
LUCA Recipe: Homemade Power Bars (a team favourite)

Having the right nutrition on hand can make all the difference to your performance. When we want a handy, energy-boosting snack to take on our rides, we love to reach for a power bar.
Store-bought bars can be fine, but they’re often not nutritious and tend to be expensive. They're usually loaded with added sugars, derived from high-fructose corn syrup and similar, as well as artificial additives and preservatives. These all bring a host of potential health concerns and can leave you feeling sluggish and/or craving more.
The solution? Make your own power bars and control exactly what goes into them. This way, you can ensure they’re packed with (and only with) whole foods and healthy ingredients to give you a sustained energy boost without the crash.

Here's one of the LUCA team's favourite power bar recipes for you to enjoy. Do let us know if you make them - and tag us in your photos!
This recipe gives you ten tasty bars packed with energy-dense ingredients, making them perfect for intense workouts and long endurance activities. You'll even get a small protein bump, helping to increase your overall intake and thus build more muscle and recover more ably.
Delicious, nutritious, easy to make, portable, and free from anything nasty. What's not to love?!
The Recipe
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Ingredients (UK Units)
- 150g rolled oats
- 100g almond butter (or peanut butter)
- 100g honey or maple syrup, for binding and sweetness
- 100g dates (pitted)
- 50g dried apricots (chopped)
- 50g pumpkin seeds
- 50g chia seeds
- 30g flaxseeds
- 30g dark chocolate (70% or higher, chopped into small pieces)
- 50g whey or soy protein powder (optional, for added protein boost)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
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Instructions
- Chop the dates into small chunks, then put in a bowl and cover with warm water, soaking for about 10 minutes until they have softened.
- Mix your wet ingredients: drain the dates and mix them with the nut butter, honey (or maple syrup) and vanilla extract. Blend in a food processor until smooth.
- Mix your dry ingredients: in a large bowl, combine your oats, chopped apricots, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, flaxseeds, salt and protein powder if using.
- Combine your wet and dry ingredients: pour the date mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix well, until everything is incorporated.
- Add the chopped dark chocolate, gently folding into the mixture.
- Shape the bars: line a baking dish (approx. 20cm x 20cm) with baking paper. Press the mixture evenly into the dish, using the back of a spoon or the palms of your hands to flatten the surface.
- Chill in your fridge for at least 2 hours to firm up.
- Cut and store: once firm, cut the mixture into bars (approx. 10). Store in an airtight container in the fridge, for up to 1 week.
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Full macros per Bar (based on 10 bars)
Calories: 290 kcal
Protein: 9g
Carbohydrates: 33g
of which sugars: 17g
Fats: 13g
of which saturated: 3g
Fibre: 5g
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Nutritional Highlights
Oats: a fantastic source of slow-releasing carbs for sustained energy.
Almond/Peanut Butter: healthy fats and protein for muscle recovery.
Chia & Flaxseeds: packed with omega3s and fibre, supporting overall health.
Dates & Apricots: natural sugars for a quick energy boost.
Dark Chocolate: a tasty energy kick, high in antioxidants.
Protein powder: a great source of pure protein for muscle recovery.

Our homemade power bars are perfect before or during long rides, workouts, or as a post-training recovery snack. Do take note that they are high in sugar (albeit natural and healthier than commercial bars). Mixed with the fat, fibre, and protein, it should all come out in the wash, and actually you would do well to take a sugar hit pre- or mid- workout.
