This roasted vegetable salad is packed with great nutrients, chosen to help your liver detox and correct hormone imbalance. During the cold season our body craves comfort food and this wonderful mix of vegetables in season, dark leafy greens, healthy fats, quality protein and healing spices is perfect to create a hormone balancing salad which is ideal for fall and winter.
A delicious and satiating roasted vegetable salad will help your body:
- Reduce PMS symptoms
- Balance the hormone production and support the elimination of metabolized hormones
- Nourish with essential minerals, vitamins, enzymes
- Boost the liver activity and support the natural detox process
Hormone Balancing Foods
Hormone imbalance may have multiple faces, but Estrogen dominance and low progesterone levels are the most common among women (myself included).
Poor quality of sleep, headaches, belly fat gain, fibrocystic breasts, severe PMS symptoms, endometriosis – these can be all symptoms of imbalance between the main hormones that regulate the cycle – estrogen and progesterone.
Living with hormonal imbalance for so many years, I’ve learned that small diet adjustments can work wonders.
If you eat according to the cycle phases: light and energy boosting foods during the follicular phase, comfort foods with complex carbs and fibre during the luteal phase, commit to seed cycling for at least two or three months, supplement wisely with quality minerals and vitamins and eat your greens and quality proteins, your body will respond with higher energy levels and a balanced hormone production.
Back to this healthy veggie salad, these are the foods to consider when assembling such a healthy meal:
- Green leafy vegetables and aromatics – I can’t stress enough, eating your greens is the main step to boost the liver activity and support the estrogen metabolism and elimination via kidneys, preventing accumulations.
- Complete protein – such as quinoa or different combinations of legumes, cereals, nuts and seeds, makes the base for hormone and enzyme production.
- Vegetables of all kind – choose lighter ones such as broccoli, cucumber or zucchini during the follicular phase and starchy ones such as root vegetables during the luteal phase. Vegetables contain fiber, minerals, vitamins and enzymes that support the natural detoxification process.
- Healthy fats – avocado, extra virgin olive oil, eggs from free pastured chickens, nuts and seeds. They contain essential minerals, increase the absorption of vitamins and also make the base for hormone production.
- Healing spices – such as turmeric and ginger support the detox activity, reduce inflammation and boost digestion.
How to Make a Roasted Veggie Salad?
When creating a hormone balancing vegetable salad you need to combine whole foods that offer your body the nutrients it needs to produce new hormones and eliminate the metabolites of old ones.
A satiating roasted veggie salad includes protein (quinoa), fiber, minerals and vitamins (from vegetables), fresh enzymes and antioxidants (from kale and parsley), healthy fats (pumpkin seeds and extra virgin olive oil) and healing spices (ginger and turmeric).
Roasted Vegetable Salad Dressing
This golden turmeric dressing is not only delicious, but also packed with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and digestive boosting nutrients. It contains:
- extra virgin olive oil – a healthy fat that supports hormone production and nutrient absorption
- freshly squeezed lemon juice – loaded with vitamin C, a booster of progesterone production
- turmeric powder – with anti-inflammatory effects
- freshly grated ginger – antioxidant and digestive booster
- black pepper – increases the nutrients absorption
If you’re interested in more hormone balancing salad recipes please make sure to check my Protein-Packed Kale Salad, Green Detox Broccoli Salad, Superfood Salad or the Detox Salad with Kale, Roasted Chickpeas and Beet.
I love seeing your take on my recipes, so if you make this salad don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @theawesomegreen so I can see it and share with the community!
Roasted Vegetable Salad for Hormone Balance
Ingredients
- 2 sweet potatoes
- 1 red bell pepper
- 2 carrots
- 1 yellow onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds lightly toasted
- 1 pomegranate seeds only
- 3-4 kale leaves chopped
- 1 bunch fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1/2 cup quinoa uncooked
- 2 dried apricots diced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin
Roasted Vegetable Salad Dressing
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp ginger freshly grated
- 2 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/392F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare the veggies - peel the sweet potatoes, carrots and onion and cut into cubes. Dice the bell pepper and add them onto the baking sheet. Add cumin, drizzle olive olive oil and toss to coat evenly. Bake for 20 minutes then remove from the oven.
- While the veggies are roasting, prepare the quinoa. Rinse it well and add it into a pot with 1 cup water. Bring to boil over medium heat, simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, lid the pot and set aside (the quinoa will absorb the steam and get fluffy).
- In a large bowl combine the quinoa, roasted vegetables, chopped kale and parsley, dried apricots, pumpkin and pomegranate seeds,
- Add the dressing ingredients into a jar, lid the jar and shake well to combine.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad then toss to combine.
- Divide into serving bowls and serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
This looks amazing!! I can’t wait to try it. Thank you!
Thanks so much, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram if you make it!
I am on a little journey to go back to my healthy eating habits (after a year of constantly getting sick) and not eating correct. Ice cream has been my best friend during the pandemic. I came across this recipe and was initially skeptical, esp the dressing (thought it would be too bitter), but THIS RECIPE IS DELICIOUS! I REALLY like it and will definitely make it again! Just wanted to say good job and THANK YOU!
Really lovely to read you like this nutrient-packed recipe! Your journey is an inspiration
Amazing information! I always learn something from your posts. The salad looks so healthy. Yum!
Happy to read that you like it!
This recipe looks so so delicious. Make sure my family will love it. Thanks for sharing and love your site
Great to read you like it!
Where does the garlic go? No instructions?