Luteal Phase Fertility Soup

Here at Clonmel Acupuncture & Therapy Centre we work with ingredients that work with your own cycle. In Chinese Medicine we like to use warm foods at this time of your cycle. This is the luteal phase of your cycle (after ovulation) and beta-carotene-rich foods are the important ingredient to include in your diet during this time. The corpus luteum (the ruptured ovarian follicle that produces progesterone to thicken the womb lining, close the cervix and maintain a pregnancy) contains a high level of beta-carotene. This nutrient is a powerful anti-oxidant that helps protect your cells from damage.
Here is one example of an ideal lunch or after work supper you can make really quickly. Ideal for those during the two week wait of an IVF/IUI cycle.
Our Luteal Phase Fertility Soup is naturally quite sweet, due to the high content of orange vegetables, so fell free to add some celery or any other vegetable that you like. We try to use all organic ingredients, locally sourced if possible
RECIPE:-

• 1 Butternut Squash, peeled and chopped into 1cm cubes
• 2 Carrots, peeled and finely sliced
• 1 Sweet Potato, peeled and chopped into 1 cm cubes
• ½ - 1 red onion sliced
• 2 garlic cloves (leave out if you’re not a fan)
• 1-2cm of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon of turmeric
• 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil or Rapeseed Oil
• 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs, (thyme, parsley, sage etc) or dried
• 1-2 pints of vegetable stock (fresh or use organic MSG free cubes)
• Handful of pumpkin seeds toasted
• Optional extra 100 ml coconut milk

Steps
Place all the sliced veg, ginger, onion, garlic onto a shallow roasting tray, drizzle Olive Oil, herbs, season with salt and pepper sprinkle with turmeric, Bake in oven 180 centigrade/Gas mark 4 – 40mins or until tender and cooked through.
Place cooked veg into sauce pan add stock, heat through, blend to a smooth soup, adding more stock if needed. Here you can add coconut milk for a richer taste. Season to taste and add more fresh herbs, we used fresh oregano; add toasted pumpkin seeds just before serving.
This soup can be frozen, also is great for men, beta-carotene rich vegetable’s help protect sperm from free radical attack, rich in Vitamin A important for sperm maturation. So you can both enjoy this recipe!