Recipe for a Healthy Treat

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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

More: Healthy Trail Mix for Endurance Athletes