Recipe by: Sisley Killam’s RHN.

This is Sisley’s Nourish Bowl, her go-to lunch for healthy hormones! Let’s take a deeper dive into what makes this bowl so nourishing, all while satisfying your taste buds and balancing your hormones.

Firstly, it has carbs
Brown rice is a healthier alternative to the more refined white rice because the fibre-rich outer layers are not removed.  Brown rice has more fibre, vitamins, and minerals that come with those additional layers.

It has protein
Tempeh is a cooked and fermented form of soybeans, and is high in protein. Because it’s fermented, the natural phytic acid found in soybeans is broken down, resulting in better absorption. Tempeh is also a rich source of prebiotics, which act as food for good gut bacteria.

It has fat
Look for an avocado oil-based mayonnaise at your local grocery store. We love this version because it doesn’t have the inflammatory seed oils you might find in more traditional mayonnaises.

It has fibre
Increasing your fibre intake to 25 grams per day, per Health Canada’s recommendation, is easier said than done. But this nourishing bowl has you covered. Fibre is mostly known for maintaining digestive regularity, but its health benefits go beyond that. New research is uncovering how effective fibre is for heart health and reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.

How does this bowl nourish your hormones?
Eating too few carbohydrates can cause unnecessary stress to the body and elevate cortisol levels, which can increase symptoms of PMS. Cholesterol, produced by the liver or from diet, is the backbone of all sex hormones like estrogen and progesterone. Ensuring you’re getting enough healthy fats guarantees hormone production!

 Ingredients:

• ¼ cup cooked short grain brown rice
• 1 handful romaine, chopped
• 1 handful arugula
• ¼ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• ¼ cup cucumber, sliced
• ½ an avocado, sliced
• 1 handful cilantro, chopped
• ½ block organic tempeh
• 1 tsp olive oil
• ½ tsp salt, or to taste
• ½ tsp pepper, or to taste
• ½ tsp garlic powder, or to taste
• 1 tbsp hemp seeds

Honey Mustard Dressing:

• 2 tbsp avocado oil mayonnaise
• 1 tsp yellow mustard
• 1 tsp raw honey
• Squeeze of lemon
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Cut tempeh into cubes. Turn stove to medium heat, add tempeh cubes, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to pan. Cook until crispy and golden brown. Leave to cool.
2. Add cooked rice to bowl. Top rice with romaine, arugula, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, cilantro, and cooked tempeh. Sprinkle with hemp seeds.
3. To make the dressing: add mayonnaise, mustard, honey, lemon, salt and pepper to bowl. Whisk until all ingredients are combined. Drizzle the dressing over the salad.