Sometimes a popsicle will fix everything.
At least, that’s the lesson that I feel like I’m learning here at Red Bull Formation this week.
If you’re feeling down, feeling tired, feeling parched – a popsicle is enough to turn your day around. If you’re hungry, scared, achy, if your forearms are throbbing from digging for hours in the sun, whether you’re a little bit of a lot sunburned if you just need a hug…the riders here have been going through the gamut this week, and day by day I’ve been seeing first hand that, a popsicle can help with all of that.
Red Bull Formation is a first-of-its-kind kind progression session for women’s freeride mountain biking. Quite literally, 8 incredible riders and a team of 18 friends, athletes, and friends met in the middle of the desert earlier this week to scope natural lines in along the mesas outside of St. George, Utah. Then, they set out to build trails for the riders to hit. And by hit, I mean fly off of jumps, roll off of drops and jump gaps. Yeah. That.
It’s the stuff that superhero dreams are made of, really, the sight of these incredibly strong women flying through the air on their bicycles. I’m here to fuel them, and to cater to any culinary need they may have to keep them building, riding and flying their best.
It’s been a long long week for everyone. The crews have been digging in the dirt for 12-14 hours a day to have the lines built by the start of the ride sessions this upcoming Saturday. The temperatures outside have been climbing into the 90’s with no end or shade in sight. At the same time, my team and I have been hard at work in the kitchen for the same 12 hour days, enduring the heat of the oven, the grill, the throbbing of legs and the swelling of hands from cooking up magic meant to ground, settle and stoke them out so they can fly high.
It’s been so much fun to cook for this group – a vein of cycling and sport that really doesn’t spend much time on “nutrition,” but a place where it is certainly important. While these riders aren’t pedaling for days on end, their mental fortitude is of utmost importance, so as I’m creating in the kitchen this week, that’s what I’ve been focused on.
Most of what I’ve been making here at Formation has been a lovely riff on all of the dishes I love, but using the ingredients we’re able to source here locally near St. George, then tailored to the requests of the riders as they’re responding to the heat of the desert, the morale of the group, and the vibe of the day. I’ve been hoping to harvest a recipe from these improv cooking sessions to share with you – something that the riders have loved and come to rely on to rejuvenate and fuel their bodies in the midst of insane heat, pressure and challenge. While we’ve all had a few favorite meals together, these popsicles, which we made at the kitchen here at home, ported to the venue in the middle of the desert 45 minutes away in a backpack of dry ice and then served on the trail, have been a hit and quickly became the most requested repeat player of the week.
And their love of them makes sense. One of the important lessons in learning to fuel yourself for sport and life is learning to balance your outer environment and your inner environment. The heat of the desert is so intense, it begins to impose of our bodies, parching us, dehydrating us and warming us from the outside in. Popsicles are an amazing option as a snack, pick me up, or vehicle for refreshment because when the temperatures rise, so too can your bodies’ core temperature.
When our core temperature starts to rise, less than desirable things start to happen, including that the way we digest and our ability to sleep soundly. The way to balance and off-set the outer environment is to help cool your inner environment, in the same way that to cool down boiling water is to add cool water to it. By cooling it down, you’re helping your body to get back after it, refresh and reboot.
A popsicle on a hot day is a surefire way to start bringing your body back to balance, your blood sugar back up into the black, and your joy tank back to full and to keep your body feeling good through hot, busy, super-active summer months (and intense digs in the desert, clearly.)
ABSOLUTELY.
Homemade popsicles are ridiculously easy to make, ridiculously satisfying and refreshing. And, you can cook up a bit of function by adding Skratch Labs Sport Hydration to the mix which means they aren’t just cool and comforting in the hot hot sun, they’re also rehydrating.
The only things you need to make you’re own popsicles are a few favorite liquids and some popsicle molds. There are lots of ways to do this. This is one favorite way. This is another.
The beauty of this recipe is that you can use whatever you have on hand to make popsicles – a bit of time, patience and interest in slinging something delicious to friends.
Flavors are FUN, yes, but they also are the mechanisms by which our bodies nourish themselves. Flavors basically tell our bodies what the food is giving us – on a nutritional and energetic level. Our bodies then prepare enzymes to break those components down, assimilate them, and turn them into fuel for our vibrant lives. We can’t eat just one flavor and get all of the things we need, so learning to track the flavors in our foods helps us to be sure that we’re really getting all of the things we need in our meals. This particular recipe has all six flavors, one of the reasons it’s so darn good for all things. The more flavors we can enjoy in any meal or food, the happier and more balanced our bodies will be. If you’re wanting to learn more about how the flavors we eat fuel our bodies – energetically and nutritively, check out this little blog post.
Sometimes a popsicle will fix everything.
Blend all of the ingredients together in a high-speed blender until smooth. Transfer mixture to a measuring cup with a spout. Divide between popsicle molds or sleeves and place in the freezer until solid or overnight.
Stir all ingredients together in a large pitcher or large measuring cup with a spout. Divide between popsicle molds or sleeves and place in the freezer until solid or overnight.