Search Weight Loss Topics:

Home » Diets that Work » 4 Healthy Holiday Dishes That Fuel Your Rides (and Taste Great, Too!) – msnNOW

LauriPatterson - Getty Images An registered dietitian weighs in on a few nutrient-packed holiday ingredients that make healthy Christmas dishes.

Sure, the holiday season is notorious for rich, indulgent dishes and desserts that might have you adjusting your bibs before your next ride. But what if you looked at those dishes as delicious fuel packed with nutrients that will help you perform and recover?

Some of my best workouts are during the holidays because of the food, says Virginia-based sports dietitian Kristen Chang, M.S., R.D.N., C.S.S.D. The surplus of energy can be beneficial.

For many, the winter and holiday season is also the off-season. So while that may mean fewer intense workouts, it also gives your body time to rest and recoup, Chang says.

For me, the combination of more rest and extra fuel leads to breakthrough workouts, she says, recommending people pair heavy dishes with lighter ones to balance everything out.

She also emphasizes the fact that the holiday seasona few hearty mealsis just one moment in time and not to get hung up on whether you should or shouldnt eat something you enjoy.

Comfort foods have a place in our diets, she says. One day of overindulging, so to speak, isnt going to break anything. Its about consistency over time, just like training. Just like one bad workout wont affect the entirety of your performance or progression.

Below, Chang weighs in on some of her favorite nutrient-packed holiday ingredients that make healthy Christmas dishes.

Subscribe to Bicycling All Access for the latest nutrition tips and recipes!

Before you head to the dinner table, appetizers are in order. Pair your favorite cruditscarrots, peppers, and broccoli are good sources of vitamin C and fiberwith a protein-packed hummus dip. A fun (and seasonal) spin on hummus, Chang says, is pumpkin hummus. When you add canned pumpkin to your chickpea-based app, youll get added color, vitamin A, and fiber.

As a bonus, hummus is a tasty vehicle for munching on extra veggies before the main event.

While Christmas dinner is often synonymous with ham, the Feast of the Seven Fishes is an Italian-inspired Christmas Eve dinner highlighting, well, seven types of fish and seafood. Fish and seafood are high-quality sources of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. As any cyclist can attest, protein is crucial for muscle health, and omega-3s can help fight inflammation associated with hard workouts, Chang says.

$19.29

Shop Now

While baked salmon isnt technically part of the Feast of the Seven Fishes, Chang makes it the star of her Christmas dinner. Salmon is also a good source of vitamin D, which is hard to come by during the winter months when the sun is scarce.

Gallery: Warning: This Turmeric Squash Soup Is So Good Youll Actually Wish For An Endless Winter (Women's Health)

Right now we can all benefit from more foods with vitamin D, she says.

Changs go-to salmon dish is straight from pro runner Shalane Flanagan and Elyse Kopeckys second cookbook, Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow.: salmon with miso butter.

We all need a certain amount of healthy fat in our diets, Chang says. Fats provide a sense of satiety, theyre a source of nutrients, and we need fat to help absorb fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K.

The miso, she says, enhances the flavor of the butter and is a good source of gut- and immune-friendly probiotics.

Thanksgiving and Christmas really embrace the mashed potatoes and sweet potato casserole. But Chang likes whipped squash, for a different spin on the classics. Or, she says, mix whipped sweet potatoes with squash and top with pecans.

Squash is a nutrient powerhouse. Its bright orange color is thanks to an abundance of beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A. Squash is also a complex carbohydrate (like potatoes) that feeds your muscles before a long ride or tough workout.

Pecans are a good source of fat and plant-based protein, plus who doesnt like a little crunch?

You either love em or hate em, but Brussels sprouts are veggies that really pack a nutritional punch. Theyre a cruciferous vegetable, like broccoli, and offer protein, fiber, vitamin C, folate, and a whopping amount of vitamin Kcrucial for wound-healing and bone health.

Brussels sprouts are a popular holiday dish, often paired with pomegranate seeds, Chang says. The seeds, by the way, are antioxidant heavyweights.

For a wintry salad, toss shredded kale and Brussels sprouts with dried cranberries, almonds, and balsamic vinegar.

Go here to read the rest:
4 Healthy Holiday Dishes That Fuel Your Rides (and Taste Great, Too!) - msnNOW

Your Full Name
Your Email
Your Phone Number
Select your age (30+ only)	30313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990919293949596979899100101102103104105106107108109110111112113114115116117118119120
Select Your US State	Select Your StateAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington,DCWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
Program Choice	Select Your ProgramInjectable HGHInjectable TestoteroneInjectable SermorelinInjectable Weight LossInjectable HCG DietInjectable Vitamins
Confirm over 30 years old	Yes
Confirm that you resident in USA	Yes
This is a Serious Inquiry	Yes
Message:

Home » Diets that Work » 4 Healthy Holiday Dishes That Fuel Your Rides (and Taste Great, Too!) – msnNOW