Energy Bars

2011 was pretty horrible for me as far as running goes; with grad school it's easy for things to get in the way, and I was running inconsistently with low mileage. Over the past month or so after recovering from a fall, I've turned over a new leaf, working my way up gradually from a mere 12 miles a week (3 miles/4 days) to some serious mileage, with the hopes of being able to get back to running fast 5Ks again. I'm part of the way there (I'm up to 25-30 miles/week), and I'm starting my first speed workout today with the local running club - the first time I've done that in a good while! With an increase in training intensity, of course, also comes an increase in the need for fuel. For women who are serious competitive endurance athletes, proper fuel is especially important.

One of my favorite books on running is John Parker Jr.'s Once a Runner. However, at one point, as the protagonist digs into a huge pile of greasy food, he proclaims, "if the furnace is hot enough, anything will burn." While it is true that competitive runners can get away with consuming inordinate amounts of food (and I most certainly take advantage on occasion), not all calories are created equal, and putting the right kind of fuel in your body can make a big difference in your ability to train and compete at a high level. You can't drive a car with an empty tank, and neither can you run without any fuel. Also, a number of studies have shown that the first 30 min after a workout are the most important for refueling, and doing it the right way can speed recovery and help complement the effects of your training to make you stronger and faster. Of course, most of us are not likely to be able to whip up a meal within 30 min of working out (even assuming you have the energy after a tough workout!), so it's important to have something that's easily accessible, portable, and readily digestible. Energy bars perfectly fit this bill.

Energy bars come in all shapes, sizes and flavors, and most grocery stores have a daunting variety. However, many of them are loaded with refined sugars and processed ingredients that are difficult for non-chemists to pronounce or are prohibitively expensive for most of us. Luckily, making energy bars at home is super easy, quick, cheap, and healthier than you're likely to find in the store. The recipe that I use is adapted from this one, which I found in Running Times (click for a good explanation of why they're good for you). The recipe specifies these as a pre-run snack, but they're great both before a run and after. The other nice thing about these is that you can whip up a large batch and throw a bunch in the freezer, so that you can keep them fresh for when you need them - just take them out an hour or two before you want to fuel up. When stored in an airtight container, these will last at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Note: These bars are all-natural, but they do have a fair amount of sweetener in the form of honey (if you want them vegan, you can probably switch out the honey 1 for 1 with agave nectar). This is great for runners who are looking for a quick energy boost going into a run, but if you're looking for a healthy, high protein snack to just get you through your day and/or can't consume very much non-fruit sugar, I'd give these bars a try instead. They're also delicious - they just need to be stored in a fridge or freezer, since they go bad sooner (a couple notes: I used soy protein powder, since hemp protein's a bit out of my price range, and you can leave out the maple syrup entirely - the bananas provide plenty of sweetness).

Ingredients

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped (or raisins or chopped dates)

3/4 cup raw sliced almonds

1/2 cup unsalted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

1/2 cup unsalted sunflower seeds

1/4 cup sesame seeds

2 Tbsp chia seeds

1 1/2 cups tahini (or natural peanut butter)

1 cup REAL clover honey*

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Mix together oats, coconut, dried fruit, almonds, pepitas, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and chia seeds in a large mixing bowl.

2. Stir together tahini, honey, and vanilla and microwave on high for 1 minute.

3. Pout wet ingredients over dry and mix well.

4. Spread mixture onto a greased baking sheet and smooth out the top.

5. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for ~15 min, until edges have browned.

6. Allow to cool, then cut into 16 bars.

7. Enjoy, then get running!


*I mean, seriously, use real honey, it makes all the difference in the world nutritionally and flavor-wise. Honey with the pollen in it, not the processed, questionable "honey" in the teddy bear jars. Find your local apiary or farmer's market and load up (our local apiary here sells a large jar for $15). It's one thing even a frugal Dutch person like myself will not skimp on.