It’s week 2 of our Nutrition for Hormone Balance video series and I’m going to share with you my 10-minute dinner bowl that I threw together after a busy day in clinic. And of course, I’ll share with you how all the nutritious & delicious ingredients help balance our insulin, cortisol & estrogen – how it came together so quickly…because I totally know you understand when I say I’m hungry (soon to be hangry) when I get home from work and need to eat stat!
So let’s get started!
10-Minute Quinoa Kale Stir-fry Bowl
The Hormone-Balancing Ingredients
1 tablespoon avocado oil
½ chopped onion – Contains sulphur compounds that help support liver detoxification
1-2 cups chopped kale – A proud member of the cruciferous family vegetables that are awesome for estrogen detoxification – great for heavy/painful periods, fertility concerns and perimenopause.
½ cup cooked quinoa – This is actually a seed that works like a side-dish grain in place of rice. The higher protein content than most grains helps keep blood sugars more stable which means your insulin and cortisol can stay balanced too
Cooking tip: Cook a cup of quinoa on the weekend so you can throw it in quick dinners or pack lunches all week. I cooked 1 cup quinoa (to 2 cups water) earlier in the week and this is probably the 4th or 5th meal I’ve used it in…it makes so much!
Hormone balance BONUS tip #1: Store your big batch of quinoa in glass containers to reduce hormonal exposure to plastic which can contribute xenoestrogens that disrupt our estrogen balance.
½ cup chickpeas – Adds additional protein and fibre. The fibre helps feed healthy gut bacteria and keep bowel movements regular (yup, I said that!) – both of which help eliminate estrogen in the body, especially helpful for those with estrogen dominance
Avocado – Healthy monounsaturated fats further stabilize blood sugars, keeping insulin and cortisol in check…and the healthy fat increases the satiety factor of the meal (meaning it helps you feel fuller longer, as in it satiates you!)…and who doesn’t love avocado?
Hormone Balance BONUS Tip #2: if you saw my Instagram post yesterday, you saw I shared the EWG Guide. Remember, pesticides add to the work your liver has to do to help detoxify your body from well, everything – including our own hormones. So it makes total sense to avoid as many pesticides as you can, and the EWG Guide totally helps you do that. Why do I mention this here? Avocados are #1 on the Clean 15 list (onions are on there too!).
Garlic powder & sea salt to taste (I would have added freshly ground black pepper but my pepper grinder broke & I am literally heartbroken and don’t know how we’re surviving without it!
How to bring this bowl to life!
- Heat avocado oil on low-medium heat. Add onions and saute for a few minutes.
- Add kale and saute for 2 minutes max.
- Add quinoa and stir for 1 minute.
- Add chickpeas and stir for 1 minute.
- Turn off the burner and add garlic powder & sea salt to suit your taste.
- Serve in a bowl with half a small avocado, decompress & enjoy!
If you made this, make sure you let me know – I’d love to see how yours turned out! And of course – modify the recipe to suit your need and make it your own! Post a picture & tag me on Instagram @odettebulaongnd or Facebook Odette Bulaong ND because I’d love to see how it worked out for you and know if you like it as much as I do (it’s totally ok if you don’t!).
Make sure you check back right here for next week’s hormone-balancing recipe!
