What to Eat in The Follicular Phase of Your Period

The follicular phase is the first phase of the menstrual cycle, starting on the first day of your period and lasting until ovulation. During this phase, the body is preparing for ovulation, and it’s important to eat plenty of foods that will help balance estrogen production. From pumpkin and flax seeds, to citrus and holy basil, these recipes feature nutrients to Support your body during the Follicular phase of your cycle!

1. Zucchini Spaghetti With Tomato Cream Sauce

Source: Zucchini Spaghetti With Tomato Cream Sauce

A perfect fresh pasta dish, this Zucchini Spaghetti With Tomato Cream Sauce by Kristina Humphreys is gluten-free, and raw vegan yet full of flavor and savory spices & herbs. It is light on digestion and will leave you feeling energetic. Vibrant tomatoes, fresh homegrown herbs, and zucchini make all the difference when it comes to the quality of flavor and texture. This raw spaghetti is so fresh it’s packed with living nutrients and is high in vitamins and minerals, which makes it much more nutritionally dense than regular pasta. You can even incorporate these ingredients into regular noodles for a closer match to a true pasta dish paired with this flavorful, fresh sauce.

2. Avocado Rolls 

Source: Avocado Rolls

These Avocado Rolls by Kathy Davis are refreshing, especially on a warm day! These are a perfect easy snack for when you want something filling and fancy, but don’t want spend lots of time in the kitchen. These rolls go excellently with a cool glass of iced tea.

3. Orange Mint Jalapeno Salad

Source: Orange Mint Jalapeno Salad

This salad is so bright, you might need to wear shades. This Orange Mint Jalapeno Salad has a lot of different flavors going on, but they all work together to create something delicious. The oranges and mint give this dish a bold, citrusy flavor, and the jalapeño and sea salt round out the tartness. The ingredients not only taste great together but look beautiful!

4. Strawberry Banana Oatmeal

Source: Strawberry Banana Oatmeal

The great thing is that you can really get creative with what you put inside and on top and apart from looking super pretty, it gives you lots of good stuff (like fiber and protein) to start your day happy. Try this Strawberry Banana Oatmeal by Kirsten Kaminski!

5. Moroccan Miso, Lentil, and Pumpkin Soup

Source: Miso, Lentil, and Pumpkin Soup

When autumn arrives, pumpkin soup is mandatory. This Miso, Lentil, and Pumpkin Soup is inspired by the fresh, vibrant flavors of Morocco. Although it’s not a traditional Moroccan ingredient, the addition of miso paste gives the soup a deeper, more umami flavor. The lentils make this soup a hearty and filling meal.

6. Homemade Golden Flax Seed Milk

Source: Homemade Golden Flax Seed Milk

Here we have a fantastic recipe for making your own plant-based milk. This Homemade Golden Flax Seed Milk recipe by Wendy Irene is simple to make, delicious, and nutritious. This milk is sweetened with dates and flavored with vanilla and cinnamon. These are aspects that you can play with until it is to your perfect liking.

7. Sweet Potato Mash With Roasted Garlic and Cashew Cream

Source: Sweet Potato Mash With Roasted Garlic and Cashew Cream

This simple Sweet Potato Mash With Roasted Garlic and Cashew Cream is so comforting. It has the deep flavors of roasted sweet potato, onion, and a whole head of garlic. The cashew cream makes this dish feel like a guilty pleasure, with its unsurpassed creaminess. It’s perfectly warming served as a side or as a thick soup.

8. Tulsi Chai Concentrate

Source: Tulsi Chai Concentrate

Holy Basil is a “powerful antioxidant with demonstrated antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties,” which makes it a wonderful adaptogen. This recipe by Courtney West will result in a quick, powerful, and spicy concentrate to use for your very own DIY chai and chai lattes. With a mixture of powerful spices including cloves, anise, allspice, and peppercorn, this may be your new favorite concentrate!

9. Crispy Thai Almond Butter Tofu

Source: Crispy Thai Almond Butter Tofu

Want Thai flavor without the peanuts? Try this simple, delicious crispy tofu coated in Thai almond butter sauce! Creamy almond butter stands in for the classic peanut butter in a sauce with spicy, sweet, umami flavor. It’s the perfect sauce for this crispy baked tofu or for noodles. You’ll love this Crispy Thai Almond Butter Tofu from Melanie Sorrentino!

10. Kimchi Hummus

Source: Kimchi Hummus

This Kimchi Hummus is tart but creamy! The tangy flavor of kimchi coupled with the creaminess of chickpeas makes an amazing dip you will find yourself using for all sorts of things from perking up sandwiches to dipping veggies and chips.

11. Ginger Carrot Daikon Kimchi 

Source: Ginger Carrot Daikon Kimchi

This Ginger Carrot Daikon Kimchi is light and delicious! It’s crisp, spicy, and easy to make. Enjoy it on salads and burgers and anything you think could use a spicy kick.

12. Homemade Raw Saurkraut

Source: Homemade Raw Saurkraut

What if raw sauerkraut is your jam? Maybe you just love spoonfuls of that tangy fermented cabbage. This Homemade Raw Saurkraut recipe by Marina Yanay-Triner is the perfect fit! Super simple — only three ingredients — with easy-to-follow steps, Yanay-Triner makes homemade sauerkraut a weekly ritual with this recipe.

13. Raw Fermented Coconut Yogurt

Source: Raw Fermented Coconut Yogurt

You’ve most likely sat idly by listening to all your none vegan friends talking about the probiotic-rich benefits of yogurt. Just because you’ve ditched dairy, doesn’t mean you can’t have delicious, creamy, probiotic-filled yogurt. This Raw Fermented Coconut Yogurt recipe by Nikki and Zuzana is the perfect substitute and super simple with only two ingredients: young coconut and probiotic capsules.

14. Real Vitality Tonic 

Source: Real Vitality Tonic

If you’re looking for something to help detox your body, this Real Vitality Tonic by Eat Like You Give A Fork by Mareya Ibrahim is an excellent drink! This is also a wonderful way to start drinking apple cider vinegar.

15. Mediterranean Stuffed Sweet Potato Boats

Source: Mediterranean Stuffed Sweet Potato Boats

These budget-friendly Mediterranean Stuffed Sweet Potato Boats by Alexandra Dawson will leave you daydreaming about the next time you can have this for dinner. Tender roasted sweet potatoes are stuffed with green olives, chickpeas, hummus, and tabbouleh for a filling Mediterranean-inspired meal that will keep you full and satisfied. Serve with greens on the side and top with harissa, if you have it.

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