homemade energy snacks for the ride

[boxerboxer]

My favorite bit of the Lim/Thomas book is the two bite pies. Chicken curry is my favorite flavor.

For rice cakes, my favorite is the rice/sugar/lemon juice, spread half in a pan, sprinkle blueberries and fresh chopped spearmint leaves. Insane. The rice cakes are only really good the first few days - after that they're ok and serve their purpose but they don't taste as good.

The pies are more work, but well worth it.

Baked eggs are by far the easiest and quite good.

[Tom Officer]

Been using these for years, except I skip the chocolate chips (even though I'm a chocoholic)…can't mix bad habits with my good habits. I wrap them in foil and freeze them, just take one out of the freezer when I head out for a long ride. Water only in the bottles, it's the best way.

PezCycling News - What's Cool In Pro Cycling : Pocket Rocket: Home-made Energy Bars

[RIHans]

I bought the Feed Zone Portables cookbook and have been trying the rice cake recipes. The book also contains a substantial section on nutrition for athletes which by itself makes the book valuable.

These things are way better than bars and gels; it's just that there's a learning curve to getting the rice to stick and finding recipes that work for you.

My first problem was getting the rice to stick together even though I used the recommended calrose rice (found in the oriental food section of your supermarket). Any rice suitable for sushi (should say so on the bag) should work, I guess. I just picked up a bag of Nishiki brand medium grain rice with a sushi recipe on the package since I couldn't find more calrose; I hope it'll work.

Tip: Don't make a full batch until you have the "sticky" thing down and you find a recipe you enjoy. That way you won't stare a a ton of rice cakes you don't want to eat or didn't stick together. Make 1/2 a recipe and use an 8x8" brownie pan instead.

After the first batch didn't stick well, (although it tasted good) I tried adding 1/4c. of water. I also added 1Tbsp. of sugar for both flavor and hopefully to add stickiness to the rice. I'm getting closer but still not satisfied. I may try adding a second tablespoon of sugar.

The bacon, egg, and cheese rice cakes are like eating a meal! They are really filling and satisfy, but won't bloat you. The combination of sweet (sugar), salt and fat (bacon), and protein from the eggs is everything I'd crave or need on a long ride. I might consider adding more salt as well. Now I've got this idea for rice cakes with prosciutto and chopped cherries...

My second batch, blueberry and chocolate rice cakes didn't stick well but they were packable enough; I wish the chocolate was at room temperature or softened slightly by the hot rice. Reasonably filling with longlasting energy. The recipe called for coconut milk which didn't do anything for me.

I just made a batch of rice cakes with ground beef spiced with molasses and soy sauce (from the book). Again, the salt/sweet combo in conjunction with the slow digesting meat made for the perfect food. Problem is my rice didn't stick again but I think I was using regular rice from my canister. This was too tasty to toss out so I'm eating it as a plated meal instead.

Another tip: The rice cakes can be frozen. After your ride, pull a rice cake out of the freezer and stick it in the refrigerator to be ready for the next ride; they won't thaw quickly just sitting in your jersey pocket.

Again, buy the correct rice and make 1/2 batches until you get the rice to stick together well and I can't see how you'll be disappointed.

Peter...

I too had a problem getting the rice to be sticky. I did some interweb reading, and there is a TRICK!

First, rinse the rice several times. The water you rinse with should be nearly clear, takes maybe 5 - 6 times. All cloudyness
gone.

Second, cover the rice with water and let it soak for 30 - 60 minutes. Then drain and start the cooking process.
Voila! Sticky rice.

[teleguy57]

Peter...

I too had a problem getting the rice to be sticky. I did some interweb reading, and there is a TRICK!

First, rinse the rice several times. The water you rinse with should be nearly clear, takes maybe 5 - 6 times. All cloudyness
gone.

Second, cover the rice with water and let it soak for 30 - 60 minutes. Then drain and start the cooking process.
Voila! Sticky rice.

Thanks! I too have the Lim/Thomas portables book and have had challenges with rice stickiness. The stuff still tastes amazing....

So I understand correctly, after rinsing and then soaking for 30-60 minutes, you place only the soaked rice with no additional liquid in the rice cooker?

[liv2bike]

I do something similar...but add a little cream cheese and some jelly. Me likes them. I wrap them in foil and pop them in my jersey pocket. They are more for rides over 4 or so hours or when I race an endurance mountain bike event.

I may be branded a heretic for this, but ....

I make sandwiches. Use a dense multigrain bun and slather with butter, cheese (either Gouda or Emmental, whatever is in stock on the top drawer of the fridge) and a spicy meat such as Capicolla, Pancetta or some variety of Turkey (again, what's in the fridge).

I cut the buns in quarters, wrap them in foil and toss them in my pocket.

Possibly not as "compact" as a powerbar, but much tastier. If I want other adds or tastes, easy to stick in the buns.

[jscott]

We're on page 2 and nobody's mentioned Nutella yet? Tighten up!

Start with a fajita-size tortilla. Apply a thin smear of Nutella, fold like a flat burrito and wrap in foil. Insert in jersey pocket and go ride.

I love me some rice cakes, but they're bulky and I don't ride enough to consume a batch by myself before they get soggy. Nutillas are quick and easy to prepare, and I can make only as many as I need for a single ride.

[Jeffrey Borisch]

So I understand correctly, after rinsing and then soaking for 30-60 minutes, you place only the soaked rice with no additional liquid in the rice cooker?

Me wondering too. That does not seem like it'd work if you are making rice in a saucepan. I'd check how "done" it is after the soak and add some hot water and set it on low for 10-15 minutes. Then check it again.

I was going to make Ma Po Tofu tonight. I'll try this presoak thing.

[Peter Polack]

Peter...

I too had a problem getting the rice to be sticky. I did some interweb reading, and there is a TRICK!

First, rinse the rice several times. The water you rinse with should be nearly clear, takes maybe 5 - 6 times. All cloudyness
gone.

Second, cover the rice with water and let it soak for 30 - 60 minutes. Then drain and start the cooking process.
Voila! Sticky rice.

Thanks! I'll try this and report back.

[RIHans]

This should help you guys out. I do this procedure, works every time.
This is not covered in the book I have, The Feed Zone.


Sticky Rice 101

1) Measure out the amount of rice you need. Put it in the pan.
Add water, slosh / swirl it around, the water turns cloudy.
Drain it with a fine mesh strainer. Repeat, repeat again, and
again...several times until the rinse water is clear...mostly
clear. Use your judgment here.

2) Cover the rice with 1/2 inch of water and let it soak for 30 - 60 minutes.
Drain the rice. The rice is now prepped.

3) Start with step 1 of Lim's rice cake recipe.

[RIHans]

Try this quick and easy bar...I subsituted Raisin Bran for the wheat flakes, worked fine and added raisins to the mix.

From EatingWell: September/October 2010
This recipe was inspired by chef Lars Kronmark’s granola wedges from the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. Substitute your favorite fruit, nuts and/or seeds for the sunflower seeds and/or dried cranberries in these granola bars.

8 servings | Active Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup wheat flakes (see Shopping Tip)
1 cup sunflower seeds or chopped nuts
1/2 cup honey
1 cup dried cranberries
Pinch of salt
Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Spread oats, wheat flakes and seeds (or nuts) on a baking sheet. Bake until fragrant and starting to brown, about 10 minutes.
Coat a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray. Cook 1/2 cup honey in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, without stirring, until large foamy bubbles form and it starts to darken at the edges, 2 to 4 minutes. (The bubbles will start out small and increase to about 3/4 inch or larger when the honey’s done.)
Immediately pour the toasted oat mixture into the honey, add cranberries and salt and stir until completely coated. Quickly press the granola into the prepared pie pan using a heat-resistant spatula coated with cooking spray. Let cool for 30 minutes. Cut into wedges and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition

Per serving : 279 Calories; 9 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 2 g Mono; 0 mg Cholesterol; 47 g Carbohydrates; 6 g Protein; 5 g Fiber; 20 mg Sodium; 153 mg Potassium

3 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 2 carbohydrate (other), 2 fat

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Individually wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.
Shopping Tip: Wheat flakes are simply wheat kernels that have been steamed and rolled, oatmeal-style. Look for them in natural-foods stores.

[acorn]

Do a youtube search for:
Team Saxo Tinkoff Rice Cakes by Hannah Grant

Hannah Grant is a professional chef and cooks for pro athletes. This is an awesome video and shows you step-by-step what goes into these delicious rice cakes. Search on youtube. It is fantastic!

[Ignignokt]

Heres how I've been making rice cake things: cook washed sushi rice in a cooker. Put a teaspoon of coconut oil in a pot. Put 2 table spoons of sugar in a pot. Put a table spoon of honey in a pot. Put a tiny bit of salt in a pot. Put a teaspoon of vanilla and teaspoon of molasses in a pot. Put a little smiggle of almond milk or oat milk or pea milk or rutabaga milk or rice milk or whatever milk in a pot. Heat the pot. Mix in the rice. Put the slop in a saran wrapped small dish. put the dish in the fridge. A couple hours later it comes out in a bar that sticks together well and can be sliced into small bars.

That Lim video looked like you had to eat his ones out of a cup with a spoon.

I like gels too. I hate paying 1.50 for 23g of carbs though. Hate seeing those little gel wrappers all over the road too and know I've probably lost some out of my pockets. I went to a brewing supply store and bought a pound of maltodextrin for 2 dollars. I bought a small tub of gatorade powder. I mix a bit of both with some water and stick it in a gel flask. 40g of quick/slow carbs for like 15 cents. Tastes pretty wacky put whatever.

[David Tollefson]

...Put a teaspoon of coconut oil in a pot. Put 2 table spoons of sugar in a pot. Put a table spoon of honey in a pot. Put a tiny bit of salt in a pot. Put a teaspoon of vanilla and teaspoon of molasses in a pot. Put a little smiggle of almond milk or oat milk or pea milk or rutabaga milk or rice milk or whatever milk in a pot. ...

I don't have that many pots...

[s_curran]

Thanks for all the awesome stuff on here, I'm going to try quite a few of these I think.

Do a youtube search for:
Team Saxo Tinkoff Rice Cakes by Hannah Grant

Hannah Grant is a professional chef and cooks for pro athletes. This is an awesome video and shows you step-by-step what goes into these delicious rice cakes. Search on youtube. It is fantastic!

This one looks pretty good.