A Day In The Life of MTB Coaching Kids + 3 Tips For Party Hosting and Prepping Food
Hello, Biked Good's family! I woke up this morning feeling very fortunate for all the great things that have come my way since making the move to Colorado this past winter. Halfway through the summer, I've been able to bike a vast network of trails in Summit County Colorado, participate in a few bike races and get involved with mountain bike coaching the youth for Team Summit. Out of all my experiences, coaching has been the most rewarding for me.
Here's a little documentation of what happens in the day of the life of coaching the kids...
A Day In The Life Of Coaching The Kids
Yesterday we geared up for riding the Peak's trails. Starting outside of our place, we started the day with a yoga warm-up instructed by my wife, Haley.
From there we took on the rocky, rooty trails of Peaks Trail.
The day ended with a sweet downhill section, splashing through mud puddles and winding through Aspen trees.
At the end of the ride, two of the kid's parents offered to shuttle us back to our place afterward for a team lunch! (You could say they we’re all pretty stoked about the ride back because the bike back was a brutal uphill climb!)
We came back hungry and ready to EAT! Tacos were on the menu. Before we dove in for our meal, I told everyone how fortunate I felt to be part of this group and how they should be, too. We get to ride bikes together. We get to see awesome places together. And we get to come together and enjoy good food together.
That whole concept - Ride bikes, adventure, and enjoy good food together as a family is my entire vision when it comes to Biked Goods - Bringing People Together Through Good Food And Cycling.
As I continue to build out Biked Goods, I envision a lot more of what you just read above ^^^.
So now that I'm done with my sappy, heartfelt post for the day I want to share a few tips and recipes from my experiences that help with hosting people and prepping food.
3 Tips for Party Hosting and Prepping Food
1. Keep it simple
Have 1-2 stars of the meal. In this case, it was the chicken and pork for the tacos, (I also made a tempeh option for veggie lovers) Usually these "stars" of the meal are the warm dishes. Once you get to more than 3 warm dishes, it gets hard to keep everything warm. And no one likes cold entrees that are meant to be warm. So stick to 1-2 warm dishes and keep everything else cold. In this case, this was all the side options: Guac. Chopped tomatoes. Coleslaw. Fresh Fruit. Tortilla chips. Pickled onions. Salsa. etc...
And last but not least, don't be afraid to get others involved! Have people bring a side dish to your gathering. Look for parents or kids who enjoy spending time in the kitchen and ask if they'd like to help with prep. Once you involve people to contribute to the dinner meal, it makes hosting much more simple for you and fun for other guests as well.
2. Keep it customizable - It's hard to always please every single person when it comes to serving food. By keeping the main dishes and sides customizable, you can make everyone happy. Before practice, I asked the kids what their favorite taco combination was. One said chicken and guac. Another said just avocado and tortilla. One kid wanted just a black bean taco. And a few said I like all kinds of tacos! By keeping this meal customizable, I was able to deliver a taco and meal that EVERYONE enjoyed!
3. Keep it fun - Last but not least, keep it fun! First and foremost, by following the above two tips you are able to keep things fun for yourself. By keeping food items simple in terms of prep for yourself, life is much easier. And by keeping everyone happy with customizable food dishes, you can also feel stress-free about providing food that everyone will enjoy. The last thing you want to do is spend the entire time prepping, making food and continuously serving people while they are over vs enjoying the time and food WITH them!
When it comes to food, desserts are usually the most fun part of any dinner meal, at least in my mind :) Three kinds of cookies were a hit for dessert! I also chopped up tiny bits of the new Bike Crispy Bar(s) I made and shared two different kinds with the parents and kids, getting feedback on their favorites. See the recipes below and find more dessert recipes on the blog here.
Also, I'm a big fan of games. Thankfully we had this foosball table set up in the garage to keep the kids entertained the entire time while the parents enjoyed the patio. Whether it's fooseball, cribbage, cornhole or bags, fun games can take a party to the next level.
Now to dive into a few recipes you can make for your next hosted gathering or that you can contribute to a gathering.
Bike Crispy Bar(s)
While these make for a fantastic on-the-bike fueling snack, they can also be a party pleaser. They are light and crispy, made with sprouted brown rice cereal and natural sweeteners - all held together by sweet, sticky dates, honey and/or tahini. Cut up into tiny pieces and serve as mini dessert appetizers for your guests.
Get the recipe
No-Fuss Chia Seed Pudding with Your Choice of Toppings
I shared this chia seed pudding recipe last week, but this also makes a great, healthy party dessert option. Whip up a bulk batch of chia pudding and then serve it with one or more of the following:
Mango puree with toasted coconut and almonds
Fresh fruit like strawberries, blueberries, and/or blackberries with honey
Almond Cornbread With Homemade Peach Ginger Chia Jam, Grilled Stone Fruit And Almond Whipped Cream
Nothing screams summer dessert like cornbread, grilled fruit, peach ginger jam and fresh almond whipped cream. A little hearty, a little sweet, and a whole bunch of YUM!! Whip up this entire “sweet” of desserts or choose 1-2 recipes for a fantastic treat to serve your guests.
Strawberry Shortbread Cookie Dough Jam Sandwiches
I brought these cookies to a neighborhood party and they were a HIT! Start with baking shortbread cookies. Then, fill them with a homemade strawberry jam and a healthy, homemade cookie dough made with fresh strawberries and almond flour. You'll have guests coming back for seconds on these, for sure!
Party on!
#EatGoodBikeGoodFeelGood
- Tyler @ Biked Goods
Making good food accessible through cycling, education and community. Find new recipes at bikedgoods.co, follow me along on Instagram or join the Biked Goods Facebook Group.
