 0.5g; Carbs 11g; Fiber 2g; Sugars 0g!!; Protein 3 g. All a bit higher if you make the muffins!!

So.....what's in the Banner?!

SNACK ATTACK!!!!

I LOVE SUGAR!!! Nerds, anything from the Wonders of Wonka, those guys at Reece's should pay ME, i used to eat so much of their crap!! BUT.....along with it came a butt, a gut, and not so fast legs!

I am doing my best, which could always be better, to go to the natural sugars.

This is a favorite i have gotten into the habit of grabbing when it is TV time, post dinner or mid-day craving!

Grab whatever berries are in season or on sale....
At least two kinds to mix it up
Sunflower seeds (not in the picture) or other nuts
Greek Yogurt!! This stuff is amazing. Lots of protein, it actually HAS those good bacterias we need, without the nasty sugars!! This one has Honey on the bottom!

Stir up and there you have it! Berries and Cream!

I may have to go for another round...

PIE

PIE

That day i spent sitting in the Looney Bean Coffee shop in Mammoth, where i was supposed to be reading, but instead was double-fisting a Grande Coffee and a Grande Chai, not to mention the small coffee on the window sill i got for buying a bag of beans...I met this chap named Brian.

He told me about this! All natural ingredients

CRUST:

Raw Almonds

Med Jule Dates (don't forget to take the pits out)

Put them in a food processor until they are pretty fine

Put into pie pan like you would a ghaham cracker crust

Chill over night

Next time, i may try baking it for 10 minutes

The Insides:

Raw cashews - soak in water AT LEAST 8 hours or MORE.

Drain

Banana

Blueberries

Put it all into a food processor

I added a little agave nectar

Put into crust Chill for a few hours

I put a garnish of strawberries because bananas change color!!

SUPER good!! i may try apricot in the crust next time, or silken tofu instead of cashews in the middle. Definately try it! It has a huge anti-oxidant punch!!

A New Chapter!

For the past few years I have had another blog, JoyOnBike

I have become more and more interested in food, the making of healthy and hearty items that can get me through extensive training on and off the bike, while attempting to chisel my physic and control weight gain.

That is where Food on Bike comes in!

I have done a ton of research, and come to many dead ends! Through this blog, i hope to share some of the really great ideas I have found and perhaps inspire you to share some with me!!

Here enjoying some FroYo with friends Heidi and Jesse. No better way to fight off the 80 degree February temps!!

Joy