How To Make Homemade Energy Bars For Cycling

If you find energy bars expensive or flavorless, then knowing how to make homemade energy bars for cycling is a great alternative. Not only do you know exactly what is in it, you can tailor the bar to your body’s needs. This particular energy bar recipe was obtained from a chocoholic cyclist who is in excellent shape because she is a bicycle messenger. If you are calorie conscious, you can omit the chocolate peanut butter coating.

To make homemade energy bars for cycling, you will need:

• One cup of oats
• Half cup of white sesame seeds – you can find them in the Asian section of your store
• One cup of raisins
• One cup of dried apricots
• One cup of dried pineapple
• One cup of chopped almonds
• One cup of shredded, unsweetened coconut
• Half cup of toasted wheat germ
• Half cup of nonfat milk
• Two tsp. butter
• Half cup of corn syrup
• Half cup of honey
• Half cup of sugar
• One and one quarter cup of peanut butter

Chocolate coating:

• Package of chocolate chips
• Half a stick of butter
• Half cup of peanut butter
• A big pot and a smaller pot that can fit inside

1. Toast. You do not have to bake these homemade energy bars for cycling but you will need to cook a few items. Put the oats in a large baking pan and toast them in the oven at 350 degrees. You have to shake the pan to brown them all over. In a frying pan, toast your sesame seeds until they are golden brown.
2. Mix. In a large bowl, combine the raisins, apricots, pineapple, almonds, wheat germ and milk powder. When the oats and sesame seeds are toasty brown, add those in and mix well. Put the butter in the hot baking pan and spread it around.
3. Boil. Simmer the corn syrup, honey and sugar together over medium heat. When the mixture begins to simmer, stir in the peanut butter. After everything is melted, add this to your bowl of dry ingredients and stir.
4. Press. Workings quickly, press the sticky mess into the baking pan and spread it out evenly. Let it cool down, cover with wax paper and place it in your refrigerator for at least three hours or until it is hard.
5. Melting. We are going to boil water in one pot so we can gently melt the chocolate and peanut butter together in the other pot. Fill the big pot one quarter full with water. Boil the water over medium heat. Put the butter, peanut butter and chocolate in the small pot and place this in the boiling pot. Stir until smooth.
6. Coating. Cut your cooled sheet of energy bars into whatever size suits your purpose. Use tongs or chopsticks and dip them in the chocolate. Let these cool on a rack and then put them in the refrigerator until hard.

Warning: This is a very messy recipe but the result is worth it.

Tips: When the energy bars are hard, wrap them individually in either plastic wrap or foil.

• These travel best frozen and should be eaten before they heat up too much.