This page is a compilation of my favorite recipes. All the recipes that I post are yummy, but these recipes are ones that I have made over and over again (and I don't like to repeat the same recipes!). This page will grow as I continue to share my favorites.
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My Dad's Turkey Chili Recipe from Jenny Levison (Souper Jenny)
It's hard for me to say enough good things about the Atlanta Restaurant Souper Jenny. Soup is my favorite, and she executes every soup, salad, sandwich, and cookie perfectly. After moving to Wisconsin, I realized soup was a bigger deal here than in the South. They have some good soup places but so far, nothing has compared to Souper Jenny. Jenny, if you read this, please open up a Wisconsin location....
Her menu changes daily, but her dad's turkey chili is always there. It is one of my favorite recipes to make in the fall, and I'm glad I still have access to some Souper Jenny's soup now that I live out of state. I have already written about the health benefits of turkey and beans, so in the Turkey Meatloaf from The Flying Biscuit Cafe recipe and the Crispy Black Bean Tacos with Feta and Cabbage Slaw from Bon Appétit , so it should come as no surprise that I consider this recipe to be very healthy and fertility friendly. Pair it with a green salad and My Favorite Cornbread from Sally’s Baking Addiction for a wholesome and delicious fall or winter meal.
Recipe Link: https://www.souperjennyatl.com/followingsouperjenny/2018/10/2/my-dads-turkey-chili-recipe?format=amp
My Favorite Cornbread from Sally’s Baking Addiction
This cornbread from Sally’s Baking Addiction is perfect. It’s not healthy, and I'm okay with that. I'm not going to make any fertility friendly claims here. It's just delicious. Sometimes if I'm feel wild I'll add cheese or fresh corn in the summer. Eat it was so me protein and fiber, and enjoy!
Turkey Meatloaf from The Flying Biscuit Cafe
My mom has been making this meatloaf recipe for as long as I can remember. I grew up in Atlanta, where the Flying Biscuit Cafe started as a busy local restaurant. It now has franchises throughout the Southeast. Strangely, I don't remember going to the restaurant very much, but my mom has two recipes in their cookbook that she makes several times per year.
I make the recipe as it is written, with only one adaptation: I replace the cream with milk. I've never had a problem with this. My mom has always claimed that making your own breadcrumbs makes a difference. I'm honestly not sure if it does, because I've always taken her advice! I have also never made the horseradish sauce. I'm not much of a horseradish fan... I think it is perfectly amazing alone, without sauce. My husband on the other hand goes straight to the ketchup before even giving it a try plain.
On it's own, this recipe is a great source of lean protein. It can be modified fairly easily to meet dietary restrictions. My mom has made it gluten free and dairy free by using gluten-free bread crumbs and vegan cheeses. Pair this recipe with a fiber-filled carb and some veggies, and you have a well-rounded meal that feels like classic comfort food.
Reasons why this recipes is fertility friendly:
Turkey is a great source of protein and iron. If you are trying to conceive and you are anemic, it is vital to increase iron in your diet. Adequate iron stores are associated with increased fertility, and they are necessary for a healthy pregnancy. Turkey is also a good source of vitamin B12, which according to some studies has been found to be low in 50% of women struggling with infertility. Women who are infertile also seem to have lower levels of vitamin B6, which is also rich in turkey (1)
Citations:
1. Schaefer E, Nock D. The Impact of Preconceptional Multiple-Micronutrient Supplementation on Female Fertility. Clin Med Insights Womens Health. 2019;12:1179562X19843868. Published 2019 Apr 23. doi:10.1177/1179562X19843868
Recipe Link:
Crispy Black Bean Tacos with Feta and Cabbage Slaw from Bon Appétit
-Takes less than 30 minutes
-Recipe link is at the bottom of the page
This recipe from Bon Appétit has been one of my go-to vegetarian recipes for years.
From a nutrition perspective it's a definite winner because its a full balanced meal on its own:
-For fibrous carbs it has corn tortillas and beans
-For protein it has both black beans and feta cheese.
-For veggies: it has cabbage, green onions, and cilantro. Beans work here too.
Say whaaaattt? Beans in all three categories??
I ate the tacos alone, but some spiced up cauliflower rice would be a good way to add more non-starchy veggies.
One small adaptation for this recipe is to use less oil. The recipe calls for olive oil, which has a smoke point of ~375 degrees F. If your pan gets too hot and you see smoke, the oil can become carcinogenic. The heat on this recipe doesn't need to be too high, so olive oil should be fine. I brushed oil onto my pan as needed. I found I did not need the amount of oil called for.
I have also skipped the green onions and cilantro out of necessity before. I thought the recipe was still good, though lacking some of the flavor and nutrients the original recipe calls for. Finally, the last small change I have tried is to just cut up red cabbage instead of using coleslaw mix. This works just fine and provides a healthy dose of anthocyanins (an antioxidant).
Key reasons this recipe is fertility friendly?
-Black bean consumption has been shown to glucose and insulin response after a meal in addition to lowering markers of inflammation. These beneficial effects were stronger after consuming beans than after consuming other foods, even foods with the same amount of fiber and antioxidants. These results imply, that it's not just fiber and antioxidants that make beans so good for inflammation and insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is present in many women with poly cystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), which makes foods that help reduce spikes in glucose helpful in the control of PCOS.
-Black beans and other beans are known to provide "antioxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic, and anti-carcinogenic properties (Ganesan 2017)." Some of these effects are likely due to their relatively high levels of polyphenols, a type of antioxidant.
-Intake of more plant-based protein has also shown to reduce ovulatory disorders when compared to the animal protein frequently seen in Western diets.
Citations:
Ganesan, K., & Xu, B. (2017). Polyphenol-Rich Dry Common Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and Their Health Benefits. International journal of molecular sciences, 18(11), 2331. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms18112331
Reverri, E. J., Randolph, J. M., Steinberg, F. M., Kappagoda, C. T., Edirisinghe, I., & Burton-Freeman, B. M. (2015). Black Beans, Fiber, and Antioxidant Capacity Pilot Study: Examination of Whole Foods vs. Functional Components on Postprandial Metabolic, Oxidative Stress, and Inflammation in Adults with Metabolic Syndrome. Nutrients, 7(8), 6139–6154. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu7085273
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