During the early base building phase, when race season is still far off, you can be more flexible with your performance fuels. Rather than eating a gel or bar before training, it's a nice change for the palette to have real food. I love options that can double up as a treat AND a pre-workout snack.
More: Food Is Fuel: How to Look at Eating
This healthy version of banana bread has a delicious chocolate twist that will fuel your training session and hopefully satisfy your sweet tooth so that you don't overindulge on desserts.
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups whole-wheat flour
- 1/2 cup wheat bran
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
- 3 overripe bananas
- 2 egg whites
- 1/2 cup natural, unsweetened applesauce, with no high fructose corn syrup
- 1/5 cup organic canola oil
- 3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Mash together all wet ingredients (bananas, egg whites, applesauce, oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract)
- In a separate bowl, mix together dry ingredients
- Gradually mix dry ingredients into wet mixture
- Pour batter into a loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes
- Let cool and cut loaf into 10 equal slices
Nutrition Breakdown
Per slice: 4g Protein, 36g Carbohydrates, 5g Fat, 8g fiber