Are you looking for a natural progesterone source?
I love sweet potatoes because they contain a full spectrum of hormone balancing nutrients that help build natural progesterone.
The hormone progesterone is naturally dominant in the luteal phase of your cycle. Optimal levels are essential for fertility, balanced moods and minimal PMS symptoms, as well as a balanced period.
Progesterone & Your Period
Do you experience heavy menstrual flow? Flooding may be a symptom of not enough progesterone. Estrogen builds the endometrial lining and progesterone halts its growth, helping to ‘ripen’ the lining and prepare for potential pregnancy.
If you’re Eating For Your Cycle, focus on natural progesterone building foods like sweet potato in the luteal phase. Sweet potatoes are high in vitamin A, vitamin B5, B6, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, and due to their orange color, are high in carotenoids.
Food Fact
The corpus luteum is the shell of the egg which produces 80 percent of your natural progesterone. To properly function, the corpus luteum needs an ample source of beta carotene from foods to build itself. Increase your intake of beta carotene from orange foods like sweet potato during your luteal phase to help your body perform its monthly duties easily.
Sweet potatoes are versatile, and we want to show you how you can enjoy them at any time. Getting more sweet potato is a super tasty, comforting way to help you reduce your flow. We hope you enjoy these 3 delicious sweet potato recipes; let us know which one you like best! Note that the last recipe is a vegan option which we hope you will try! All of these recipes make 2 servings worth.
To bake smaller sweet potatoes, rinse them and pierce several times with a fork. Wrap them in foil and bake in the oven at 350F for 45 minutes, or until very soft.
The Recipes
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Baked Sweet Potato with Breakfast Scramble
Ingredients
2 small sweet potatoes, baked
2 slices of bacon
1/4 medium onion, diced
4 cups spinach
4 eggs
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 green onion, minced
2 small radishes, diced
Method
Cook the bacon in a skillet and transfer to a plate to cool once done. Cut into 1″ pieces using kitchen scissors.
Add the diced onion to the skillet and cook in the bacon grease for 3-5 minutes.
Add the spinach and allow it to wilt, about 1 minute.
Add the eggs, salt and pepper and scramble.
Once cooked through, distribute between the two halves of the sweet potato. Garnish with bacon, minced green onion and finely diced radish.
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Baked Sweet Potato with Sesame Turkey Salad
Ingredients
2 small sweet potatoes, baked
8 oz. turkey slices, chopped small
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 lime, juiced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup jackfruit (canned), minced
1/2 cup cilantro, minced
1 green onion, minced
2 Tbsp slivered almonds, toasted
Method
Toss all of the ingredients together in a large bowl and distribute between the two halves of the sweet potato.
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Baked Sweet Potato with Roasted Veggies & Lemongrass Sauce (Vegan)
Ingredients
2 small sweet potatoes, baked and halved
Roasted Veggies
1/2 cup cauliflower, diced
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 cups baby kale
Coconut Lemongrass Sauce
Makes 1.5 cups (store leftovers in the fridge for 1 week)
1 small shallot, peeled and minced
4″ lemongrass, minced
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
14 oz. can coconut cream
10 basil leaves
2 tsp arrowroot powder
Method
While your sweet potatoes are baking, roast your cauliflower for 20 minutes (tossing after 10 minutes) by tossing it in coconut oil, salt and paper then arranging it on a parchment-lined baking tray.
While the veggies are cooking, make the sauce by sauteing the shallot, lemongrass salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes for 5 minutes.
Add 1/4 cup coconut cream and the arrowroot powder, whisking well until the arrowroot is completely absorbed.
Transfer to a blender with the remaining coconut cream and basil and blend until creamy.
After the cauliflower is roasted, toss with the baby kale. The kale will wilt from the heat of the cauliflower.
Distribute the veggies between the baked sweet potatoes and garnish each with a few tablespoons of the sauce.
Pin it for next week’s meals!
Photos and recipe by Sarah Steffens of Savor & Fancy
Sarah Steffens is a Personal Chef based in Los Angeles. She specializes in Paleo, Autoimmune, and Whole30 cooking and believes food is the starting ground for practicing kindness to one’s body, mind and spirit. She shares recipes and kitchen tips at Savor & Fancy.
