In an effort to supply my active body with enough carbohydrates to get through my long bike rides, I have taken to making muffins. Banana muffins, apple-fig muffins, zucchini, carrot, date muffins -- I am looking for more ideas, so if you have any favorites, please let me know. As soon as I buy poppyseeds I'm going to make lemon poppyseed muffins, just for the sake of rounding out my repertoire with that classic flavor.My recipes are simple, straight out of The Joy of Cooking. My muffin tin only makes 12 at a time, so it's a dozen, every time. If we have another fifteen minutes before the fish will be ready for dinner, I'll whip up a batch of muffins and pop them in the oven as soon as the fish comes out. We'll eat a few for dessert, I'll save some for breakfast the next day, and the rest of the batch goes into the freezer.
I eat muffins on my bike rides because there are only so many sports bars that I can eat before I say "enough is enough" to the sugary, sticky messes. A part of me has a dreadful suspicion of the "sports supplement" industry, despite knowing plenty of people who rely on PowerBars, Clif Bars, Hammer Bars and the like to get them through their activity of choice (myself included). My suspicion comes from the fact that I usually don't have a clue what the ingredients actually are that make up these odd concoctions. A case in point: PowerBar's first ingredient is "C2 MAX CARBOHYDRATE BLEND (ORGANIC EVAPORATED CANE JUICE SYRUP, MALTODEXTRIN, FRUCTOSE, DEXTROSE)." Thank goodness they clarify what C2 Max Carbohydrate Blend is, otherwise I wouldn't know that they're just talking about sugars, of which I'm not so fond, anyway. (Or, I should say, I know that I can be all too fond of sugar, and I need to be careful about consuming too much!)
I like my homegrown energy solutions. I call them "ride-a-muffins." When cut into quarters and stored in a plastic bag in the back of my bike jersey, they make a perfect snack 20 miles out.
What do you like to eat before/during/after exercise? What keeps you moving, literally and physically?
4 comments:
I have to say that I'm not a big fan of the "bars", partly because I don't feel like I've really eaten anything, nothing that truly satisfies my hunger and my need to crunch and chew and taste. So, I try to avoid them as much as possible. They are good for long hikes and back-packing, and a quick burst if I'm famished (then I'll eat half of a bar). But I don't like them as a meal supplement, or as part of a meal.
I love the idea of "ride-a-muffins". I'm always a sucker for the berry variety.
I can't say that my wokouts are very intense these days, but I do like fruit and maybe some cheese and crackers. For me, that's the ideal snack.
Hi, Kristina:
I read your post about string cheese. I agree that "real" cheese is better, but sometimes I like string cheese for a snack when it's the only thing that the deli has and I'm out and about. On Sunday I had two sticks of string cheese and a banana halfway through a ride, and that made a great snack.
Ai Lu,
I'm not adverse to string cheese forever, it was just that I over-used it, I think.
I must admit that I do take string cheese when backpacking. It manages to hold up quite well! And I like having the dairy addition, I must admit.
Ahhh, yay, I can comment now! I was trying to comment yesterday, but Internet Explorer kept freezing up when I clicked on the comment link...
I LOVE muffins! Hmmmm. I haven't had one in a long time, but there shall come a time again soon when I can enjoy them - and my body, too. :)
My favorite used to be almond-poppy seed. Yummy!! I used to get them from my favorite German bakery in town that I worked at many summers ago. (Back then, I'd get them for free every day! I'd eat them for breakfast, and for dessert after dinner with my favorite Earl Grey tea. :) My body still handled gluten fairly well then.)
I also love zucchini muffins. I think I told you ages ago that I'd translate the German recipe I have for you. At this point, alas, I have no idea where that recipe book is... packed away somewhere in a box with all my other things that are being kept in my friend's garage while I am living in my cute little studio. I tried finding it online, but couldn't. One day, though, I will translate it for you and send it to you! Or, better yet, maybe I'll have a chance to make them for you one day, and we can enjoy them together?! :)
hugs to you and much love! Enjoy your summer!
~ej
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