We all know that the flapjack is a staple food of the endurance runner, giving a mix of sugar, fats and carbs. I make these regularly and they don’t last long!
Makes 9 to 12 depending on how big you cut them
Ingredients:
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85g/3 oz butter
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2 tablespoons of golden syrup
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50g/2 oz soft brown sugar (or any sugar you have but I think brown sugar gives a nicer flavour)
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175g/6 oz rolled oats
Method:
Preheat oven to 180°C /350°F /Gas Mark 4 / 160°C with a fan oven
Note – if you want a stickier flapjack you can use a cooler oven at 160°C /325°F /Gas Mark 3 / 150°C with a fan oven and bake for 30 minutes, not 25
Line a 7 to 8-inch square tin with grease proof paper...
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Put the butter syrup and sugar in a saucepan and melt over a low heat
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Remove from the heat and stir in the rolled oats
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Spoon into the tin, flatten the top and then I pre-mark where the cuts are going to be before I put it in the oven
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Bake for 25 mins or until evenly golden brown, or as above if you want a stickier flapjack
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Allow to cool for 2 to 3 minutes and then cut into portions whilst the flapjack is still in the tin
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Leave for another 10 minutes and then remove from the tin and leave to cool completely on a wire tray
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When cold, store in an airtight tin… if they last that long!
You can make variations of these by adding the following ingredients with the rolled oats...
Nut flapjack – add 50g/2 oz of chopped nuts, I like walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts
Seed flapjack – add 50g/2 oz of seeds, I like chia seeds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds mixed
Dried fruit - add 50g/2 oz of dried fruit – dried cranberries or sultanas are great
Chocolate - add 50g/ 2 oz of plain grated chocolate – I mean who doesn’t like chocolate!
Energy Balls are good fuel for a runner on the go, but some of the shop bought ones can be a bit too tough to eat.
I love making and eating these ones, they are easy to chew, and the lemon hit is nice and refreshing.
Makes 6 to 8 depending on how big you make them
Ingredients:
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100g dates
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40g raisins
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25g Almonds (blanched whole ones are best, but you can use flaked too)
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15g cashews (unsalted)
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20g dessicated coconut
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grated zest of one unwaxed lemon
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few drops of lemon extract ( if you don't have it don't worry - the lemon zest is flavourful on its own!)
Method:
Place the dates in a food processor and whizz until they are broken up a little and start to resemble a paste like consistency
Add the other ingredients anmnd whizz again until the mixture if combined and the nuts are broken up. It will be quite crumbly when it is ready
Now comes the fun part - take a teaspoonful of the mixture and squeeze it together in your hand to form a ball. Donlt work the mixture too much otherwise the oils will come to the surfeace and give the balls a greasy look. Just work them until the mixture comes together.
I then roll them in pairs in cling flim, and put them in an air tight box.
To be honest they don't last too long!
You can substitute other nuts, or use orange zest if lemons are not your thing!
These brownies are gooey at best - so probably not the best food to take on a run, but if you need some high energy fuel post run, or even pre run - then these are great
Ingredients
300g plain flour
460g light muscovado sugar
160g cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
120g smooth peanut butter (the thinner the butter the better - wholenut versions rather than those made with lots of sugar are best)
220ml water
220ml vegetable oil
2 tbsp vanilla extract (yes it seems a lot but gives a great flavour)
50g dark chocolate
120g raspberry jam
80g raspberries
2 tbsp broken peanuts or cashew nuts
Method:
Preheat oven to 160°C /320°F /Gas Mark 3
Line a 20cm x 30cm cake tin with parchment/greaseproof paper, have quite a overhang of paper, so that you can use it as handles to remove the brownie from the cake tin
You can use a food processor or a large mixing bowl to combine the brownie mixture
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Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder and combine
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Add 30g of the peanut butter to the flour mixture along with the water, oil and vanilla extract and blend until everything is well combined - it will be quite a heavy stiff mixture
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Break the dark chocolate into pieces and add to the mixture
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Spoon the mixture into the cake tin, and then swirl the remaning peanut butter and jam over the top
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Push the raspberries and nuts randomly into the mixture
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Bake for 45 minutes until cooked but still squidgy in the middle. When you remove it from the oven the middle may have a 'wobble' - that's OK!
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Let the brownie cool to room temperature (if you can wait that long)
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Use the overhang of parchment paper to remove the brownie from the tin, and then cut into whatever size portions you want. Small squares from around the outside to take on a run, or larger gooier pieces from the middle to savour with a cup of tea.
An Adult version of the kids favourite Rice Krispie Cakes!
Ingredients
170g unsalted butter
1/4 tsp flaked sea salt
400g marshmallows
200g Rice Krispies
70g Salted Pretzels, with a few extra for decoration
70g Salted Peanuts, with a few extra for decoration
170g milk chocolate roughly chopped (bars with nuts or fruit in are fine too!)
optional - 4 tbsp cocoa nibs
Method:
Line a 20cm x 30cm cake tin with parchment. have quite a overhang of paper, so that you can use it as handles to remove the cake from the tin.
1. Place the Rice Krispies in a heatproof bowl
2. In another bowl combine the Pretzels, Peanuts and chopped Milk Chocolate
3. Place the butter in a saucepan and melt, stirring continuously until it starts to brown
4. Before it burns, add the marshmallows ans sea salt
5. Reduce the heat to low and stir until the Marshmallows have melted and the mixture is smooth and combined
6. At this next stage you need to move quick - so be prepared with the Rice Krispies ready in the bowl, the other dry ingredients close by and have a large wooden spoon!
7. Pour the melted marshmallow mixture into the Rice Krispies and stir to combine quickly, add the other dry ingredients and mix well. The mixture will harden quickly as it cools !
8. Once combined turn the mixture into the cake tin, and press down into an even layer - you can oil your hands to do this so the mixture doesn't stick
9. Press the left over pretzels and peanuts into the top of the mixture and scatter the cocoa nibs if you have them
Leave to set for around 4 hours at room temperature, then lift the mixture out of the tin and cut into bars using a large serrated knife.