Chocolate-Cherry Power Bars
Love chocolate? These brownie-like bars have protein, nutrition and a great chocolate-y taste! They are perfect to pack for your next adventure.
Chocolate Energy Bars
- 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup dry non-fat milk
- ¼ cup ground flax
- ¼ cup toasted wheat germ
- ¼ cup soy flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- ½ cup Egg beaters or egg whites (4)
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/3 cup chopped dried cherries (add more if you love them)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt the chocolate chips and butter together in a microwavable dish, in a microwave oven. It may take 45 seconds or more. Blend well and set aside. Combine dry ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl: oats through walnuts and mix well. In a large bowl, lightly beat the egg whites and add the sugar and vanilla and beat. Stir in the flour mixture and chocolate mixture and fold in the chopped dried cherries. Pour chocolate mixture into an 8 x 8-inch pan that has been lightly sprayed with baking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Cool completely before cutting. This recipe makes an even dozen. (They can be deliciously fudgy, but you may wish to cut them and chill in the refrigerator to make a little more neat & pack-able.)
As I walked the floor of the 2010 Winter Outdoor Retailers show last month, I was thrilled about a few items that are coming this fall. The following are a few of the products that we can expect to see in the coming year. I will focus on one company at a time for the next several days. This is part 3.
Agion
Try Everything, Stink at Nothing.
Silver, a girl’s new best friend? Agion is using silver to block the growth of bacteria. No bacteria, no stench! It is amazing. This stuff is already used in a lot of products like: cell phones, keyboards, footwear, ice machines and many more. Now that they perfected putting it into white fabric, it can be put into your clothing.
Read more…
As I walked the floor of the 2010 Winter Outdoor Retailers show last month, I was thrilled about a few items that are coming this fall. The following are a few of the products that we can expect to see in the coming year. This is just a sneak peak mind you, but as I get a chance to try these items personally, I will post more in-depth reviews. I will focus on one company at a time for the next several days. This is part 2.
Thorlos (your feet will feel better)
Experience Experia! These aren’t just for skiing anymore. I love a company that will listen to their customers. Thorlos is one of those companies. In this case it took a little bit of faith to deviate from the path they had been on. Thorlos had found great success, but they heard their customers. The word from the consumers? “These socks are too thick.”
So, after research and a redesign they have a whole new product for runners and cyclists. Get ready to experience Experia.
I have not yet worn these socks but I have held them and they are very light weight and thin. The much loved and effective Thorlos padding is there, but only where necessary: at the ball of the foot and the heel. These socks actually have Achilles tendon support! There are a couple of different styles you can choose from including a Merino wool/silk thread, and the Cool Max which is a nylon-coverd Lycra thread.
The Promise
These socks wick very well. Plus, say ‘goodbye’ to blisters and chaffing and ‘hello’ to excellent foot protection. Thorlos saw that running & cycling shoes had evolved and so their socks also evolved to meet the needs of their customers. Way to go Thorlos!
My Preliminary Opinion
I do understand that some may not get too excited about socks, but I personally can’t wait to get my hands on (or better yet, my feet into) these socks! The colors are also great so you can of course, look great, while feeling great! And don’t forget that you really do need to treat those dogs right today, so that they will treat you right tomorrow!
As I walked the floor of the 2010 Winter Outdoor Retailers show last month, I was thrilled about a few items that are coming this fall. The following are a few of the products that we can expect to see in the coming year.This is just a sneak peak mind you, but as I get a chance to try these items personally, I will post more in-depth reviews. I will focus on one Company at a time for the next several days.
Columbia Sportswear Company
Columbia really knows how to treat a woman right! They heard all of us “It- Girls” saying, “Give me something that will keep me warm and make me look good, something I can work in, play in, live in!” They were right on with the Omni-Heat and In2Out collections. And if these lines turn out to be as good as they promise to be, boy did they nail it!
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Hello Kitty HK 4 Ever
The oh, so fabulous Hello Kitty!
The minute I saw this bike I knew it had to be the February bike of the month because I fell in love instantly! Nirve really hit the mark on this one, it is simply perfect!
The Hello Kitty details are beautiful, including the Hello Kitty tire tread. The bright pink is just girly enough, but still so pleasing to the eye. I think that this bike appeals to teens as well as adult women. It is a great around town bike and because of the chain guard you can even rock it with a skirt, not to mention it is easy to ride.
Nirve introduced this bike a couple of years ago and it is easy to see why it became an instant classic. You are sure to catch the eye of onlookers as you roll down the street on this beauty! Every girl needs one of these in their fleet of bikes. And, perhaps the best part, it’s only around $400 making it a very affordable bicycle.
HK 4 Ever paint & graphics scheme
Single speed coaster brake.
Full length fenders
Welded Kickstand.
Double spring Hello Kitty HK 4 Ever print comfort Saddle.
Alloy rims
Welded Cartridge Kickstand
Hello Kitty Bell.
Special Blackwall Tires w/Hello Kitty tread (avail. only in 26” size)
Fits most ladies 5′.0” tall and up
Some units may come equipped with a front hand brake
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Thanks to Canyon Bicycles for the use of this fabulous bike
Women riders - on top of the world!
David Balkin’s theory is, not only that women are naturally better recreational riders, but that they have the opportunity to kick start a renaissance on wheels
“I was and still am hoping that a huge resurgence in bike riding is possible but that’s only possible if women take the initiative. I thought this (long overdue) article could be a catalyst but the bike intimidates/humbles everyone from Lance on down and women as the more easily/casually intimidated of the species don’t recognize that the bicycle was specifically designed with them in mind — that is once the manufacturers found out that they were as good at this revolutionary machine as the men and they got a lot of flak over it but didn’t care about the social implications that gave women unprecedented freedom; they just wanted to sell more bikes. Not surprisingly, once the car took over, the men banned women from getting driver’s licenses. Those dark ages are forgotten and woman’s rights are now ingrained in our culture but today’s women are missing an incredible athletic/responsibility opportunity by not taking the bicycle as their own and allowing it to show them what it does just for them.”
At the elite level all riders are dialed into perfecting their technique, at this level, as the stronger of the species, men rule. But in the recreational world the opposite is true. Women riders are more suited to the bicycle, mentally and physically, than male riders.
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“I go for elegance and simplicity in design.”
–Mark Dwight, Founder and CEO of Rickshaw Bagworks
Click on the PLAY button to hear the podcast interview with Mark Dwight. He explains how and why he started his company Rickshaw Bagworks including history of the messenger bag and sustainable business practices in bag manufactering.
Be at the height of cycle chic with this fab Mini-ZERO messenger bag. As the smallest of the ZERO collection this feels more like a purse than a messenger bag. You will love it! It's PERFECT for the bike. The ZERO also comes in small, meduim and large. Depending on the size you choose, the prices are between $40 and $85 -and it's worth every penny!
Listen to our Podcast: Interview with Mark Dwight.
Rickshaw is a new bag company in the city of San Francisco, where people ardently love their bikes and they seriously love their messenger bags. Mark Dwight, the bike-commuting owner and CEO of Rickshaw Bagworks understands those passions because he feels the same way:
“I really love making bags. I love bags as a product, love the way people love their bags”
And as much as he enjoys his work at Rickshaw Bagworks, he loves the way this company allows him to engage in other work he feels strongly about:
“I also love the way running a company like this became a platform for engaging in the community. I am on the board Chamber of Commerce; I support a couple of local philanthropic endeavors like the San Francisco Bike Coalition, and a homeless youth program in the Mission district (At the Crossroads: Street Youth Support). It became a platform for me to be involved in things beyond work.”
The balance of loving what you do and being able to go beyond what’s expected and do more is part of the mantra for Rickshaw.
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Women Cycling For a Cause
One of the best cycling “Girls’ Weekend” activities you will find in the country is in Logan, Utah, which is about 80 miles north of Salt Lake City. The event is the Little Red Riding Hood Ride and it is the largest and longest all-women’s bike ride in the country.
The ride offers route distances of 15, 35, 45, 62, 80 and 100 miles and all the funds raised from Little Red go to support women-specific cancer research. The ride has attracted women from all over the USA and a few other countries as well, including Canada, Mexico, Italy and Australia. It’s a welcoming atmosphere for all types of cyclists; you’ll see mothers, daughters and grandmothers cycling side by side.
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