Smoked Paprika Beetroot Dip (df, gf, veg, vgn)

In celebration of my friend Mette- owner of Mette is Baking , Perth WA who has just upgraded her bio-friendly packaging for her delicious Nordic crackers (gluten free option available), I am sharing my beloved beetroot dip recipe which I love having with these crackers. They’re so addictive!

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Some cool benefits on consuming seeds for women...

The seeds in these crackers are bonus being full of pumpkin, flaxseeds and sesame seeds that are a great source of Zinc , Calcium and Manganese and have been shown to provide a range of hormone supportive nutrients specific to a women’s menstrual cycle (Zaineddin, K et al 2012).

They also provide essential fatty acids that are crucial in making hormones along with minerals such as Zinc, Calcium, Selenium, Iron and Magnesium that assist in the process of regulating our hormones with other key functions involved in our mental and emotional state (Rahbar, N et al 2012).

Studies have also shown the benefits of consuming seeds in reducing various premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms such as breast tenderness (Vaziri, F et al 2014) and postmenopausal symptoms such as hot flashes (Marcolina, S 2010). Furthermore, minerals such as Magnesium and Iron are often depleted from our body especially when we have our period. Therefore, incorporating seeds into our diet replenish these minerals in the body, provide the nutrients to make our hormones and set ourselves up for another healthy, regular menstrual cycle.

It’s amazing that she also has a gluten free range and I would like to thank her for showcasing her delicious crackers at my last women’s hormone health workshop! If you would like to find out where she stocks her crackers visit here.

Image: (Left) Last October 2019 when Mette kindly offered her crackers to the women at my hormones workshop, (right) her updated gorgeous packaging 2020.

Smoked Paprika Beetroot Dip (df, gf, veg, vgn)

Makes: 1 medium bowl I Prep time: 10 mins I dg,vgn & veg 

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Ingredients:

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  • 1 can organic butter beans (available in mainstream supermarkets)

  • I roughly chopped small cooked beetroot

  • 1 medium clove garlic

  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

  • ½ lemon juice

  • 1/3 tsp smoked paprika powder

  • Salt & Pepper

Method:

  1. Drain and lightly rinse the butter beans.

  2. In a food processor, combine the butter beans, beetroot, garlic and lemon juice.

  3. Turn on the food processor on medium strength and gradually add the olive oil in the food processor till the mixture develops a smooth consistency.

  4. Season to taste whilst blending.

  5. Remove from the food processor with a spatula and place in a bowl.

  6. Serve with delicious crackers!

 

References:

  • Mcewen, B. 2017, ‘Can omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids improve metabolic profile in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?’, Advances in Integrative Medicine, Vol.4(2)82-83.

  • McPhee, A. 2019, ‘Seed Cycling - Guiding Women to Hormonal Balance’.  Endeavour College of Natural Health. Retrieved from https://www.endeavour.edu.au/about-us/blog/seed-cycling-guiding-women-to-hormonal-balance/.

  • Jesswein, L. 2012, ‘Seed Cycling for Natural Hormonal Balance. Retrieved from http://naturalhealthperspectives.blogspot.com/2012/02/seed-cycling-for-natural-hormonal.html.

  • Maiya, M. 2017, ‘Effect of Supplementation with Pumpkin Seed Oil Versus Pumpkin Seeds on Blood Pressure and Menopausal Symptoms in Non-Hypertensive Postmenopausal Women.’ Texas Women’s University, doi: 10988968.

  • Naghi, R. M & M Mahmood. 2007, ‘Impact of daily consumption of iron fortified ready‐to‐eat cereal and pumpkin seed kernels (Cucurbita pepo) on serum iron in adult women’. BioFactors, Vol.30(1)19-26.

  • Mercolina, S. 2010, ‘Lignan-rich Food for Menopausal Symptom Relief: A Flash in the Pan? Alternative Medicine Alert. Vol.13(6), 68–71. 

  • Nowak, D. A., Snyder, D. C., Brown, A. J., & Demark-Wahnefried, W. 2007. ‘The Effect of Flaxseed Supplementation on Hormonal Levels Associated with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: A Case Study.’ Current topics in nutraceutical research, Vol.5(4)177–181.

  • Rahbar, N., Asgharzadeh, N., & Ghorbani, R. 2012, ‘Effect of omega-3 fatty acids on intensity of primary dysmenorrhea’.International Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Vol.117(1), 45–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgo.2011.11.019

  • Vaziri F, Zamani Lari M, Samsami Dehaghani A, Salehi M4, Sadeghpour H, Akbarzadeh M, Zare N. ‘Comparing the effects of dietary flaxseed and omega-3 Fatty acids supplement on cyclical mastalgia in Iranian women: a randomized clinical trial.’ International Journal of Family Medicine. Vol (2014)174532. doi: 10.1155/2014/174532. Epub 2014 Aug 13.

  • Wang, T.-A., Wang, N.-H., Kang, Y.-P., Jou, H.-J., & Wu, W.-H. (2018). Sesame Ingestion Affects Sex Hormones, Antioxidant Status, and Blood Lipids in Postmenopausal Women. The Journal of Nutrition, 136(5), 1270–1275. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/136.5.1270

  • Wszelaki, M 2019, ‘How to use seed rotation to balance your hormones.’ Hormones & Balance, Retrieved from: https://hormonesbalance.com/articles/how-to-use-seed-rotation-to-rebalance-your-menstrual-cycle/. Mar 27, 2019.

  • Zaineddin AK, Buck K, Vrieling A, et al. The Association Between Dietary Lignans, Phytoestrogen-Rich Foods, and Fiber Intake and Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Risk: A German Case-Control Study. Nutrition & Cancer. 2012;64(5):652-665. doi:10.1080/01635581.2012.683227.



Cherie Ha