Training & Nutrition

Recipe: Energetic and delicious Bircher Porridge

An energy-boosting Bircher porridge recipe from On The Rivet

We recently visited On The Rivet, a road cycling retreat in beautiful Dorset run by British Cycling Coach Jim Styrin and partner Deborah Shilling. As part of their fantastic weekend of cycling and relaxing in the sauna and hot tub, we also enjoyed some delicious food prepared by Debs and local food company, Bagget and Hayes.

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Everything we ate was delicious but one of the breakfast options that got us fired up in the morning was the Bircher Porridge. We asked Debs to share the recipe and also tell us why the ingredients are so good for us cyclists.

Bircher Porridge

Serves 4 people

Ingredients

250g organic jumbo oats
x 2 organic Braeburn apples grated (skin on)
Organic pressed apple juice
2 tbsp organic full fat Greek yoghurt (optional)
Medjool dates

Recipe

1. Place the oats and grated apples in a serving bowl.
2. Pour on apple juice until just covered
3. Cover with clingfilm and leave to soak in the fridge overnight
4. For a creamier porridge add 2 tbsp of Greek yoghurt
5. Before serving add a few chopped dates and any other fruit and nuts as required.

The Benefits of Oats

Debs says she uses a lot of oats at On the Rivet breakfast times because they provide slow release energy which is fantastic before a ride and help you keep fuller for longer. They contain an amazing amount of fibre which helps to keep your digestive system working more efficiently. One of the fibres found within oats is called beta-glucan, which has been shown to lower cholesterol levels, reduce the risk of high blood pressure and heart attacks and enhance the immune system’s response to bacterial infection.

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Oats have also been associated with a reduced risk of cancer, especially colon cancer.

The Benefits of Dates

As well as being super yummy, dates have many benefits. Debs always leaves a bowl of them on the breakfast table and often includes them in their homemade flapjacks which are given to riders at lunchtime stops. They are one of the best ingredients for muscle development and are high in natural sugars so provide an immediate burst of energy.

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Dates are rich in several vitamins, minerals and fibre too. These delicious fruits contain oil, calcium, sulfur, iron, potassium, phosphorous, manganese, copper and magnesium which are all beneficial for health. Some health specialists have said that eating one date per day is necessary for a balanced and healthy diet.

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The Benefits of Apples

Aside from tasting delicious, apples contain masses of antioxidants most of which is contained in the peel all of which are an essential part of optimal health and prevention of disease. Debs always includes the apple peel in their Bircher Porridge for this reason.

You can read our review on ‘On The Rivet’ Retreats here.