Healthy Hormone Nourishing Bowls Series

This bowl includes two of my favorite winter vegetables and a flavorful twist on traditional quinoa with hormone-happy herbs and spices

Welcome to the healthy hormone bowl series!

I have a kind of obsession with bowls. When you pair the right vegetables with the right protein and mix it all together in some yummy sauce I just feel like you can’t go wrong! And there is a million different combinations you can make that can make any lunch or dinner incredibly nourishing.

Hormone health has been my focus for a while now. We are constantly surrounded by EDC’s (endocrine disrupting chemicals) in our daily lives that act as hormones in our bodies and cause incredible distruction and often disease. Maintaining a healthy hormone balance will ensure a happy mind, body, and soul.

The delicious ingredients used in this bowl have amazing hormone health benefits.

Although any diet consisting of lots of healthy carbohydrates, fats, proteins, fruits and vegetables is good for hormone health, there are partciular food combinations that provide that extra benefit!

Let’s take a look at some of the ingredients:

• Sweet Potatoes: A fiber powerhouse, this root vegetable is good for the gut and good for our homones. Wirh high amounts of magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins, sweet potatoes provide the nourishment we need to produce key hormones in our bodies including progesterone. The fiber in root vegetables helps balance blood sugar levels, thus balancing hormones.

• Quinoa: Similar to the sweet potatoe, quinoa is incredibly high in fiber. For vegans, quinoa makes a great low-calorie grain combo with a legume or other vegan source of protein in order to get all 9 essential amino acids in comparison to brown rice. Quinoa also helps regulate cortisol (our stress hormone) and promote healthy blood sugar levels.

• Kale: Once named the most nutrient dense cruciferous vegetable, kale has high amounts of calcium and magnesium which can fight water retention and support healthy levels of estrogen and testosterone.

• Turmeric +Ginger: The combo of these spices reduces inflammation and increases the level of testosterone in the body which is especially good for women who suffer from low testosterone that can contribute to depression and fatigue.

• Walnuts: A healthy fat and a nut great for brain health also supports healthy hormones. They increase sex-hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), which is a hormone that binds to testosterone and decreases free androgen levels. This positively affects cholesterol, insulin, and androgen levels in women which can be very helpful for women who suffer from PCOS.

Recipe

serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 red onion

• a thumb-sized piece of ginger

• 1 cup of quinoa

• 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes

• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil or olive oil

• 1 cup of coconut milk

• 2 teaspoon of turmeric powder

• 1 cup of water or vegetable broth

• ½ teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (optional)

• about 4 leaves of kale

• 1/2 package of tempeh (or protein of your choice)

• toppings: chopped walnuts

• Salt and pepper to taste

Sauce

• 1/2 cup tahini

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp dijon mustard

• 1/2 tbsp maple syrup

• 1/2 a lemon squeeze

• 1 tsp coconut aminos

• 1/2 tsp sriracha

• water for thinning

• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Finely chop the onion and grate or chop the ginger. Wash quinoa well. Peel the sweet potato, dice it and put it on a baking tray with a little olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Chop the tempeh into strips and add to the baking tray with the sweet potatoes mixed with a little olive oil and salt. Roast for approx. 20 - 25 minutes at 180 ° C in the oven (or put the sweet potatoes and tempeh in the air fryer for 15 mins on 380 degrees F).

2. In the meantime, heat the remaining oil in a saucepan and fry the onions and ginger. Reduce the heat slightly and add the turmeric powder and sauté for about 30 seconds. Now add quinoa, coconut milk, water or vegetable broth and apple cider vinegar and bring everything to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.

3. In the meantime, remove the kale from the stalk and wash well and cut into bite sized pieces. Chop the walnuts and set aside

4. After the quinoa has simmered for 10 minutes, stir in the kale and add some water or vegetable stock. Simmer together for another 3-4 minutes.

5. Prepare the sauce by combining all ingredients in a small bowl or a small mason jar and stir well adding water until desired consistency is met.

6. Build your bowl with the sweet potatoes, quinoa, kale, tempeh, chopped walnuts, and drizzle the dressing on top.

The next Healthy Hormone Bowl will be posted the following Monday.

love and light, allisun