Top chow

FIG & BANANA BAR Eaten by the likes of Enduro World Series star Greg Callaghan and DH ripper Joe Smith, this tasty bar takes only a few minutes to prep. It’s great mid-ride fuel because it’s nutrient-packed, stacked full of multiple types of carbohydrate for a progressive release of energy and can be pimped up with any add-in you wish, from protein powder to nuts and chocolate. Eat little and often for regular trailside sustenance. A lot of commercially-made bars have filler ingredients plus sugar and sugar substitutes, and can leave you feeling bloated and flat on the trial. So make your own and get the best!

INGREDIENTS

400g dried figs (finely chopped) 2 or 3 ripe bananas, mashed (a few brown spots are ideal – more sugar and flavour!) 225-250g oats ¼ cup honey (runny) ¼ cup chia and flax seed (whole or milled) ½ tsp salt

RECIPE

1 Mix all your dry ingredients in a large bowl. You can use rolled oats or blended for a finer texture. I like to use a mix of the two. 2 Put the honey, banana and figs in a saucepan over a low heat, stirring regularly until everything is nice and gooey – be careful not to burn it! If you want a smooth texture, pre-soak the figs or even blend and heat separately. Add a little water for a moister bar. 3 Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well to combine. Transfer the mixture to an oven tray lined with baking paper. Pat it down using a large, flat spatula. The thicker you lay the mixture, the chewier and softer your bars will be. Too thin and they’ll be rock hard. 4 Bake in a preheated fan oven at 180°C for 12 to 14 minutes. Remove and let cool before cutting into pieces.