Foodie Lass Eat Bike Cook is an absolutely delightful and beautifully presented book. It contains food stories and recipes from female cyclists within the cycling community.
The book highlights 40 easy-to-follow recipes with simple ingredients. The food photography running through the book is stunning and adds a high visual impact to the recipes. (Alan Donaldson photographer) The flexible cover provides the avid cook with the added advantage of the book being able to remain open at your choice of recipe.
Choose from breakfast options to portable lunches, (salads and wraps), health snacks and super sweet treats, as well as robust evening meal recipes. You may wish to try the Apricot Heaven granola bars recipe as a pre-ride snack – does not require a huge list of ingredients and keeps very moist.
Chickpea curry with coconut chutney for a great robust post-ride option. Check out the easy flatbread recipe to serve with this simple curry.
Running through the book are helpful tips on nutrition and emotional advice. This book is not only for professional cyclists but also amateurs – it gives great encouragement to women to get out on their bikes.
The forward is written by pro-cyclist Lizzy Banks with contributions from elite athletes including Tiffany Cromwell, Hannah Barnes and Alison Jackson.
Eat Bike Book – is an amazing book that would make a fantastic gift for a woman cycling friend or a family member.
Well priced at £10.00. Available from www.kitchenpress.co.uk or all the usual book outlets.
APRICOT HEAVEN GRANOLA BARS
These bars don’t require a ton of ingredients and the jam in the centre makes them moist and zingy. You could substitute other types of jam – I’ve used rhubarb and ginger before and they were knock out. Lemon curd would also be excellent.
MAKES 12 BARS
120g pecans
190g plain flour
120g rolled oats
65g caster sugar
85g soft brown sugar
1⁄2 tsp sea salt
1⁄2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
170g butter, melted
250g apricot jam
Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan and line a 20 x 20cm baking tin with greaseproof paper.
Place the pecans, flour, oats, sugars, salt and bicarbonate of soda in a large bowl and mix well, then add the melted butter, stirring everything together until well coated.
Put two thirds of the mixture into the lined baking tin, making sure it’s evenly spread out to the corners. Press the mixture down into the tin. A potato masher can be useful for a job like this, but clean hands are just as good.
Add the apricot jam and spread it all over the base. Now add the rest of the buttery oat and pecan mixture and use the tips of your fingers to spread it evenly across the surface.
Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the top is golden and it smells irresistible (resist though: hot jam is like molten lava).
Allow to cool a little, then cut into 12 bars.
CHICKPEA CURRY WITH COCONUT CHUTNEY
This version of chana masala is super simple and delicious, and because it’s protein-rich and full of complex carbohydrates, it’s a perfect post-cycle meal.
SERVES 4
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tsp ground turmeric
25g fresh ginger, grated
2 medium green serrano chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp garam masala or tikka masala curry paste
1 x 400g tin plum tomatoes, chopped
a small handful of coriander, finely chopped
salt
for the coconut chutney
75g desiccated coconut
30g fresh coriander
1 tsp coriander seeds
zest and juice of 1 lime
1⁄4 teaspoon fine sea salt
In a large heavy-based saucepan, heat the oil and add the onion, stirring occasionally until it softens, about 2–3 minutes. Then add the turmeric, ginger, chillies and garlic, and stir so that everything is covered in the oil and starts to cook.
Now add the chickpeas to the mixture, stirring well to incorporate. Cook for 2–3 minutes, then stir in the garam masala or tikka masala paste, the tomatoes and 200ml water and bring everything to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes until the sauce has thickened a little. Stir in the coriander and taste for seasoning. While the chickpeas are simmering, make the chutney. Put the coconut, coriander, coriander seeds, lime zest and juice, salt and a tablespoon of water in a food processor and blitz until blended. Transfer to a bowl.
Serve with flatbread or pitta, generous spoonfuls of the chutney and a wedge of lime.
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