I have a suspicion that Scooby and Shaggy had more in those snacks than I, as a 6-yr old, could have imagined. Regardless: you rest assured that my recipe for ‘Scooby Snacks’ are legal in all states and contain no controlled substances.

Now that we’ve got that disclaimer out of the way… Let’s talk FOOD.

There area few tips for making sure you have the right fuel for your bike ride:

• DO: all natural ingredients! (No preservatives you can’t pronounce, and few to no chemical additives).
• DON’T: eat high glycemic index foods (sugary snacks, or simple carbs). This will cause a sugar low later in the ride and perhaps not at the right moment. Too much sugar can upset your digestion as well.
• DO: complex carbs, low glycemic sweeteners (like honey & Agave), and simple proteins – but not too much.
• DON’T: eat dairy or heavy proteins that require significant digestion. This will take away precious blood flow, oxygen, and energy from your body that you need to exercise. It could make you nauseous or cause stomach pain.
• DO: include good fats in your snack if you can: such as coconut oil.

Here’s a recipe that guaranteed to hit the mark on any bike ride. I also use these as regular snacks between meals as a healthy alternative other snack-foods.

GRAIN FREE Sweet Potato Bites (aka: ‘Scooby Snacks’)

You need:

• (1) lg. Sweet Potato (cooked and peeled)
• (1) egg
• 1/4 cup of orange juice (Or coconut milk if you don’t like the citrus flavor)
• 1/4  teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons tapioca flour
• 1 cup of almond flour
• 1/2 cup of coconut flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoon of organic brown sugar or:
  • 1/4 cup of Agave Nectar
• Cinnamon and All Spice to taste

Mix all wet ingredients in large mixing bowl and then add dry ingredients. Mixture should be stiff, not too wet.

Take a large cookie sheet (9×13″ or larger) and spray non-stick cooking oil or grease. I use aluminum foil to save cleaning all the time (I’m lazy). Turn your oven on to 350°F.

Use a large tablespoon to measure out the dough:

Put the mixture in your hand and roll (like you would roll play dough) into a little flatish ball – cookie sized. If the mixture is too tacky and sticks to your hand – you need to add more coconut flour.

Continue to do this method until you have filled your cookie sheet. The dough will not expand, so don’t worry about putting them close together.

If you have a convection oven: cook for about 15-20 min. Check regularly as they will NOT brown. They will crack – as seen below.

If you have a regular oven: cook for 20-25 min and check regularly for cracking. When they start to crack, they are done!

Allow a few minutes to cool and enjoy. They are great as snacks, or to bring with you on a bike ride.

Sweet potato is a low glycemic index food and a perfect carbohydrate that is easy to digest and give you energy for longer periods of time without spiking your blood sugar. The almond flour gives you protein as well as good fats. If you want more healthy fats: experiment with adding coconut oil to the mix!

Here’s some of the health benefits to eating sweet potatoes regularly.

Enjoy and See you on the Bike!