This recipe is my go-to when I have guests over because it takes minimal effort to make and looks incredible when it comes out of the oven! It’s full of veggies, which checks "healthy" off the list and then the puff pastry adds to the yummy aspect. It also makes for great leftovers - just reheat it in the oven to get crispy again!
This recipe is great for your ovulatory phase because of the eggplant and tomato. Even though zucchini is follicular and squash is luteal, I consider it heavily ovulatory since that is the bridge between the two phases, so I'll explain the health benefits of them below as well. During the ovulatory phase, estrogen and testosterone surge, so you want to eat foods that help your body balance out the spike in estrogen and support the heart.
Also fun fact about the ovulatory phase: this is when your body is most capable of "dealing with" a cheat day. Granted, I believe everything is fine in moderation - but if you're worried about puff pastry in a healthy recipe... don't worry about it!
Eggplants are high in antioxidants which calm inflammation and promote liver function - which is extra important as estrogen surges and our body wants to metabolize as much estrogen as possible to maintain a healthy quantity. It also is high in fiber which helps the digestive tract flush out estrogen, and maintain a healthy gut which plays a large role in proper hormone production.
Tomatoes are great for ovulation because they are liver friendly, and easily digestible, which makes space for the body to focus on metabolizing estrogen. They are also rich in vitamin C which aids proper hormone production.
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.
Squash is a slow-burning, complex carbohydrate, which is a great addition to your diet in the luteal phase when your metabolism naturally speeds up so you may find yourself getting hungrier faster. It is also rich in calcium which helps reduce PMS symptoms, and high in vitamin B which aids progesterone production
Fall Ratatouille Galette
Serves: 4 Active Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
1 puff pastry sheet
0.5 eggplant, thinly sliced
1 yellow squash, thinly sliced
1 zucchini, thinly sliced
2 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp pasta sauce
Drizzle olive oil
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Process
1. Preheat the oven to 375º
2. Slice your veggies into thin pieces
3. Add your pasta sauce to the center of your puff pastry sheet, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges.
4. Place your veggies in a large circle around the outer layer of the sauce, layering each thin slice on top of one another, alternating by type of vegetable. When that circle is complete, do another smaller circle closer to the center. If there’s still space, add more slices to fill it completely
5. Take the outer layer of the puff pastry, and fold it over the veggies to create a crust.
6. Drizzle olive oil, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until veggies are cooked and the pastry is golden brown.
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