Katina's Nutritional Coaching Corner

Healthy & Colorful Holiday Recipe for Athletes: Vegan Broccoli Salad 

(Source: Shaw Simple Swaps)

Prep time: 10 minutes 

Cook time: 20 minutes 

Servings: 6 

Ingredients: 

4C chopped broccoli florets 

1/2C pomegranate arils 

1/2C chopped walnuts 

4 tsp maple syrup 

1/8 tsp kosher salt 

Dressing: 

2 tbsp 100% pomegranate juice 

1 tbsp water 

3 tbsp vegan mayonnaise 

½ tsp cane sugar 

¼ tsp ground black pepper 

1/8 tsp kosher salt 

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 3750 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  
2. In a small bowl, combine walnuts with maple syrup and sprinkle with kosher salt.
3. Place nuts on baking sheet and cook for 15-20 minutes.
4. Remove and let cool. Finely chop when cooled.
5. In a medium bowl, combine broccoli florets, pomegranate arils, and maple roasted walnuts.
6. In a smaller bowl, combine pomegranate juice, water, mayonnaise, sugar, salt, and pepper.
7. Pour over broccoli and combine to cover the salad.
8. Serve immediately.

Notes: substitute plain Greek yogurt for mayonnaise. If tight on time, use roasted walnuts and mix 1 tbsp of maple syrup.   

Healthy Holiday Eating Tips for Athletes 

The holidays present a challenge for most people. On average, Americans gain 5-6 pounds between Halloween and New Year’s due to the successive holidays and celebrations. This year, don’t blow your nutrition and health goals around the holidays. Use these eating tips to stay on-track so when January 1st rolls around, you can get focused on race preparation and fitness in 2022 and less on fixing poor eating habits from 2021. Time to get to work on healthy eating! 

Tip #1: Eat breakfast everyday Tip #6: Load up your plate with veggies 

Tip #2: Use portion control Tip #7: If you are traveling for the holidays, bring some staple snacks with you.  

Tip #3: Get plenty of sleep (7-8 hours/night) Tip #8: Limit grazing at parties 

Tip #4: Drink alcohol in moderation Tip #9: Make healthy substitutions when cooking and baking 

Tip: #5: Always carve out time for workouts Tip #10: Maintain healthy hydration habits 

Nutrition in the News – New American Health Association (AHA) Dietary Guidelines Published 

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and American Heart Association (AHA) are the leading agencies that put forth healthy eating guidelines for Americans. The AHA published a new set of guidelines in November 2021 that aim to continue their legacy to improve heart health since cardiovascular disease is still the leading cause of death in the country. As you read over the new guidelines, perform a self-assessment and decide where you can make changes to improve your eating habits and heart health.  

Here are the updated guidelines: 

• Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight 
• Eat plenty and a variety of fruits and vegetables 
• Choose whole-grain foods and products 
• Choose healthy sources of proteins and preferably plant-based over animal-based protein sources 
• Use liquid plant oils such as olive oil 

• Choose minimally processed foods 
• Minimize foods and beverages with added sugars 
• Choose and prepare food with little or no salt 
• Limit alcohol intake 

About Katina:  

Katina Sayers, Ed.D., is the owner of Katina’s Nutritional Coaching Corner. She has an extensive background in health and education that began with degrees in exercise physiology, health and physical education, community health, and culminating with a doctoral degree in curriculum and instruction. She completed her Integrative Nutrition and Health Coaching Certification, from the world's top nutrition experts, at the renowned Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN). She is a 5-time national medalist and competitive off-road cyclist and duathlete who can be seen on almost a daily basis riding and running the hills and trails in and around Tully Valley. She relies on a well-rounded diet to fuel her athletic adventures. You can contact Katina for nutritional coaching at: ksayerswalker@gmail.com.