Post ride feed

[MightyMitre]

There's often a lot of posts on here about food and nutrition during rides, but I was interested in what people like to eat after rides.

What are peoples favourite post ride feeds? Anyone got any successful, quick recipes I can russel up in a post ride coma that doen't take too much brainpower.

Alternatively, anyone had got an definite no-no's - any experimental post cycling /cooking experiences that are best avoided.

[Dogmama]

Quick carbs are important. I make the following shake:

Soy, cow's, goat or almond milk (approx 1.5 cups) Make sure you have carbs here (e.g., not unsweetened)
Scoop of protein powder (for muscle recovery)
Tablespoon of flax oil

Blend in blender. If you use MetRx protein powder, it gets really frothy, like a shake.

[MightyMitre]

Thanks Dogmama - sounds interesting but I have to say also sounds a bit grim! What's it taste like? Or is the idea you're zonked after a ride your tastebuds have stopped functioning so it doesn't matter

Also, what's the flax oil for? Just general well being?

[MightyMitre]

Soy, cow's, goat or almond milk

Whoops,- just re read your post Dogmama and I realise now the drink is meant to choose from one of the above milks, not put them all in together! That really would be horrible

[Dogmama]

Originally posted by MightyMitre
Thanks Dogmama - sounds interesting but I have to say also sounds a bit grim! What's it taste like? Or is the idea you're zonked after a ride your tastebuds have stopped functioning so it doesn't matter

Also, what's the flax oil for? Just general well being?

It's really not bad. If you use the MetRx brand, it frothes up like a milkshake.

Flax oil is wonderful for balancing hormones and reducing inflammation. It also gives the drink a little "staying power" - you aren't hungry half an hour later. (It's also the only way I can choke it down!). If you're a youngster, you probably don't need it. But, it can't hurt. Some scientists say that is helps to burn fat, but I don't think that's been conclusively proven. I would use one that says "high lignans" because that will have the most hormone balancing power. Also, be sure that you get organic. Oils and fats are excellent carries for nasty things like chemicals sprayed on crops.

Try it, you'll like it! And it you don't you can spit it at me!

[pedalfaster]

Ice cream. I looooove ice cream.

[MightyMitre]

Thanks for the info about the flax oil Dogmama. Might try it and see how I get on.

Pedalfast - what flavour ice cream?

Also, where do you think pizza ranks on the post ride food stakes...

[pedalfaster]

I prefer vanilla with some form of chocolate. Vanilla/chocolate soft-serve swirled cones are great. Hot fudge sundaes. Vanilla shakes with choclate chips. Klondike bars.....mmmm. Coffee flavored ice cream is a close second!

Pizza and pasta a great too. After a race or ride I crave "real" food.

[MightyMitre]

Real food definitly. It's amazing how even really plain stuff can taste like the best meal ever when you're totally starving after a ride.

Last year our club went to a big cycling event in Normandy, northern France. We got there a day early to enjoy some of the gorgeous countryside and traffic-less roads and got in some pretty good miles. On the way back that evening, we stopped at a cafe bar for some food as everyone was starving after a long day, but there wasn't much on the menu as I'm veggie. I ended up having plain spaghetti and grated cheese but I was so hungry it tasted heavenly

Mmmm - hot fudge sundaes.....(dribble,dribble).

[missliz]

Pizza is best- somebody brings it to the door as you get out of the shower. But it has a few nutritional problems, you think?
There's Baskin Robbins at the foot of the amazing urban bikepath/ singletrack we have along the river, and they make this choclate frozen yoghurt and walnut stuff that comes in quarts and fits in a large seat bag. Bahama Mama Something, I just know where it is, point and grunt. They know me there. Slightly less of a fat and calorie hit than ice cream, and on my way home. God it's good! Lots of chocolate!
Most honest, and very easy, a carton of yoghurt- fruity kind is good- tossed into a bowl with Grape Nuts or Kaashi or whatever healthy grainy cereal you fancy. Flakes disolve, a chunky thing is better. Absolutely the quickest and easiest thing to wolf down while the shower heats up. Bet the protein powder would be passable in it... No blender to clean.

Lizzy
One lazy cook


re: Flax oil- incredibly good for you, go to a good health food store with a fridge and get it in a bottle. I forget whether it's lineolic or lineoleic acid, but the western diet tends to be short on it and hiding it in a shake is a good way to take it. I have a hard time getting it down in a big spoonful, but I swear I get a buzz off it, super for nervous system and cardiac stuff. And it makes a girl really cheery! Some people get flax and put it in food, I haven't tried that yet.

[MightyMitre]

Mmm- some good ideas there MissLiz. I like the sound of yogurt & fruity cereal. I try to be healthy but I certainly need to get some more grains into my diet.

Must go out and find some flax oil today - anything to keep me cheerie all month round has got to be a good thing

Wish you hadn't suggested the dial-a-pizza idea while showering. I can see this might lead to a bad habits and an expanding girth...

[missliz]

Oh come on- you hadn't thought of dial-a-pizza? Or making sure the beer is in a plastic glass when you take it into the shower with you? Ok, you can also dial a huge variety of stuff, at least here. And it is a terrible habit. And expensive! But every once in a while...
Really good soup in a can works, (Progresso), few minutes in a microwave and some whole grain bread. And instant oatmeal with stuff thrown in, like fruit or plain yoghurt- really just a warm variation on my other standby.
I like to microwave up some good frozen vegetables, like peas, and just stuff myself. Sweet corn is good, too. I'm wondering though, if the stuff I could recommend is even available in Britain? We have great seafood and a local cuisine on the Gulf Coast here and if I told you to keep okra gumbo in the freezer would that make sense? (it's like a fish stew with lots of vegetables). Anything that can be pitched in the mcrowave while I'm in the shower is good- and if you cook it and freeze it you can keep the fat down and add protien powders and flax or whatever you like. Which is a pain, but the food in the stores is so crummy.

Lizzy

[MightyMitre]

Hurrah - beer in the shower as well...!!These are all great ideas - why haven't I thought of this before either.
I think by the time I get home my brain is usually totally fried.

Okra Gumbo eh? That's a new one on me. I've had okra before. You can't get it fresh all the year round and it's sometime a bit expensive, but it's very nice. I've had it quite a few times in curry houses as well. It seems to turn up quite often in veggie Indian cooking. (Not quite sure how a curry would settle after a long ride though )

I'm certainly going to get my act together and make up some hearty veggie soups, maybe with some lentils/pulses in as well. I quite like cooking so I think I'll make up a batch & freeze. Should be good for thawing me out after winter ridesas well.

Thanks very much for all the tips - they've given me some excellent ideas.

[pedalfaster]

Ok, so a serious answer (after the ice cream stop of course!).
We often make this dish at my house. I'm a visual artist and I cook by sight/sound/smell/taste, not numbers..sorry!

Boil Pasta (as much as you want...I like campanelle these days, but penne or whatever works too). Al Dente is my friend

Heat a bit of olive oil in a pan. Saute crushed garlic and a mix of baby greens. Toss in toasted pine nuts. Sundried tomatoes if you've got 'em too.

Rinse and drain garbanzo bean (aka chick peas) or some other white beans (canned or home-cooked).

Toss drained pasta, greens/garlic mixture, beans in a large bowl. Season with fresh cracked pepper, sea salt, basil and oregano. A dash of dried red pepper flakes if you want a bit of heat. Grate asagio or other hard cheese lightly on each serving, if desired.

mmmmmmmmm.

Serve with a nice dry red and enjoy!

[missliz]

MM, drinking a cold one in the shower is from my days in a boxing program at a once grand athletic club. Remember that heatwave this summer in Britain? it's like that half the year here, and this fun tatty gym had NO air conditioning! Except in the bar, where one wasn't allowed 'till one was clean and changed. Except to get a beer for the locker room. Good times. Boxing will teach you to kick butt fearlessly in other sports.
A lot of the food here is Creole, meaning French, Italian, and African fusion. So I was just thinking that it might not translate too well, even into other parts of the States. The whole economy of New Orleans has become based on people coming here to eat, and if we weren't different they'd stay home.

And pedalfaster, post more recipes! That sounds wonderful- I just don't like to play with fire after a hard ride, I get kinda stupid. But for the night before that's just a perfect dish!

Another fun carb, and this sits in the fridge well- potato salad with a sour cream and dill dressing. There's a lot of really icky ways to make potao salad, but this is good and easy. Boil a bunch of red new potatos, let them cool. In a salad bowl put a little mayonaise, use the real stuff like Helmanns, add sour cream, or sour cream and low fat yoghurt, and use real sour cream. The lowfat kind will be gross. Dump in a lot of finely chopped dill, fresh is best but dried will work fine, and whisk it together. Skooch of salt and pepper. Chop up those potatos and add them about a third at a time and toss. A little dressing goes a long way, so the mayo and cream is not a big hit to the hips but the dill is wonderful on potatos, and it's a change from pasta. Same medium chain carbohydrates, and great in the summer. I'd have it with some nice tilapia cooked quick in a skillet, but I like a nice wallop of protein, I do a lot of weight work still.

Lizzy