The Hormone Reset Diet (36 page)

1. Blend the shallot, garlic, white wine vinegar, anchovies, and avocado in a blender or food processor until smooth.

2. With the blender on low, slowly drizzle the coconut milk and olive oil into the mixture.

3. Transfer the dressing to a small bowl, and whisk them together with the parsley, basil, tarragon, and oregano. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Toss the dressing with the arugula, watercress, radishes, and sprouts in a large bowl.

Adapted from Alice Waters’s Green Goddess Dressing. Alice Waters,
In the Green Kitchen
(New York: Clarkston Potter, 2010), p. 14.

Geek Out with Dr. Sara:
Quinoa is probably the world’s healthiest seed (not a grain). Unlike cereal grains, quinoa contains healthy fats, protein, and many valuable phytonutrients.

Makes 4 servings

Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl, and serve. This salad will keep in the refrigerator for three days if you omit the avocado until ready to serve.

Geek Out with Dr. Sara:
The red pigment found in vegetables such as beets, chard stems, and rhubarb comes from phytonutrients known as betalains. If you have ever peeled a beet with your bare hands, you know what a potent amount of this pigment the root vegetable contains. Betalains promote detoxification in the body by enabling the production of enzymes in the liver.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Dressing:

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon thyme

½ teaspoon fennel seeds

Salt and pepper to taste

Salad:

1 medium beet

4 or 5 large leaves of dinosaur kale

Half a head of butter lettuce, chopped

Quarter of a red onion, thinly sliced

For dressing:

Whisk the vinegar, olive oil, thyme, fennel seeds, and salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Set aside.

For salad:

1. Cover the beet with water in a medium pan, and bring to a boil.

2. Reduce the heat and simmer until the beet is tender, approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

3. Remove the beet from the pan, and rinse in cold water. Slice off the skin, and cut the flesh into small thin pieces. Set aside.

4. Massage the kale between your fingers until the leaves become bright green and silky in texture. Slice the massaged leaves into thin pieces.

5. Toss the kale, beet, lettuce, and onion together in a large bowl.

6. Top with the dressing, and enjoy!

When you want a little bit of crispy, carby goodness on top of your salad, try these “croutons” warm over shredded kale and lettuce with sliced red onion and a red wine vinaigrette.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

1. Preheat the oven to 475°F.

2. Peel the butternut squash, and remove the seeds. Dice into ½-inch square pieces. Toss in a large bowl with oil and spices until each piece is well coated.

3. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil, and arrange the squash in a single layer with plenty of room between each small piece.

4. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Flip the croutons over using a spatula,
and bake for an additional 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown and tender on the inside. Enjoy over your favorite salad.

Kaffir lime leaves are sometimes hard to find. The zest and juice of one lime can be substituted.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

1. Remove the base of the lemongrass stalks with a sharp knife, and discard the tough outer layer. Chop the lemongrass stalks into 2-inch pieces, and toss them into a blender with the chopped ginger, Kaffir lime leaves, and garlic cloves.

2. Pulse the blender a few times until most of the ingredients form a pulp.

3. Add the blended ingredients and the cardamom pods to a large stock pan, and cook over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.

4. Add the chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse.

5. Strain broth through a fine sieve into a large clean pan. Add the chicken and mushrooms to the broth, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

6. Remove from the heat. Stir in the coconut milk and fish sauce.

7. Garnish with the chili oil and fresh cilantro leaves before serving.

Geek Out with Dr. Sara:
The dairy industry would have us believe that milk is an indispensable source of calcium in our diet as calcium is necessary for healthy bones. What the milk advertisements don’t tell us is that there are many other sources of calcium besides dairy products, and that the mineral is only one of the building blocks essential for bone health. Vitamins K and D are also crucial ingredients for bone metabolism. Unlike dairy, the vegetables in this soup provide calcium and the vitamins needed to balance and facilitate the body’s ability to use calcium—and it tastes as rich and creamy as a dairy-based soup.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

1. Heat the coconut oil in the bottom of a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the cauliflower, asparagus, shallots, and garlic, and cook until the cauliflower is tender and the shallots are translucent.

2. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the arugula, broccoli rabe, and watercress. Keep stirring over low heat until the leaves have brightened.

3. Add the broth. Working in batches, transfer the soup to a blender, and purée until smooth.

4. Return the soup to the pot over low heat. Stir in the coconut milk, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, rosemary, and salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Adapted from Mark Hyman’s Green Goddess Broccoli and Arugula Soup. Mark Hyman,
The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet: Activate Your Body’s Natural Ability to Burn Fat and Lose Weight Fast
(New York: Little Brown and Company, 2014), pp. 276–77.

I agree with Diane Sanfilippo that a warm bowl of porridge in the morning feels supernurturing. Here is an adaptation of a porridge that I learned from her.

Makes 1 serving

Heat the ghee in a small pan over low heat. Add the remaining ingredients, adjusting the coconut milk to achieve the desired consistency. Serve warm.

Adapted with permission from Diane Sanfilippo’s Grain Free Porridge. Diane Sanfilippo,
Practical Paleo
(Las Vegas: Victory Belt, 2012), p. 252.

These high-protein, grain-free muffins are great for when you need to grab breakfast on the fly. Try variations with different meats and vegetables, or substitute kale for chard or add roasted bell peppers for a different flavor.

Makes 12 servings

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2. Heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add the garlic, and cook for a few minutes until the garlic softens.

3. Add the shredded chard to the pan, and cover. Cook for approximately 3 minutes, until the chard brightens and becomes tender. Strain the chard and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

4. Beat the eggs in a large bowl with the salt, pepper, fennel seeds, and cayenne. Stir in the chard and onions.

5. Line a muffin tin with 12 paper baking cups. Fill each cup halfway with the egg mixture. Spoon a few tablespoons of the chopped meat into each cup. Pour a little more egg on top of each cup to seal the muffin.

6. Bake the muffins for approximately 35 minutes or until the egg sets and becomes golden brown on top.

Adapted with permission from Diane Sanfilippo’s Buffalo Chicken Egg Muffins. Diane Sanfilippo,
Practical Paleo
(Las Vegas: Victory Belt, 2012), p. 100.

This is one of those miraculous dishes that is both delicious and incredibly healthy. You can choose to skip sautéing the zucchini for a completely raw, vegan, Paleo, and Hormone Reset Diet–friendly meal that is flavorful and filling.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

1. Using a julienne peeler, peel the zucchini lengthwise into long slices. They should look like spaghetti noodles. Set aside.

2. Blend the coconut milk, lemon juice, garlic salt, and pepper in a food processor until smooth. Add the arugula, nutritional yeast, garlic cloves, lemon zest, and olive oil, and blend again until creamy.

3. Heat the coconut oil in a very large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini noodles. You may need to work in batches, depending on the size of your skillet. Sauté the zucchini until the noodles have just brightened, approximately 4 to 6 minutes.

4. Remove the zucchini from the pan, and serve with pesto.

This gluten-free hazelnut and coconut crust is crispier and more flavorful than panko breadcrumbs. Even picky kids love this gourmet version of the classic frozen fish stick.

Makes 4 servings

1. Combine the hazelnut meal, coconut, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Stir well.

2. Rinse the halibut, and pat it dry with a paper towel. Cut the fillet into 1-inch-wide strips.

3. Beat the egg in a separate small bowl.

4. Submerge each piece of fish in the egg, then dip it into the crust mixture and coat well.