The Feed Zone: Allen Lim’s Rice Cakes
When Dr. Allen Lim left the lab to work with pro athletes, he found that many didn’t understand nutrition. For years, many elite athletes have underperformed on bland fare and processed foods. So Lim set out to make eating real food delicious yet practical, working with pro cyclists to develop easily-made, high-performance recipes that taste great. Dr. Lim and chef Biju Thomas combine the science and practice of food in The Feed Zone Cookbook, a collection of 160 of their favorite athlete-friendly recipes. With simple recipes requiring just a handful of ingredients, Biju and Lim show how easy it is for athletes to prepare their own food, whether at home or on the go.
On your next ride, try Allen Lim’s famous rice cakes, a delicious portable snack made from real food.
Allen Lim’s Rice Cakes
Download this recipe (PDF)
Servings: 10
Time: 30 minutes
I started making these rice cakes at training camps and races to give riders something savory and fresh to eat while on the bike. They became a huge hit since almost everything the riders ate was pre-packaged and sweet. Not only are these rice cakes delicious, they also provide a consistent energy source that doesn’t upset the stomach.
- 2 cups uncooked calrose or other medium-grain “sticky” rice
- 3 cups water
- 8 ounces bacon
- 4 eggs
- 2 tablespoons liquid amino acids or low-sodium soy sauce
- brown sugar
- salt and grated parmesan (optional)
- Combine rice and water in a rice cooker.
- While rice is cooking, chop up bacon before frying, and then fry in a medium sauté pan. When crispy, drain off fat and soak up excess fat with paper towels.
- Beat the eggs in a small bowl and then scramble on high heat in the sauté pan. Don’t worry about overcooking the eggs as they’ll break up easily when mixed with the rice.
- In a large bowl or in the rice cooker bowl, combine the cooked rice, bacon, and scrambled eggs. Add liquid amino acids or soy sauce and sugar to taste. After mixing, press into an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan to about 1½-inch thickness. Top with more brown sugar, salt to taste, and grated parmesan, if desired.
Tip: We always use calrose rice, a strain of medium-grain rice common in Asian cooking. This variety cooks fast (in 20 minutes or less), retains a nutty flavor, and is just sticky enough to hold our cakes together. If you can’t find it, use another medium-grain rice or any kind marked “sushi rice.”
Nutrition data per serving (1 cake):
Energy 225 cal • Fat 8 g • Sodium 321 mg • Carbs 30 g • Fiber 1 g • Protein 9 g
