Feed Zone Portables: Banana Waffles

When Dr. Allen Lim left the lab to work with pro cyclists, he found athletes weary of processed bars and gels and the same old pasta. So Lim joined professional chef Biju Thomas to make eating delicious and practical. When the menu changed, no one could argue with the race results. Their groundbreaking Feed Zone Cookbook brought the favorite recipes of the pros to everyday athletes.

In their cookbook Feed Zone Portables, Chef Biju and Dr. Lim offer 75 all-new portable food recipes for cyclists, runners, triathletes, mountain bikers, climbers, hikers, and backpackers.

While preparing the Feed Zone approach for his athletes, Dr. Lim discovered an important clue about why so many pro cyclists have been abandoning highly processed nutrition products. Pro athletes have been leaving these products at home because of bloating and digestive distress that often occurs when highly concentrated carb solutions enter the gut. These unnatural concentrations can temporarily dehydrate athletes and cause negative side effects. Real foods, with much higher water content and natural sugar concentrations, digest more easily, more quickly, and with less likelihood of dehydration, bloating, and GI distress.

Feed Zone Portables features real food recipes that are simple, delicious during exercise, easy to make, and ready to go.

Here is a sample recipe from Portables to try on your next ride or run.

RELATED RECIPE: Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Banana Waffles

Servings: 8
Time: 20 minutes

1 cup coarse gluten-free bread crumbs
½ cup white rice flour
¼ cup ground almonds
pinch of ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup almond milk
1 large ripe banana

Heat the waffle iron.

Place the dry ingredients in a food processor and pulse quickly to combine.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the eggs and almond milk and stir briskly. Pour this into the food processor, add the banana, and pulse. Batter should be smooth and somewhat dense.

Pour enough batter into each waffle form to nearly fill all the squares (the batter will expand when pressed). Cook until the outside of the waffle feels crisp. Repeat, using the remaining batter.

Makes 4 large waffles. Cut each waffle into quarters and top with your favorite spread(s) to make 8 mini waffle sandwiches. Let cool before wrapping.

In a recipe like this one, Gluten-free bread shortcuts some of the extra flours and makes for a unique texture. The water content of bread is somewhat lower than other carbs, though 43 percent is still well above pre-packaged foods.

Per Serving: Energy 112 cal, Fat 3 g, Sodium 60 mg, Carbs 17 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 4 g, Water 43%

Reprinted from the new cookbook Feed Zone Portables with permission of VeloPress. Find Feed Zone Portables in your local bookstore or bike shop and online. Learn more at feedzonecookbook.com.