On-the-bike nutrition: our favourite 4 energy-filled recipes

Most of us have bonked on the bike at some point in our lives – and despite the humorous name, it is actually a serious matter! ‘Bonking’ occurs when your energy (glycogen) stores become exhausted and your blood sugar levels are dangerously low. It’s not pretty! Symptoms include disorientation, shaking, dizziness and total exhaustion.

The trick to avoiding this is to keep well-fuelled on the bike. While gels have their place in an emergency, many riders find these hard to stomach if taken on a regular basis. For long rides, try carrying food you actually enjoy eating. And time your watch to make sure you keep topped up regularly.

I hope you enjoy these four tasty bites, each containing a good balance of carbohydrate, protein and healthy fats to help you beat the bonk! Try the banana and apple flapwich, an extremely delicious combination of sweet, gooey fruit sandwiched in a flapjack. What’s not to like? Packed with a combination of fast and slow-releasing carbohydrate, these will cheer any ride, as well as give you a boost if you’re starting to flag.

Next up, these savoury bites will satisfy those who crave salty snacks on the bike: mini nut and tahini pasties and cashew, cumin and ginger energy balls. Both are light, handy to eat on the move and easily digested. Loaded with sustaining energy, they will also help replace electrolytes lost through sweat. They’re crammed with healthy fats and spices, too, which can help reduce muscle inflammation.

Finally, feast your ride on these fig, ginger and brazil nut bites. I wanted these to be a slightly less chewy version of panforte and I’m pleased with the result. Soft and easy to eat, they’re an effective and very tasty energy-booster, and a great source of minerals – including potassium, magnesium, calcium and iron – as well as vitamins A and C, and B vitamins. Ener-joy!

Top 4 recipes for on-the-bike nutrition

Banana and apple flapwiches

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Makes: 20cm cake

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp golden syrup
• 100g unsalted butter
• Zest of 1 orange
• 2 tbsp demerara sugar
• 150g jumbo rolled oats
• 2 tbsp wholemeal spelt flour
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 1 small apple, cored and very thinly sliced
• 1 large ripe banana, peeled and mashed

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease and line a 20cm cake tin with baking parchment.
2. Gently melt the butter and syrup in a large saucepan over a low heat. Add the orange zest, sugar, oats, flour and spices. Stir until thoroughly combined.
3. Spread half the mixture onto the base of the tin. Carefully spread over the banana, then layer the apple slices on top.
4. Spread the final half of the flapjack mixture over the top to completely cover the fruit.
5. Bake in the oven for 25–30 mins, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and place the tin on a wire rack. Leave to cool and firm up, then cut into portions. Wrap in foil.

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Spiced cashew, ginger and cumin balls

Prep: 10 mins
Makes: about 20 balls

Ingredients:

• 100g unsalted cashews
• 100g dried apricots
• 100g dates
• 20g oats
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2cm knob fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Pinch of salt to taste

Method:

1. Using a food processor, coarsely chop the cashews. Set aside.
2. Add the apricots and dates and pulse until very finely chopped. Add the oats, cumin, ginger, lemon zest and salt and pulse again until combined. Add the cashews (keeping 2 tbsp aside to coat the balls) and pulse briefly.
3. Using your hands, form small 12g balls. Roll each ball in the extra cashew mixture and store in an airtight container.

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Mini nut and tahini pasties

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Makes: 10–15 pasties

Ingredients:

• 100g chickpea flour
• 60g almonds
• 60g walnuts
• 2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
• 2 tbsp tahini paste
• Pinch of salt
• 4 tbsp cooked rice
• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Pour the flour into a bowl and slowly add water, stirring to make a dough. Work the dough until soft and pliable. Wrap in clingfilm.
2. Roast the nuts on a baking tray in the oven for 5 mins. Remove and cool.
3. In a food processor, pulse the nuts until coarsely chopped. Add the peanut butter, tahini and salt and pulse briefly to combine. Stir in the rice.
4. Break dough into small pieces, shape into flat circles in your hand. Put a teaspoon of nut mixture in the centre of each. Fold over and press to make a pasty.
5. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry the pasties to brown all over.
6. Bake in the oven for 10–15 mins until the pastry is cooked through. Dip into sesame seeds to coat.

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Fig, ginger and brazil nut bites

Prep: 10 mins
Makes: 20cm cake

Ingredients:

• 50g Brazil nuts, roughly chopped
• 150g dried figs, roughly chopped
• 100g 70% dark chocolate
• 5 pieces stem ginger, chopped into small pieces
• 25g unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp stem ginger syrup (from the jar)
• 1 tbsp honey

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease a 20cm cake tin and line with baking parchment.
2. Roast the Brazil nuts on a baking tray in the oven for 5 mins. Remove and leave to cool.
3. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, then add the butter, ginger syrup and honey.
4. When the butter has melted, add the Brazil nuts and figs and stir to combine.
5. Spoon into the cake tin and flatten down.
6. Refrigerate for at least an hour, then cut.

For more recipes, check out our race week recipes to support your taper and carb-loading.