pcos Archives - Page 7 of 8

Power Berry Chia Overnight Oats

A simple breakfast rich in antioxidants.

Talk about starting the day off strong with a punch of anti-oxidants. Every ingredient in this breakfast is nutritious and it takes about 10 minutes to prepare: 5 minutes the night before and 5 minutes in the morning. The key is in perfecting the chia pudding layer to the consistency you prefer as this breakfast can work with almost any fruit.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 cup oats
3/4 cup almond milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup frozen berries (cherries & blueberries), organic if possible
toppings: pomegranate

How to:

Whisk together oats, chia seeds, almond milk and cinnamon in a bowl.
Place in fridge overnight.
In the morning puree frozen fruit in food processor.
Get creative layering the oat mixture with fruit mixture, or simply mix everything together.

PCOS Powers:

chia seeds = high in omega 3s which can help decrease high testosterone and improve egg quality
blueberries = low GI fruit, may help to lower blood glucose levels
cherries = low GI fruit, may help lower inflammation
cinnamon = may help balance glucose levels, lower cholesterol, and decrease triglycerides in blood
pomegranate = may help lower cholesterol and triglycerides

Kale Ginger Smoothie with Flax Seeds

Sneak your veggies in, any time of day.

Green smoothies deserve a high five for their ability to provide your daily veggies as painlessly as possible. Adding a banana can mask the taste of greens like kale and spinach. I make sure my bananas are covered with brown spots before using as they are easier to digest than unripe and even yellow bananas. This ripening process allows resistant starch to be converted to simple sugars. For PCOS this is a bit of a catch-22 because spotty bananas will cause less bloating and have greater cancer fighting properties, however they are also higher in glycemic load than yellow bananas. Having said this, a very ripe banana is still considered low on the glycemic index.

Ingredients:

1 very ripe banana (pre-frozen)
1/2 avocado
2 handfuls of kale or spinach, organic if possible
1 tbsp flax seeds
1 chunk of ginger
1 scoop plant-based protein powder
1/2 to 1 cup water (depending how strong your blender is)

How to:

Throw all ingredients in blender for a quick and easy breakfast or snack.

PCOS Powers:

ginger = anti-inflammatory, may help decrease fasting blood glucose and HbA1c
flax seeds = contain lignans which may increase sex hormone-binding globulin therefore lower blood testosterone levels, may lower blood pressure in hypertensive individuals
spinach/kale = high in calcium which helps alkalize acidity caused by inflammation and impaired glucose tolerance, high in magnesium which helps maintain insulin and glucose levels and can relieve painful periods (more kale benefits here)
avocado = helps lower LDL “bad” cholesterol, low on the glycemic index, high in fiber, & high in B-complex vitamins which combat stress

PIN ME:

Rainbow Collard Green Wraps

Swap out tortilla wraps for collard greens to hug colorful, nutritious ingredients.

This fun, healthy recipe has plenty of opportunity for creativity. In fact, assembling these wraps was equally as fulfilling as eating them! Collard greens provide a low glycemic alternative to tortilla wraps and pack plenty of nutrients including vitamin K, vitamin A, manganese, fiber, calcium and iron. Hummus and quinoa provide plant-based protein sources which balance carbohydrate intake and help maintain blood sugar levels. Leave a comment letting me know what colorful fruits and vegetables you would include!

Ingredients:

1 bunch of collard greens
2 cups cooked quinoa or couscous (cooled)
1 avocado, chopped
1 small mango, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
hummus to spread (try my Garlic Turmeric Hummus)

How to:

Cook the quinoa the day before to save time (I make a huge batch and store in fridge up to 5 days). If you haven’t cooked quinoa before, it is the same deal as rice. If you haven’t cooked rice before, well, Google it.
Trim the thick stems off the collards, even carrying on up past where the leaf begins making an incision in the leaf surrounding the base of the stem (see picture below).
Blanch collards to remove bitterness: plunk each leaf in boiling water for 10-15 seconds and place directly into cold water to cool off. Pat dry and lay on flat surface to begin packing your wraps.
Spread hummus down center of wrap length-wise.
Place quinoa spoonfuls on top of the hummus.
Add avocado, mango and tomato (this may take some experimenting to determine how much filling can fit in your collard leaves).
Roll and fold wraps by bringing the two widths together first and then tucking in the two length edges. I discovered hummus makes a great glue to keep the wraps from falling apart. Toothpicks may help as well.
Serve and/or store in containers in the fridge for lunches.

PCOS Powers:

collard greens = anti-inflammatory, high in iron and calcium, may help lower total cholesterol more than other cruciferous vegetables esp. when steamed
avocados = anti-inflammatory, low glycemic index, high in fiber, may help lower LDL “bad” cholesterol and maintain normal serum total cholesterol levels, contain glutathione which has anti-carcinogenic properties and may boost immunity
tomatoes = high in chromium and lycopene which can help manage insulin resistance
turmeric = anti-inflammatory, helps lower blood glucose levels
garlic = helps lower cholesterol, an antibiotic, & blood cleanser which relaxes blood vessels for easier blood flow

References:

Kahlon TS, Chiu MM, Chapman MH. Steam cooking significantly improves in vitro bile acid binding of collard greens, kale, mustard greens, broccoli, green bell pepper, and cabbage. Nutrition Research. 2008;28:351-357.
Dreher ML, Davenport AJ. Hass avocado composition and potential health effects. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition. 2013;53:738.

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