Adventure Fuel

One of my adventure buddies whom I have mentioned a few times, Carrie, loaned me a cookbook while I was training to run the Grand Canyon Rim2Rim2Rim (see details and a photo below). Carrie’s cookbook is called The Feed Zone, and it has lots of great recipes for endurance athletes.

Since it is the time of year to head outside for all sorts of adventures, this seems like a good time to share one of the recipes with you. These waffles are great to throw in a backpack for a hike or bird watching, your panniers for some STP training, or your pocket for a run down the Grand Canyon.

Waffle Ride Sandwich
Makes 3 sandwiches or 6 single waffles
2 cups cooked rice (brown or white)
3 eggs, beaten
1 ripe banana
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons all-purpose gluten-free flour (the original recipe calls for brown rice flour or potato flour)
½ cup milk or milk substitute (or less)
Pinch of salt

Nutritional Information Per Serving (based on original recipe): 346 calories, 5g Fat, 153mg Sodium, 61g Carbs, 1g Fiber, 11g Protein.

Heat waffle iron.

While the waffle iron is warming up, mix all ingredients in a food processor, adding the milk slowly to achieve desired thickness.

Tina’s Tip: The most recent time I made these, ½ cup was too much milk.  The size of the banana I believe influences the necessary amount of milk.  The batter should be thick.
Pour batter into your waffle iron, and cook according to manufacturer’s directions.
After waffles are cool you can spread almond butter, cream cheese, jam, or honey and fruit on them to make a sandwich (I ate mine with honey and almond butter).

NOTE: If the batter is too thin you might have difficulty removing it from the waffle iron in one piece.  This did happen to me. which meant I had a snack to eat while I was working in the kitchen.  Be sure to pour  the milk in slowly to create a thick batter.

Rim2Rim2Rim
On May 13, two of my running buddies ran the Grand Canyon Rim2Rim2Rim, as it is called (42 miles and 20,000 feet of elevation change from the south rim down into the canyon, up to the north rim, and back.)  I, unfortunately, got the flu the day before, so I could not join them for safety reasons. I did, however, do my own shortened, 32-mile adventure into the canyon and back out.

It is an amazing place that I think everyone should go see at least once in your life.  Take the time to hike into the canyon. You will be glad you did.  Below is a photo taken at dawn as we were dropping into the canyon on the South Kaibab trail.