Athletic people like us need more energy than Joe Soap on the couch so Amy Burton has penned an energy cookie recipe which is sure to fuel your next adventure.
Energy is something we all need it to survive. Walking, eating, talking, running, jumping and even sleeping requires energy. How do we obtain this energy? Well food of course, and more specifically complex carbohydrates, lean protein, nutrients, vitamins and healthy fats, which help supply and build up our glycogen stores, which are then converted to energy when needed.
I am sure it makes sense to everyone that athletes or athletically inclined people would require more than the usual amount of energy in order to complete the physical load that they put their bodies through on a daily or weekly basis. It makes even more sense that as active people we sometimes do not actually get enough calories in to substantiate the energy or calories we have burnt or lost during our regular exercise. Most people will stick to the three meals a day story without realizing (until they step on the scale) that they are actually placing themselves in the calorie deficient zone and thereby jeopardizing their physical performance.
As a small person I am very familiar with the above concept and I have first-hand experience of how not getting enough calories in can eventually lead to that terrible blowing/bonking/hitting a wall (etc.) feeling during an endurance event.
When this occurs, it basically means that our glycogen stores are depleted and if you are a lean person with minimal fat, then your body literally has nothing to stoke the fire with. You will struggle and suffer until the end of the race or training session. If you can finish that is!
So how do we increase our reserves and avoid hitting the wall? Eat properly and regularly and make sure to increase your daily calorie intake according to the amount of exercise you are undertaking. Snack regularly on nutrient dense foods and add healthy fats where possible.
Some ideas for these kind of snacks would be: almonds and cashews eaten with some goji berries, dried cranberries or dates; plain Greek yogurt topped with bananas, almond/peanut butter, honey and seeds; a superfood smoothie; a raw bliss ball or brownie; or an egg, or two, topped with avo, cream cheese and baby tomatoes.
So our recipe this month is also one of these nutrient dense snacks and it comes in the form of an energy cookie, packed with complex carbs, protein, healthy fats, superfoods and healthy sugars.
Healthy Choc chip energy cookies
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups oat flour (Blend your rolled oats in a food processor/Nutri bullet until fine)
1/3 cup coconut flour
75g butter or coconut oil at room temperature
1 medium sized egg
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup cacao nibs/dark chocolate chips/cranberries/goji berries
1 teaspoon maca
1 teaspoon chia seeds
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup honey
Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Cream your butter, honey and egg together until well combined. In another bowl add your oat flour, coconut flour, baking powder, maca, chia and salt and gently mix to combine. Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and stir until well incorporated. You should now have nice firmish dough, which is not too sticky, if it is too sticky then add a bit more oat flour.
Next add your cacao nibs or choc chips and stir again until combined. Let mixture sit for one minute or so to firm up slightly. Now roll the mixture into balls according to your own size preference and then place them on a tray lined with baking paper. If the mixture is a bit sticky you can wet your hands before rolling the balls. Dip a fork in some water and then use it to press the cookies down.
Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until they have risen slightly and are a golden colour. Enjoy with an afternoon cuppa between meals, or as an energy snack before or during exercise.
