Recipe for Hormone Balance: Super Cruciferous Salad
If your main course needs a sidekick that packs a punch, look no further than the super cruciferous salad. Some charred, some raw, all possible types of varieties tossed in a nutrient rich tahini dressing. Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or dining in for a party of 1, this salad is a fan and hormone favorite. Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbages, bok choy, and Brussels sprouts, contain a compound called 3,3-Diindolylmethane, or DIM, that has been shown to reduce excess estrogen and support hormone detoxification in the liver. Bok choy is a cruciferous vegetable that helps rebalance your gut microbiome and reduce estrogen dominance, balancing hormones. Not only does it add rich flavor and healthy fats to your dressings, tahini is rich in zinc which helps boost progesterone and lignans which blocks excess estrogen when progesterone is rising. Tahini can also help protect against hormone related cancers.
This recipe has 3 parts, make them separately or combine them for the ultimate side dish.
Pickled Cauliflower Ingredients
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1/2 cup vinegar
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1/4 cup water
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2 dates, pitted
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Pinch salt
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1 cup cauliflower florets
Instructions
Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan. Simmer on low until cauliflower is tender. Allow mixture to cool, then transfer to a glass container and store in the fridge.
Ingredients
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Bok choy
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Shallot
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Cauliflower
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Brussels sprouts
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1 tbsp sesame oil
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2 tbsp pickling liquid (from pickled cauliflower recipe)
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1/2 inch of finely grated ginger
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1 tbsp sesame paste/tahini
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Thoroughly rinse and dry produce, then chop brussels sprouts, bok choy, shallot, and cauliflower.
Take half of the produce and steam them on the stovetop until tender. Take the other half and lightly toss in olive oil, salt, cayenne, and pepper and add to a sheet pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
While the vegetables are cooking, to make the dressing, combine the remaining ingredients until smooth, adding water as needed, and transfer to a jar. Allow the vegetables to cool slightly and then toss in the tahini dressing.