Dump and Bake Mediterranean Pasta

I have been LOVING dump and bake meals. They're quick and easy to make, and to clean up, which means we have no reason to not be prioritizing our hormone health! This one-pan, high protein dish is delicious and will leave your body nourished and ready to operate at its best.

Ingredients for your follicular phase: chicken, zucchini, lentils, artichoke. During the follicular phase, your metabolism naturally slows down, so you want to eat foods that aid liver detoxification to ensure estrogen buildup doesn't occur in the gut.

Chicken is a follicular phase food because it is high in choline, which is an important mineral for fertility. It is also high in vitamin Bs and minerals such as zinc - which is needed for follicle development- and magnesium - which is important for metabolizing estrogen. Since magnesium is at its lowest during the follicular phase, it's important to maintain healthy levels of it at this time. Lastly, chicken is high in protein (even more so than beef!) which helps regulate blood sugar levels. But also, your body is most easily going to build muscle during this part of the cycle, so load up on protein to ensure you're providing your body with what it needs!

Zucchini is high in both vitamins A and C and is a light food to eat which means our bodies can easily digest it, even when the metabolism has slowed down during this phase. Vitamin A aids in the process of gut detoxification, allowing our body to more easily excrete excess estrogen which can help prevent acne. Vitamin C helps our body absorb iron and aids progesterone production.

Artichoke is high in fiber, folate, and vitamin C. Fiber is key to helping our body flush out excess estrogen while our body ramps up production at this time of the cycle. Vitamin C and folate strengthen the release of the egg and the chances of implantation in the ovulation phase.

Lentils are high in protein, contain phytoestrogens, have a low glycemic index, are rich in fiber, and have high levels of iron and folate. Protein is important because it helps regulate blood sugar levels but also, your body is most easily going to build muscle during this part of the cycle, so load up on protein to ensure you're providing your body with what it needs! Fiber and phytoestrogens are important in flushing out excess estrogen from the body, as fiber helps your liver push the excess estrogen through and excrete it while phytoestrogens can reduce the effectiveness of estrogen, which will help you regulate the estrogen levels in your body.