This recipe first came together because Lukas and I were about to go out of town, and wanted to use up the ingredients in our fridge. We were driving home from the beach, listing out what ingredients we had available, and when I said we could make a cabbage and ground turkey dish - Lukas was just about ready to drive to In-N-Out instead. I convinced him to give it a try just this once, and we've kept it around as a staple ever since. It's a quick and easy recipe with very few dishes, and we almost always have the ingredients handy to make this.
This recipe is great for the luteal phase because it contains turkey, kale, onion, garlic, and cabbage. During the luteal phase, you want to focus on fiber-rich foods to support the large intestine in flushing out excess estrogen and consume nutrient-dense food as your body's metabolism naturally speeds up.
Turkey is rich in vitamin Bs (which are important for the production of progesterone), magnesium (which can help reduce anxiety), iron (which is important for healthy blood cells), zinc (which helps set the foundation for our body to create progesterone), and choline (an important mineral for fertility).
Kale is high in vitamin E which helps flush out estrogen and is an antioxidant that calms inflammation. Just make sure to cook it because otherwise it contains contain goitrogens (which suppress thyroid function) and can contribute to PCOS. Vitamin E also contributes to healthy progesterone levels, which is important at this time of your cycle.
Onions are one of the easiest ingredients to add to a luteal phase recipe! They are high in antioxidants, help regulate blood sugar levels, and are a great source of manganese and potassium.
Garlic is filled with anti-inflammatory properties, and studies actually show that the consumption of garlic helps significantly reduce premenstrual symptoms with a confidence interval of 95%!
Cabbage, part of the cruciferous vegetable family, contains Indole-3-Carbinol (I3C) which decreases the concentration of metabolites that activate the estrogen receptor, making it a great way to lower estrogen. It’s also packed with vitamin C, which aids proper hormone production and is an antioxidant, which reduces inflammation. Just make sure to cook it because otherwise it contains contain goitrogens (which suppress thyroid function) and can contribute to PCOS.
Ground Turkey Stir-Fry
Serves: 4 Active Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
1 onion
1/2 head of cabbage
3 cups of kale, chopped
16 oz ground turkey
4 garlic cloves
2 tsp sesame oil
4 tbsp soyaki
2 tbsp sriracha
2 tsp honey
1/2 tbsp chili flakes
salt and pepper to taste
Noodles
Process
1. Boil your water and prepare your noodles
2. In an oiled pan over medium-high heat, add your onion and stir occasionally for 3-5 minutes or until translucent
3. Add in your ground turkey and cabbage, stirring often, for around 5 minutes
4. Add the kale, all seasonings, sauces, and garlic. Let it cook for another 5 minutes
5. Once your noodles are cooked, add them to the skillet and mix them so that they soak up the sauce and the flavor of the turkey. Cook for another 2 minutes. If needed, add another tbsp of soyaki and more sriracha so that the noodles get more color
This was so comforting and tasty. I felt a good warm after eating this! :)
Hi! Are the onion and cabbage chopped? This is not specified.