Recipes  /  Early Luteal
🌕 Days 17–23

Early Luteal

Support progesterone, start managing heat — proactive is the word

Progesterone is rising and Pitta (heat) is starting to build. This is your proactive window — the tryptophan you eat now becomes the serotonin that gets you through late luteal. Switch your seed cycling to sunflower + sesame. Cut afternoon caffeine.

Cooking Principles

Seed cycling switch to sunflower + sesame · Tryptophan-rich for serotonin banking · Caffeine after noon is out · Begin avoiding your heating Ayurvedic list · Switch to cooling spices

⭐ Dinner
Turkey, Chickpea & Sweet Potato
Tray Bake
Turkey is the king of tryptophan → serotonin. Chickpeas + sweet potato are both top progesterone foods for this window. Banking serotonin now reduces the emotional crash in late luteal.
Prep15 min
Cook35 min
Serves3
Ingredients
  • 2 turkey breasts or 400g ground turkey
  • 2 sweet potatoes, cubed
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained and patted dry
  • 1 zucchini, thick rounds
  • 2 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • ½ tsp fennel seed
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika (not hot)
  • Sea salt + light pepper
  • Lemon juice + fresh parsley to finish
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds (seed cycling)
Method
  1. Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F.
  2. Toss sweet potato and chickpeas in oil + spices. Spread on a baking tray. Roast 15 mins.
  3. Add turkey and zucchini to the tray. Return to oven 20 more mins.
  4. Squeeze lemon, scatter parsley and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
🌕 Heat starts Days 17–19. This is your proactive window — the tryptophan from turkey needs 3–4 days to fully build serotonin stores. Eating this now means better emotional resilience by Day 24–25.
🌰 Seed Cycling Butter for This Phase
Phase 2 — Luteal Blend

Moon Butter

Sunflower + Sesame Butter
Days 17–30 · Early Luteal → Late Luteal
Ingredients
  • Raw sunflower seeds — ¾ cup
  • Raw sesame seeds — ¼ cup
  • Coconut oil — 1 tbsp
  • Vanilla extract — 1 tsp
  • Ground cardamom — ½ tsp
  • Ceylon cinnamon — ½ tsp
  • Raw honey or maple syrup — 1 tbsp
  • Flaky sea salt — pinch
Method

Add sunflower seeds to a food processor and blend for 8–10 minutes until creamy — same patience required. Add the sesame seeds and blend another 2 minutes. Then add coconut oil, vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon, honey, and salt. Blend until smooth and fragrant. It'll smell like chai. Transfer to a glass jar.

Why it works Sunflower seeds are high in selenium and vitamin E to support progesterone production in the luteal phase. Sesame seeds provide lignans and zinc for hormone balance. Cardamom is a classic Pitta-cooling spice in Ayurveda — perfect for calming the heat and emotional volatility that peaks in the late luteal phase.

bleedandfeed.com