Spiced Baked Carrot Chips

Ingredients (Serves 1)

1 cup packed carrot rounds (from about 5 small carrots or 3 large ones)
1 teaspoon high heat oil of choice (I like avocado and coconut)
1 tablespoon za’atar
for the za’atar blend:
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon sumac
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

  1. Using a mandoline or a knife, thinly slice the carrots, then toss with oil and za’atar until each slice is well coated.
  2. Lay flat without letting them touch each other on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then bake for 8 minutes.
  3. Remove from oven and reduce heat to 225 degrees, then return to oven and bake for an additional hour, or until crispy.
  4. Let cool completely to maximize crispiness. Can be stored in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.

Sweet baked potatoes with curried puy lentils

Ingredients

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon curry powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1 cup dried puy lentils
1½ cups vegetable stock
1½ cups  of coconut milk
3 cloves garlic
1-4 sweet potatoes (depending on how many servings you’re making: see note)

 Method

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
  2. Wash sweet potato and place it directly in the oven, with a piece of parchment or foil below to catch any drips. Cook for 40 minutes to 1 hour, or until it gives easily when squeezed. Remove from oven and let cool.
  3. Meanwhile, peel and mince your garlic and set aside, so the compounds have time to activate.
  4. In a medium pot, cook onion until translucent; add spices and cook for 3 more minutes or until fragrant. Add lentils, vegetable broth, and coconut milk. Bring to boil then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 30-45 minutes, or until lentils are very soft and have absorbed most of the liquid, then turn off heat and add the garlic immediately and stir (this cooks the garlic enough to mitigate the intensity of the flavor while preserving all of its health benefits).
  5. Spoon over sweet potatoes and top with a few generous spoonfuls of dahl. This dahl recipe makes enough for 4 ¾ cup servings. Each serving should top one sweet potato; you can either make 4 sweet potatoes and eat throughout the week or simply eat the dahl as leftovers. It also freezes well.

Hormone-Balancing Beverages

These are my favorite hormone-balancing beverages

  1. Lemon water – Lemons are high in vitamin C, which has been shown to benefit the skin and boost immunity. Lemons have also been shown to help the liver detoxify the body and improve insulin resistance by regulating hormones like glucose and leptin.Instructions: start the day with a big glass of warm water and a few squeezes of lemon first thing in the morning.

 

  1. Golden Milk is an amazing hormone-balancing concoction, and it’s warming, soothing, and delicious. It has anti-inflammatory properties and improves circulation and oestrogen In Ayurveda, turmeric is considered an important tool in combating everything from amenorrhea and endometriosis to fibroids and cysts, and the other ingredients, including coconut milk, are wonderful sources of healthy fats.Instructions:  first cook a golden paste (turmeric needs to be heated to get the benefits) by blending 5 tablespoons vcoconut oil, 1/2 cup organic turmeric powder, 1 cup water, and 1.5 teaspoons black pepper in a pot and simmer for about 10 minutes. Once this cools, you can keep it in the refrigerator in a jar for about two weeks and just take a dollop every time you make the milk.

    To make the milk, warm 2 cups of coconut milk and 1 teaspoon of the golden paste in a pot, and whisk until fully mixed. Then add cinnamon, honey, and maple syrup to taste.