ORANGE AND VANILLA GRANOLA
In these cold and probably wet mornings it’s all we can do to persuade ourselves to get out of bed, let alone ride our bikes. Thankfully we have Lucy Pemberton-Platt on hand to help us with tasty and nutritious recipes. This week she’s devised a granola that should have you setting the alarm half an hour earlier in the anticipation of a delicious feed.
We’ll let Lucy take it from here -
Whether cycling is a hobby for you or a competitive sport, food will help you achieve more on your rides and improve your fitness (in addition to consistent training and realistic pacing). The good news is, eating consciously to support your health and fitness goals can also taste amazing; making your lifestyle much more enjoyable and easy to sustain.
Carbohydrates are the main fuel for exercise and once consumed are stored in your muscles and liver as glycogen. However the concept of 'carb loading' is now considered out dated; not because your body doesn’t need carbohydrates for energy but because we can only store a relatively small amount at any one time. As a result keeping our level of carbohydrates topped up as opposed to consuming a large amount at once, is more beneficial.
It is important that you are aware of how your body responds to particular foods as we are all very different and one size definitely doesn’t fit all. However, generally consuming high amounts of fibre before a ride isn’t recommended. This is because fibrous foods such as figs, flax seeds and dates can leave you feeling uncomfortable or bloated. In general, before a long ride meals should be high in lower GI carbohydrates (wholemeal bread, oats) and moderate in fibre, proteins and fats (dried fruit, nuts, seeds & peanut butter). As a guide most recreational riders who train with relatively high intensity need around 5-8g of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight on a daily basis. This is where the recipe comes in - Orange and Vanilla Granola.
Within this recipe the ratio of oats to nuts and seeds is balanced but you can reduce the almonds and pumpkin seeds if you wish. The ingredients are then combined with the Christmas combination of orange, vanilla and cinnamon making this a definite option for breakfast over the winter season. As you know it can take a lot of time to clean your bike, plan your route and select the right kit, so a breakfast that is quick and easy to prepare gives you one less thing to worry about. Having a portion of around 30g for breakfast is recommended and you can store small amounts in sandwich bags and consume it while you’re riding. This recipe should give you enough Granola to last at least a week and it should be stored in an air tight container for no longer than three months.
I’ll often have this breakfast with coconut yoghurt or almond milk.
Enjoy!
Ingredients -
Dry Ingredients
400g rolled oats
1 cup/140g of almonds (roughly chopped)
1 cup/80g of flaked almonds
1 heaped tsp of cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
1 cup/160g of maple syrup
3/4 cup/90g of coconut oil (not melted)
2 tsp vanilla essence or vanilla bean paste
1/4 cup of orange juice (juice from two oranges)
Dried fruit
1 cup/150g of raisins/sultanas
1/2 cup/30g of desiccated coconut
Method -
1. Pre heat the oven to 150C (fan oven) and 180C (gas/electric oven).
2. Heat the coconut oil and maple syrup in a pan over a low heat until melted. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cinnamon, vanilla essence and juice from oranges. Stir well and set aside.
3. Roughly chop the almonds (if not bought this way) and mix all of the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl (excluding raisins and desiccated coconut). Pour over the melted coconut oil and maple syrup - at first it may seem as if you don’t have enough liquid to cover the granola but you will once it is mixed well.
4. Spread the mixture evenly on a baking tray and bake for 30-40minutes until golden brown. It is important that you stir the mixture every 5-10 minutes so the granola is cooked evenly.
5. Once baked, remove the tray from the oven and allow to cool. When the granola has reached room temperature you can mix in the sultanas and desiccated coconut. I often have this granola with coconut yoghurt or almond milk.