A Bakin’ Bikers Book of Favorites

To Help You Save Time, Cook Better and Ride More

I’m constantly on a quest to become a better cyclist, cook and coach. My inspiration for growth in these areas has largely been inspired by the books I have in the house. The more knowledge you fill your brain with on nutrition and cooking, the more you can apply it in the kitchen with joy and ease. Below are my favorite cookbooks that have helped lead me down the pathway to living a healthy, productive, and active lifestyle.

Purely Elizabeth

The first “real” cookbook I ever laid my hands on was Eating Purely. In this book, Author Elizabeth Stein, founder of Purely Elizabeth, helped re-shape my pantry, introduced me to new ingredients, taught me the importance of eating whole, real foods and brought all these concepts to life through 100+ delicious and wholesome homemade recipes.

The Feed Zone Cookbook Collection

In this collection of cookbooks, Chef Biju Thomas and Dr. Allen Lim, founder of Skratch Labs, provide a guide to preparing good food that will change the way you eat. The recipes included in these books are the perfect balance of science and practice using refreshingly simple ingredients that measure up to the demands of training, racing and life.

Get your books here: The Feedzone Cookbook, Feedzone Portables, Feed Zone Table

Salt. Fat. Acid. Heat.

If you’re looking for a simple, fun and engaging way to improve and impress with your cooking skills, this is the book for you. I picked up a copy of Salt. Fat. Acid. Heat. after watching the Netflix T.V. series and being inspired to take my cooking skills to the next level. In this book, author Samin Nosrat explains the hows and whys of good cooking by mastering the use of four simple elements: salt, fat acid and heat.

Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow. and Rise and Run

Two more personal favorites of mine are the Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow. and Rise and Run, recipe books for hangry athletes by Olympian runner Shalane Flanagan and chef Elyse Kopeck. As a busy athlete and cyclist, I don’t always have the time to prepare gourmet meals and snacks. Instead, I need something simple that can be made quickly while providing the nutrients to perform on and off the bike. That’s where these cookbooks and active lifestyle guides come in handy.

Peak Performance

Peak Performance was recommended to me by my friend, coach, and mentor, Bruce, at the National Center For Youth Development, while I was in the early stages of my endurance cycling career. The main message I learned in this book is that stress + rest = growth. A simple model that anyone can use to consistently improve and develop themselves over time whether in sports or life.

Coaching Better Every Season

Whether you are new to coaching or a ten-year vet, I highly recommend picking up Coaching Better Every Season. As a coach, it is imperative I get better every year to better serve and maximize the development of the athletes I coach. You can pick this book up at any of the year and learn proven coaching methods and practices for preseason, in-season, post-season, and off-season.

The Complete Guide to Sports Nutrition

I used the Complete Guide to Sports Nutrition to help plan my nutrition intake for the Breck Epic: A 6-day MTB Stage race in Breckenridge, CO. This book includes handy resources to help calculate your optimal calorie, carbohydrate and protein requirements along with sample meal plans and recipes depending on your needs. The best part about reading this book is I’ve gained practical sports nutrition knowledge that I can share with others from the young athletes I mountain bike coach to the rest of the Biked Goods community I serve.

Stocking your pantry is a foundational practice for saving time and finding success in the kitchen as a Bakin’ Biker. An organized pantry setup is more important than many realize, as it is the key to health and wellness for you and the entire family. Below are some of my favorite pantry essentials you can use to pull off a recipe, even if your fridge starts to look bare.

Coconut Sugar

Coconut sugar is my go-to sweetener for any sort of baked good recipe that calls for sugar. It measures lows on the glycemic index, is nutrient-rich and has also been named the world's most sustainable sweetener. Madhava’s ongoing commitment to sourcing coconut sugar directly from local organic and non-GMO farmers has made them one of the purest and most awarded food companies. You can use coconut sugar as a 1:1 alternative to regular sugar in most baked goods.

Favorite brand: Madhava Coconut Sugar

Calrose or SushiRice

Calrose or sushi rice is quick to cook and has a high glycemic index, which makes it good for a pre-race meal, on-the-bike snack, or post-ride recovery snack/meal. I often use rice for making homemade rice cakes, smoothies or egg dishes with veggies and greens. I believe rice is one of the most simple and effective ingredients you can have in your pantry to help fuel your performance, especially during peak season.

Favorite brand: Nishiki Rice brand.

Medjool Dates

I call dates nature’s candy. Their sweet, soft and caramel-like texture makes them good for soooooo many reasons. I use dates as a base for homemade energy bars and like to add them to cakes, muffins and cookies for cycling snacks. Dates are also easily digestible and an exceptional source of carbohydrates, minerals, and nutrients. I always order my dates online from Rancho Meladuco. Coined as the World’s Best Dates by Bon Appetit, I would 101% have to agree.

Favorite Brand: Rancho Meladuco Medjool Dates

Oats

I eat A LOT of oats. They are the #1 item in my pantry, and rightfully so. Oats are high in fiber, vitamins, antioxidants and minerals. They help keep you full for longer, can help with digestion and balancing blood sugar and contain complex carbohydrates for a steady source of riding fuel. I use rolled oats and oat flour most frequently for baking while opting for steel-cut oats or groat oats for making hearty oatmeal or porridge. If you don’t know where to start with stocking your pantry, start here with the humble oat.

Favorite brand: One Degree Organics Rolled Oats and Steel Cut-Oats.

Muesli

Muesli is a mixture of raw oats, nuts, dried fruits, and sometimes other grains or spices. It’s typically served raw without any processing, added sugars or baking, so you could say that muesli is sort of like the natural form of granola. My goal as an endurance athlete is to fuel my body to keep it satisfied and energized. The macronutrient makeup of muesli -  quality carbs, protein, fats and fiber - help with just that. In my mind, this makes muesli one of the most complete foods you can eat as a cyclist or athlete.  When I’m not making my own homemade muesli, I’m buying Seven Sundays Muesli made in Minneapolis, MN.

Favorite brand: Seven Sundays Muesli

A variety of flours

You can’t be a Bakin’ Biker without flour in your pantry! Using different flours provides different tastes, textures, and nutrients depending on the recipe. You’ll find oat, almond, brown rice, buckwheat, millet, gluten-free blends and all-purpose flour stocked in my pantry. I often bake gluten-free goods for my wife who has a gluten intolerance, but when I get the opportunity, I’ll sneak in gluten-filled flours to bake a special treat just for myself (just don’t let her know I do this).

Favorite Brands: Pamela’s Pancake and Baking Mix, Bob’s Red Mill

Tahini

If you haven’t heard of tahini before, I’m glad you have now. Tahini is a seed butter made from roasted and ground hulled sesame seeds. It has a mild, nutty flavor and is full of calcium, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats. Plus, it’s a great source of plant-based protein! I absolutely recommend Soom Foods Tahini. It’s creamy and smooth which makes it easy to bake and cook with while also enriching the taste of your recipes. Tahini also makes a great ingredient in a savory or sweet spread or salad dressing.

Favorite Brand: Soom Foods Organic Tahini

Pure Maple Syrup

To me, maple syrup is nature’s finest sweetener. Being a midwesterner, I’m partial to maple syrup produced in Wisconsin. When looking to add maple syrup to your pantry, go for 100% pure maple syrup. That’s exactly what you’ll find in Maple Valley Cooperative’s Grade A Dark and Robust Syrup. PURE Gold. 

Favorite Brand: Maple Valley Cooperative’s Grade A Dark and Robust Syrup

Colorado Hive Honey

“Sugar Oh, honey, honey. You are my natural sweetener girl. And you got me wanting you.” See what I did there? Honey is a natural sweetener I always have stocked in my pantry. Honey-powered baked goods release energy instantly and delay muscle fatigue by providing fuel that lasts. The combination of fructose and glucose naturally present in honey along with its water and electrolyte contents make it the perfect fuel for carb-hungry muscles before and during rides. I suggest finding a local provider in your area to source your honey from.

Nutiva Coconut Oil

Virgin coconut oil is the primary fat I use most often in baked goods. It can be used as a 1:1 replacement for butter in baked goods. (I’m not saying you need to cut butter out of your baked goods, though! ) Coconut oil contains lauric acid, a medium-chain fatty acid also found in human breast milk. These medium-chain fatty acids help support a healthy metabolism and when ingested, get used as energy rather than stored as fat in the body. Something we cyclists pay attention to quite often. Nutiva makes an all-natural, light-tasting, and nutrient-rich oil that you can find in most natural grocery stores or online.

Favorite Brand: Nutiva Organic Cold-Pressed Virgin Coconut Oil

Chocolate!

Having good quality cacao and cocoa products in your pantry is a MUST! Chocolate makes everything better, and you shouldn’t be afraid to include it in your recipes. I have my pantry filled with dark chocolate bars (70% or higher) unsweetened cocoa powder, cacao nibs and chocolate chips. 

Favorite Brands: Navitas Organics Raw Cacao Nibs, Theo Chocolate Pure Organic Dark Chocolate Bar, Navitas Certified Organic Cacao Powder

It’s worth investing in quality kitchen tools and appliances as it will save you time and motivate you to bake more. These are a handful of my favorites I recommend having on hand to help fuel your performance in the kitchen.

Cuisinart Mixing Bowls

This set of mixing bowls from Cuisinart is so clutch to have in the kitchen. So clutch, that I have TWO sets! They come in three different sizes, plus include covers for easy storage in the fridge. I most often find myself using the large bowl for mixing energy bars, cookies or muffin ingredients together. The medium and smaller-sized bowls are best for prepping a bowl of Bircher muesli, storing pancake batters or making a bowl of chia seed pudding.

USA Pan Baking Sheets, Pans and Tins

I’ve been loving USA Pan for baking mini-bites-sized portable snacks like muffins. muesli bites, energy bars and cakes. They make an incredibly quality product at an affordable price. I have a 24-well mini muffin pan, 12-well muffin pan, half sheet pan, and 20-well bar pan all stored in my cupboard. Their products feature Americoat which promotes the quick release of baked goods, (no spraying or lining required) plus fast and easy cleanup. Tried and true!

High-Speed Blender and Food Processor

I use both a high-speed blender and a food processor to help with blending, mixing, and chopping different foods. A high-speed blender works best when your recipes contain more liquid. The food processor is better for chopping, pulsing and grinding dry ingredients like nuts, grains, seeds and other foods that are mainly solid. 

I’m partial to the Vitamix brand for these appliances. Even though it’s an investment upfront, the quality and reliability of these appliances are 100% worth it and will save you a ton of time in the kitchen. Also, when you purchase the base motor for the Vitamix blender, you can buy the food processor as an attachment, which helps save a little space in your kitchen. 

A Good Quality Knife

If you like doing things the old-fashion way, having a good quality Chef’s knife or Santoku knife can help you with chopping, slicing and dicing foods. Both a Chef’s knife and Santoku knife are considered all-purpose knives and if there’s one I recommend you have in your kitchen, it’s one of these from Wusthof. It’s a little of an investment up front, but dull/non-quality knives end up causing most accidents in the kitchen. So it’s better to invest in one right away versus making a trip to the ER and paying for the price later.

Waffle Maker

Having a waffle maker on-hand is just pure fun. For me, having waffles in the morning gives me the nostalgic feeling of growing up and eating frozen, store-bought waffles. But now instead, I’m making my own batters to feed my waffle maker. Waffles also make great ride sandwiches. You don’t need anything fancy when it comes to your waffle maker, the $30 Cuisinart Classic Waffle Maker

Once you start whipping up baked goods in the kitchen, you need optimal ways to store, protect and transport them while still being easy to open and eat when you’re on the go. These food wraps and storage products are essentials in my household, and you’ll find me using them almost every day.

Stasher Reusable Food Storage Bags

There is nothing more convenient than having a variety of Stasher Bags on hand to help pack, store and organize your goodies in the fridge or for a bike trip. I literally use these for EVERYTHING. Bread. Leftovers. Trail Mix. Ride Snacks. Tiny bike parts. Fruit and veggies. You name it and the stasher can… well…stash it!

Skratch Paper 2.0 or Oil Slick Wrap

Skratch Paper 2.0 is a parchment-lined aluminum foil that includes a food-safe silicone to make it completely waterproof and oven safe. It has the strength of parchment paper and the shape-holding qualities of aluminum foil. It’s perfect for wrapping and protecting your Biked Goods while still being easy to open and eat. Another option you can buy online is SLICK Wrap, which is basically the same thing as Skratch Paper without the branding and individually cut sheets. I always wrap my energy bars immediately after cutting them, to make it convenient to grab-n-go throughout the week,

WeeSprout and Energy Flask

WeeSprout reusable baby food pouches and Energy Flask are ingenious ways to store and transport your fuel. I’ve used these pouches to pour in my favorite homemade energy gel, squeeze or smoothies. From there, I store them in the fridge or freezer. When it's time to ride, I grab one and throw it in my back jersey pocket for easy eating on the bike.

I LOVE TO BAKE, EAT and BIKE. ALOT! When I do, I l test, document and share these with the Biked Goods community so they can use them for their own cycling endeavors. Here are a few of my personal favorite recipes along with some favorites from happy Biked Goods taste testers.

• Biked Goods Mini Muesli Bites

• The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever!

• Sunrize Zucchini Muffins

• A Biker’s Classic Bircher Muesli

• Bike Crispy Bar(S)

• Date Turtles with Tahini Maple and Chocolate Drizzle

• Baked Banana Date Energy Bites

• Mini Sourdough Popover Sandwiches

Looking for Even MORE recipes?

Whenever I head out on an adventure, whether it’s right from my house or on a travel trip, there are a few essentials I always bring with me. From travel-friendly food storage gear and products, these essentials help me run a well-oiled trip so that I can focus on what I’m really out there to do. And that’s riding my bike. 🤙

Reliance Aqua Tainer 7 Gallon Water Tank

With seven gallons of storage, the Reliance Aqua-Tainer has enough capacity to provide drinking, cooking, and cleaning water for two people over a long weekend. At just $20, this is an essential camp item to help make sure you’re well-hydrated at all times.

Yeti Cooler 45

Yeti coolers are as reliable and indestructible as advertised. Add a bag of ice and your cooler will stay cold for 2-4 days. But it has the ability to stay cold and keep ice for 7-10+ days given enough ice and the right conditions. I have a Yeti 45, which is just the right size for two people over a long weekend trip

Revelate Designs Top Tube Bag

The Revelate Designs Top Tube Bag is my go-to food storage option for long endurance races and rides. The magnetic buckle strap makes it easy to open and close without worrying about trying to re-strap it while you’re riding. Fits about 4-6 wrapped bars depending on the size.

Evoc Hip Pouch 1L

The Evoc Hip Pouch is perfect for storing 1-2 wrapped bars during a 2-3 hour ride. It’s just the right size for fitting a snack-sized stasher bag inside as well if you want to give your energy bars a little extra protection.

Camelbak Chase Bike Vest

For long-day races or adventures in the saddle, the Chase Bike Vest has room for 1.5L / 50 oz of water, food and repair gear. It has a snug fit to your body that some riders prefer, especially while riding on chunky gravel or singletrack.

My M.O. is making and eating real, homemade fuel as often as I can. When I can’t, I rely on these store-bought products. The reason I choose these items is that they use real, simple ingredients that contain little to no added fillers. You’ll also find a few non-food items here that I deem essential for recovery.

Skratch Recovery, Hydration and Nutrition Products

Skratch Labs has become one of my favorite companies (located in Boulder, CO) and lines of sports nutrition products for athletes. There M.O. is using real food, starting from scratch, to make sports nutrition and hydration products you actually want to drink and eat. You’ll find their hydration, recovery and wellness drink mixes along with chews and bars in my cupboard.

Four Sigmatic Mushroom Cacao Mix

Better bedtime starts with a better evening ritual. I drink a nice, warm (or cold) cup of Four Sigmatic Mushroom Cacao Mix to help me chill before bed and wake up the next day feeling well-rested.

Nuun Sport Electrolyte Hydration Tablets

Nuun Sports Hydration makes it easy to drop a tablet into your water bottle to help keep you hydrated throughout the day. They are enhanced with electrolytes and come in different fruity flavors. I use these when I’m traveling in the car to a bike-friendly destination or during a short ride around town.

Roll Recovery

I got the Roll Recovery R8 Plus, a deep tissue massager, as a birthday gift. It's now my go-to recovery tool that I bring with me everywhere since it’s easy to transport. This massager applies deep tissue massage force, can be used sitting, standing or laying and helps improves blood circulation and reduces inflammation.

I don’t just magically wake up in the morning and come up with the latest and greatest baked goods items. I’m constantly following, researching and gathering ideas from cookbooks and what some of the best in the biz are doing. From there, I come up with my own creations, test them and jot them down in my recipe journal. Here are a few of my favorites I look to when I need recipe and nutrition inspiration.

“Your job is to collect good ideas. The more good ideas you collect, the more you can choose from to be influenced by. - Austin Kleon, author of Steal Like an Artist.