On Being a “Culinary Cyclist”

I have often been asked why food and bicycles go hand in hand. I like to counter that with, “tell me how they don’t go hand in hand.”

To ride you need to eat, and to eat you have to buy food, and the easiest way to get to the market is by bicycle. But that’s the boring stuff. Food and bicycles go hand in hand because at their core, they embody the same things: freedom, community, living well.

From The Culinary Cyclist:

“On a bicycle, there is freedom in propelling yourself forward. You are rewarded for your output and even the shortest ride provides a sense of accomplishment. The bicycle is empowering. Food is the same. There can be as much or more joy in a dinner made from scratch than the one served in a fancy restaurant. Both on the bicycle and in the kitchen, hard labor pays off. “I can make that” is just as powerful as “I can ride that.”

Just as communities form around different aspects of bicycling, food is a uniting force. We gather, we talk, we laugh and we break bread together. So it makes perfect sense to combine the two into this book; a guide to good living, with food, by bicycle.”

I think the concept for The Culinary Cyclist had been in me for a long time – I do enjoy a good bike ride that ends in a picnic or a coffee break after all – but it wasn’t until a brainstorm with publisher Elly Blue that everything got put into place.

“You should publish a book on food and bikes,” I said to her.

“Why don’t you write it?” she responded.

And as such, The Culinary Cyclist was born.

It’s part cookbook, part guidebook, part storybook, and thanks to Johanna Kindvall, beautifully illustrated; ultimately, a compilation of all the wonderful moments that can come from spending time with friends and focusing on the simple things. It’s a book intended to inspire good living, but without being complicated or expensive. We could all do with a little more physical activity and a few more healthy recipes, but doing so shouldn’t feel forced.

I like foods that pack a punch; things that are fairly healthy, but don’t sacrifice on taste. But above all, they have to be easy. This recipe for peanut butter cookies from the book is exactly that, and beyond the simplicity of making it, it’s also easily transportable; a must on any culinary cyclist’s checklist. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cookies

Using no grains, these are completely gluten-free, and while I make them with an egg, you can switch it out for ground flaxseed and warm water if you want to do a vegan version. It’s also a good base recipe for adding to: seeds, nuts, dried fruit… whatever you are craving!

Ingredients:

1 cup crunchy, salted peanut butter

1/3 cup organic turbinado sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten (if you want to make these vegan, switch out for 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed and 3 tablespoons water; mix together and let sit for a couple of minutes before adding in)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup chocolate chips

Preparation:

In a bowl, combine egg, sugar and vanilla extract. Add in peanut butter and chocolate chips and stir together. Scoop out about a tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball. Place on greased baking sheet and flatten carefully with a fork. Bake at 350°F for 12 to 16 minutes. Let sit for a couple of minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

Category: Cycling