When training on the bike bars and gels are convenient food but they can contain high levels of fructose which can upset stomachs – real foods such as bananas, raisins, fig rolls, sandwiches and my personal favorite homemade granola are just as good. Super tasty with the oats helping to regulate the sugar release of mostly slower burning sugars.  Pop in a small food-bag shove in your jersey and eat out on the bike.  You can mix and match the nuts and dried fruits below to your own ideal.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 80g clear honey
• 80g butter
• 40g  apricot spread or marmalade
• 40g golden syrup
• 150g jumbo rolled oats
• 80g brown/demerara sugar
• 1 lemon
• 1/2 tbsp natural vanilla extract
• 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• pinch of sea salt
• 30g pumpkin seeds
• 30g sunflower seeds
• 30g linseeds
• 30g whole almonds
• 30g blanched hazelnuts
• 30g walnut pieces
• 40g dried apricots
• 40g raisins or sultanas

(makes 1kg ish)

Methodolgy

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C. Now line a baking tray with grease-proof baking paper and thinly smear butter on the inside of it.
2. In a large saucepan melt the butter, honey, sugar, golden syrup and marmalade together on a medium heat, stirring until dissolved. Now bring it to the boil and cook for two minutes so that the sugar caramelises, making it a super sticky sauce.
3. Throw in the jumbo oats and mix. Now pour in everything else and thoroughly mix.  Transfer into your baking tray and flatten down with a spatula. Pop the tray in the oven on the middle or lower shelf.
4. Cook for 12 minutes until browning off until set. Leave to cool on a rack, then slice into wedges perfect rectangles – pizza slice works well.  Store in a lunchbox in a cool dry place.  Pop into a small sandwich or food bag for eating on the bike.