What You Should Eat on Rest Day

What You Should Eat on Rest Day
Pecans and blueberries pair perfectly with the bitterness of steel cut oats. You can make this recipe in a slow cooker or on a stove in the morning. Both toppings are high in vitamins and minerals, and blueberries pack a punch of antioxidants. The oatmeal is also great for your heart, promoting cardiovascular strength for your daily runs. Throw in goat cheese and spinach leaves for a recovery-friendly spin on this breakfast classic. Not only are eggs an excellent source of protein, but they also have numerous vitamins, like Vitamin D, A and B5, to help restore your body's functions. Goat cheese has far fewer calories and half the sodium of other cheeses, like cheddar, and spinach packs fiber to aid in digestion. Make your own restaurant-quality sweet potato fries without all the preservatives. Cut sweet potatoes into thin slices, toss with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and chili powder for an added kick. Bake at 450 degrees for about 20 minutes and serve with your favorite organic ketchup. Sweet potatoes boast an abundance of fiber to keep you full all day long and contain a healthy serving of carotenoids that help with cell repair. It's important to hydrate on a rest day, too, which you can receive from more than just liquids. Combine water-dense cucumbers with protein-heavy cottage cheese, and you have a simple but effective recovery snack. Cottage cheese is also rich in B-12, so count that as a bonus toward your energy levels. Fuel up on the perfect recovery lunch with lean turkey, tomato, avocado, mustard and cucumber, wrapped in lettuce. Feel free to add as many veggies as you want to get even more nutrients and minerals or serve on whole-grain bread for extra carbs. Turkey is a classic lean protein—great for building muscle mass with minimum calorie damage—and tomatoes are beneficial for your heart, skin and bones. Bone broth is all the rage right now and for good reason. It can help heal your gut, protect your joints, promote better sleep, support your immune system and even up your energy levels. You can create the broth from leftovers of bone-in meat or simply purchase pre-made broth at your local grocery store. Throw in celery, carrots and any other favorite veggies, and you've got a recipe for a savory, delicious recovery soup. Original article and pictures take http://www.active.com/food-and-nutrition/articles/what-you-should-eat-on-rest-day site