The Hormone Reset Diet (37 page)

5. Heat the coconut oil over medium heat in a large skillet.

6. Fry the fish in the oil for about 2 minutes on each side, or until opaque in the center. Enjoy!

Adapted from Lena Cederham Birnbaum et al. “Halibut Fish Sticks with Dill-Caper Tartar Sauce,”
Bon Appetit,
June 2010, 44.

Geek Out with Dr. Sara:
Crabmeat is rich in nutrients, including the amazing omega-3s, which are great for your brain, heart, and metabolic function. Crab is also a low-risk seafood for mercury content, since it is small in size and low on the food chain. Make sure your crab is very fresh and has no fishy odor. Alternatively, you can use canned wild pink salmon in lieu of fresh crab if crab is not in season.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

1. Pulse the radishes, shallot, and garlic in a food processor until finely minced.

2. Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl, and add the minced radishes, shallot, and garlic. Mix in the crabmeat and all the spices.

3. Heat the ghee or oil over medium heat in a large frying pan.

4. Form the crab mixture into small flat cakes, and fry each cake for approximately 5 to 7 minutes on each side, or until well browned and cooked through.

5. Serve on a bed of fresh greens, and enjoy!

Adapted with permission from Diane Sanfilippo’s Quick and Easy Salmon Cakes. Diane Sanfilippo,
Practical Paleo
(Las Vegas: Victory Belt, 2012), p. 310.

Geek Out with Dr. Sara:
Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is a fat-soluble vitamin, and studies show that at least 3 to 5 grams of fat are required for delivery to the bloodstream and for the body to convert beta-carotene to vitamin A. In this recipe, the coconut oil provides the fat your body needs to make the most of this vital nutrient in the potato.

Makes 1 to 2 servings

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2. Wash the sweet potato, but do not peel it. Cut it into thin wedge-shaped pieces. The thin wedge shape is important for crispiness. Each wedge should have an edge with skin about ½ inch wide.

3. Place the wedges in a large bowl with the coconut oil, rosemary, salt and pepper, and, if desired, chili flakes. Toss to coat all wedges in oil and spices.

4. Spread the wedges evenly in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip each wedge over. Bake for an additional 8 to 10 minutes.

5. Allow the wedges to cool for 5 minutes. Enjoy with unsweetened organic ketchup, mustard, or homemade aioli.

Variation:
Toss with a clove of minced garlic before baking.

Geek Out with Dr. Sara:
This exotic Caribbean recipe is surprisingly simple and easy to prepare at home. The citric acid in lime juice is alkalinizing (a good thing for your body) and cures the shrimp, turning it pink as if it were steamed or boiled. Although the shrimp is not exactly raw, it is still important to use very fresh shrimp for this dish.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

1. Dice the shrimp into bite-size pieces, and place them in a large bowl with the chopped onion.

2. Add enough lime juice to cover all the shrimp. Stir gently to ensure all the shrimp are doused in juice.

3. Cover the bowl, and let the shrimp marinate in lime juice for 20 minutes, or until the flesh has turned pink. Stir and inspect the pieces to make sure no gray color remains.

4. While the shrimp is marinating, peel the cucumbers, cut them in half, and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Chop the cucumbers and avocados into small pieces.

5. Add the cucumber, tomatoes, avocado, and, if desired, coconut to the bowl, and toss. Add the hot sauce, if desired, and the salt and pepper.

6. Enjoy over gluten-free tortilla chips.

The respected Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch used to recommend avoiding Chilean sea bass (technically, toothfish) because of illegal fishing, but now it says pirate fishing is all but gone. It recommends looking for the blue eco-label of the Marine Stewardship Council. My recommendation: Peruvian sea bass. It’s a smaller fish, so it has a lower mercury content. If you prefer, you can substitute your favorite small (low-mercury) fish in this recipe.

Geek Out with Dr. Sara:
Maca powder is derived from the maca root, a South American superfood. Packed with vitamins, nutrients, and alkaloids that nourish the endocrine system, maca is used in folk medicine as an effective natural stimulant and aphrodisiac. In a recent study of male athletes, participants who consumed maca showed increased physical performance and sexual drive.

Makes 4 servings

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. Mix the ghee, coconut oil, and garlic in a food processor until evenly combined.

3. Rub each fish fillet with this mixture until it is thickly and evenly coated.

4. Heat a skillet over high heat. Add the fish to brown for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove the fish from the heat, and set aside.

5. Combine the pistachios, maca powder, lime zest, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl.

6. Dip each fillet in this mixture. Use your hands to ensure the fish is covered on all sides with the crumbs.

7. Bake the fish in a shallow baking dish for 8 to 10 minutes until opaque and slightly flaky. Enjoy!

Endive leaves are a great low-carb substitute for chips, taco shells, or sandwich buns. They keep their shape better than lettuce leaves and have a yummy crisp texture. Try red endive if you would like a less bitter taste.

Makes 4 servings

1. Melt the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground turkey and all the spices, and cook until well browned.

2. Separate the endive leaves, and spoon a few tablespoons of ground turkey into each leaf. Serve with dairy-free guacamole or salsa.

Adapted with permission from Diane Sanfilippo’s Chinese 5-Spice Turkey Lettuce Cups. Diane Sanfilippo,
Practical Paleo
(Las Vegas: Victory Belt, 2012), p. 272.

Geek Out with Dr. Sara:
High in vitamin C and fiber, spaghetti squash is a healthy and tasty alternative to pasta. Vitamin C helps reset progesterone, and the fiber resets your estrogen. My friend Jonathan Bailor, author of the bestseller
The Calorie Myth,
calls spaghetti squash strands “squoodles.” One cup of squoodles has approximately 30 grams fewer carbohydrates than gluten-free pasta.

Makes 10 servings

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds and pulp. Place one half, cut side down, on a baking sheet. (You can also bake the other side at this time, as cooked squash stores well in the refrigerator.) Bake for 45 minutes.

3. While the squash is baking, blend all the other ingredients together in a food processor or high-powered blender.

4. Once the squash is tender, allow it to cool slightly, then use a fork to separate the fleshy strands from the rind.

5. Stir the strands together with the pesto in a large bowl.

Adapted with permission from Cynthia Pasquella’s Kale Walnut Pesto Pasta. Cynthia Pasquella,
The Hungry Hottie Cookbook
(Malibu: Rainy Cat Press, 2012), p. 140.

This dish is a dressed-up solution to the boring boneless, skinless chicken breast. Dr. Mark Hyman inspired me with the yummy recipes in his book
The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet.
Be sure to use meat from an organic, free-range bird.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Rinse the chicken breasts, and dry them with a paper towel. Slice into the side of each breast at its thickest point to create a pocket for stuffing.

3. Slice the kale leaves and roasted red pepper into thin slices. Shred the almond cheese, and stir together in a small bowl with the kale and peppers. Stuff the kale, pepper, and almond cheese mixture into the pocket you created in each chicken breast. Pin the pocket closed with a toothpick to seal in the stuffing.

4. In a large bowl, mix the olive oil, cashew butter, lemon juice, and all spices and herbs until well combined.

5. Carefully dip the chicken breasts in this mixture one at a time, without allowing them to come unpinned. Make sure each breast is fully coated; it may be necessary to use your hands to spread the mixture onto the breasts to coat them evenly.

6. Grind the pistachios in a spice grinder or by hand with a mortar and pestle. Add to a large bowl along with the quinoa flakes, and dip each coated chicken breast into the crust mixture.

7. Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is melted, brown the chicken; this should take about a minute or two for each side.

8. Remove the chicken from the skillet, and place it in a glass baking dish.

9. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken breast.

Adapted with permission from Dr. Mark Hyman’s Chicken Breast Stuffed with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto with Sautéed Spinach. Mark Hyman,
The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet: Activate Your Body’s Natural Ability to Burn Fat and Lose Weight Fast
(New York: Little Brown, 2014), p. 312.

Geek Out with Dr. Sara:
Soaking cashews in water reduces the amount of phytic acid in the nuts and aids in their digestion. Even though it has not yet sprouted, a soaked nut has begun its germination process and has released many of the same nutritious enzymes that are found in sprouts.

Makes 4 to 6 servings