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This vibrant Garden to Table Kale Salad is great for Hormone Health. It’s packed with phytoestrogens, antioxidants, and nutrients that support menopausal wellness.
But forget how healthy this salad is, and just eat it because it’s delicious! The mint and sweet potatoes add such a lovely sweetness to the dish. While the parsley adds a nice freshness. The red cabbage and broccoli are great for a little bit of bitter balance. Pumpkin seeds for added crunch (and some zinc). It all comes together so beautifully, and each bit has something different in it!
It reminds me quite a bit of my Anti-inflammatory Kale Salad. Want to read more about mint, like how to grow it, what it’s good for, and the health benefits, plus tons more? Check out my All About Fresh Mint post.
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Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I read all the comments myself and I try to help as soon as I can. I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I’ve tried to answer some of your questions already in the post. But if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment and ask.
Hormone Health
I think that foods can help us heal. And Menopause Symptoms are included in that theory. Whether you’re going through perimenopause, menopause, or postmenopause, caring for your body through foods like calming herbs, warming teas, or nourishing salads, you’ll find a deeper connection to your health and to yourself.
Perimenopause is the time leading up to menopause, where women often experience fluctuating hormone levels and irregular periods. Menopause is diagnosed after 12 consecutive months without a period. And, postmenopause is after menopause, unfortunately, there are still potentially lingering symptoms like hot flashes, and there’s an increased risk for some health conditions.
Focus on foods
A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can help manage menopause symptoms, besides being good for you in so many ways. And some foods are known for being good at balancing hormones, being anti-inflammatory, and having mood-lifting properties.
Antioxidants in foods help protect against oxidative stress, which can be exacerbated during menopause. These antioxidants can potentially reduce symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats.
Including foods in your diet that are high in omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon, flaxseed, and walnuts can help with mood and inflammation. Each of these would be a lovely addition to this salad.
Soy, like tofu and soy milk, has a high phytoestrogen content, and may help reduce hot flashes. Feel free to add some tofu to the salad if you like.
in this salad
Herbs and spices can be added to salads, pastas, soups, teas, and they have so many healing properties. Parsley supports healthy estrogen levels. Turmeric is good for anti-inflammatory and mood boosting. Mint cools the body and helps digestion. Lemon Balm supports restful sleep.
The veggies in this salad are good for you too. Kale is a great anti-inflammatory food, that’s rich in magnesium and calcium for bone and mood support. Looking for more kale recipes? Check out my Simple Veggie Side Dishes with lots of kale recipes included.
Carrots are high in fiber and antioxidant properties. They help support hormone detoxification through their unique fiber, which can bind to excess estrogen and toxins, aiding in their elimination from the body and potentially alleviating related symptoms.
Cruciferous veggies like broccoli & cauliflower are good sources of phytoestrogens, calcium, and fiber. Phytoestrogens can help balance estrogen levels, while calcium is crucial for maintaining bone density. The fiber in broccoli can also aid in weight management, digestion, and can help clear excess estrogen.
Sweet Potatoes provide natural phytoestrogens, fiber, and steady energy. They contain vitamin A, which supports skin health and immune function. And they have a low glycemic index which helps regulate blood sugar levels and potentially prevents mood swings and energy crashes.
Avocados provide healthy fats and support hormone production and skin hydration.
How to make
This beautiful salad is so simple to make, and also happens to be vegan and gluten-free, naturally!
I usually keep roasted sweet potatoes in the fridge. They’re great for meal prep, and can be added to so many dishes like Cottage Cheese Sweet Potato Bowls, Sweet potato black bean enchiladas, and Lentil Sweet Potato Salad. I’ve added roasting instructions for sweet potatoes to the notes section of the recipe card for you.
You’ll simply massage the kale a bit to make it easier to eat. Chop up the veggies. Mix up the simple dressing. Then toss it all together.
Salad is best served immediately, but this recipe holds up surprisingly well when kept in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple of days.
Serve it with some delicious Tahini Wild Rice Soup or Creamy Noodle Soup for a nice filling and healthy meal.
It’s adapted from the Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens.
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Recipe
Garden to Table Kale Salad
Ingredients
Salad:
- 2 cups roughly chopped kale massaged with 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup shredded red cabbage
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- ¼ cup broccoli florets
- ½ cup sweet potatoes roasted and cooled
- ½ avocado sliced
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped mint
- 1 tablespoon lemon balm leaves optional
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
Dressing:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon grated turmeric root or ½ teaspoon dried turmeric
- Sea salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- To massage kale. Rinse the kale leaves under cool tap water to clean them. Then, dry them, I love using a salad spinner.
- Remove the green leaves from the stem stalk either with your hands, or cut them off. Roughly chop the kale into bite sized pieces.
- Add kale to a large mixing bowl and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Massage the oil into the kale leaves with clean hands for about 3 minutes. Massaging helps break down some of the tough fibrous chew of kale, and infuses it with oil, making it more tender and easier to chew and digest.
- Toss all salad ingredients together.
- Mix dressing ingredients together and whisk to combine or shake in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Pour dressing over salad, and toss again.
Notes
1 large sweet potato, scrubbed clean
1 tablespoon olive oil or light flavored oil of your choice
Preheat oven to 400° F. Cut sweet potato into bite sized pieces, about ½ to 1-inch in size. Place the cubed sweet potatoes in a large cast iron skillet or on a baking sheet, and drizzle with oil, toss to coat. Roast, turning occasionally, for 25-30 minutes, or until crisp and browned outside and just tender inside. Salad is best served immediately, but holds up surprisingly well when kept in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple of days.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
Debi
This salad is filled with yumminess and all those goodies add you to such a healthy treat. This is one you’ll enjoy year round! I hope you love it as much as I do! Debi, author, Life Currents