If you want to feel your best while you’re on your period, give this Thai peanut beef bowl a try! It’s packed with iron for energy and immunity, magnesium to combat cramps and anxiety, and protein for blood sugar management, and the peanut sauce may be one of my favorite dressings yet. I make it thick, but feel free to add more water to get your preferred texture
This recipe is perfect for the menstrual phase because of the beef, edamame, mushrooms, soy sauce, and kale. During your menstrual phase, you want to focus on warm, comforting cooking methods to warm up your uterus. From the nutrition side, you want to stock up on micronutrients that are the building blocks of blood. Your hormones are at their lowest levels and energy is low, so keep your blood sugar steady with low GI foods.
I typically like to cut down on my red meat consumption, but beef is a great source of iron and protein which nourishes your body around the time of your period. When you bleed, your body is losing iron very quickly so you want to make sure to replenish this nutrient to maintain healthy levels of iron. It should also curb cravings by regulating your blood sugar and filling you up!
Mushrooms are high in protein, magnesium, and Vitamin B6! The protein helps manage our blood sugar levels and gives us a stabilized mood, and it is one of the few plant-based proteins that contain all 9 essential amino acids, making it a great protein choice for vegetarians. Magnesium will aid cramping and Vitamin B6 helps with healthy blood cell production.
Soy is a phytoestrogen, which means it mimics the effects of estrogen in our bodies. During menstrual, this is great as it can help boost mood and energy - but try to avoid soy in the later phases (if you struggle with high estrogen levels) to ensure your body is effectively flushing out excess estrogen.
Similarly, edamame is a good source of soy, but is also high in iron, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids, which may help with energy, pain, and other symptoms.
Kale is high in vitamin E which helps flush out estrogen and is an antioxidant that calms inflammation. I typically prefer to cook it because otherwise it contains 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.
Thai Peanut Beef Bowls
Serves: 4 Active Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup wild rice
2 cups beef bone broth
8 oz mushrooms, chopped
1.5 tsp garlic powder
1 lb ground beef
1/4 tsp salt
2 cup chopped kale
2/3 Edamame
1 cup cucumbers, chopped
Thai Peanut Sauce
1/4 cup peanut butter
1-2 tbsp boiling water
1/2 inch ginger grated (or 1/4 ground)
1 tsp maple syrup
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Process
Start by rinsing your wild rice, then add it to a small pot with your beef bone broth. Substitute the bone broth for the quantity of water recommended on your wild rice package, and cook according to instructions. I brought it to a boil, covered it, then let it simmer for 45 minutes.
While the rice is cooking, you will prepare the rest of the bowl. Add your chopped mushrooms to a hot, dry, cast iron pan. You will saute it over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes until the water has been pulled out of the mushroom and it browns. Once it's soft, add 1/2 tsp garlic and continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the pan.
On the same cast iron, add a drizzle of olive oil, then add your ground beef, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 1/4 tsp salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the beef is brown and cooked.
Create your Thai peanut sauce by mixing all ingredients in a small bowl and mixing until evenly combined. Feel free to add more water to get the consistency you like in a dressing - I like it a little thicker than most!
If you're using frozen edamame, cook it according to the instructions on the package. It can be in the microwave or saucepan.
Assemble your bowl - starting with the kale, then layer on the rest of your ingredients.
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