Recipes for Better Thyroid Health

While many things affect your thyroid, what you eat has a significant impact on the health of your thyroid. A healthy, whole food diet can keep it running optimally while a poor diet, full of refined starches, fried and sugary foods can cause the thyroid to malfunction. Check out 3 thyroid nourishing recipes to keep you humming along.

A healthy, whole food diet can keep it running optimally

While many things affect your thyroid, what you eat has a significant impact on the health of your thyroid

Spiralized Beets with Basil Pesto

By Ruby Lathon

This is a wonderfully healthy and easy raw recipe with lots of flavor and full of live enzymes and nutrients. Beets are known to increase athletic performance by increasing blood flow, while providing antioxidant and liver detoxification support. A healthy liver is an important part of healthy thyroid hormone conversion and regulation. Beets also have anti-inflammatory properties that can be of benefit to the thyroid.

Basil is packed with flavonoids that help protect cells and DNA and has anti- bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Ingredients:

· 3 medium beets, peeled and spiralized

· 1 cup raw almonds

· 1 cup fresh basil, packed

· ½ orange bell pepper, seeded

· 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

· 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

· 4 cloves garlic (or more to taste)

· ½ teaspoon sea salt (to taste)

· 2-4 tablespoons of water to loosen mixture, if needed

Directions:

1. Wash and peel beets with a vegetable peeler; spiralize beets with a spiralizer. Best to use a countertop spiralizer for beets. A handheld spiralizer works best for slim, oblong items like zucchini and carrots.

2. Add all ingredients to a food processor, except the water.

3. Pulse the food processor until all ingredients are combined.

4. Add a few tablespoons of water if needed and pulse food processor.

5. Place 1/3 of beets on a serving dish and top with 2 scoops of the basil pesto.

6. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

GogiBrazil Hemp Milk

By Ruby Lathon, PhD

Makes about 48-onuces

Brazil nuts are the best source of the thyroid nourishing nutrient, selenium which supports thyroid function. Dates are high magnesium and potassium, which can keep your metabolism boosted and help your thyroid run smoothly which can be especially helpful for those with hypothyroidism.

Foods high in antioxidants are of benefit to the thyroid. Antioxidants help dispose of free radicals which can damage the DNA and thyroid. Gogi berries are among the berries with the highest amounts of antioxidants. Hemp seeds, which are considered a superfood, contain omega 3 fatty acids and are known to help balance hormones and reduce inflammation.

Ingredients:

· 5 cups purified water

· ½ cup Brazil nuts

· ½ cup hempseeds, shelled

· ½ cup gogi berries

· 7 medjool dates(about ¼ cup), pitted (omit for unsweetened version)

· ½ teaspoon cinnamon (or to taste)

· ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to a highspeed blender and blend until smooth.

2. Refrigerate for 2 or more hours and serve. Milk will last 5-7 days refrigerated in a glass container, tightly sealed.

3. Shake or stir well before serving as some settling will occur.

Thyroid Boosting Protein Shake

Ruby Lathon, PhD

1 serving

Healthy proteins are recommended for optimal thyroid health and are especially important for peoplewhowant or need to boost metabolism, such as those with hypothyroidism. Lean, high protein foods such as the BCRX Vegan Protein can be an easy way to meet protein needs. Combine BCRX Vegan Protein with berries, nuts and dates for a thyroid nourishing powerhouse.

Ingredients:

· 2.5 cups purified water

· 1 scoop vegan protein powder

· 5 Brazil nuts

· 2 tablespoons hempseeds, shelled

· ¼ cup gogi berries

· 1 medjool date (optional)

· ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to a highspeed blender and blend until smooth.

2. Refrigerate for 2 or more hours and serve. Milk will last 5-7 days refrigerated in a glass container, tightly sealed.

3. Shake or stir well before serving as some settling will occur.

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflower (approx. 5 cups of florets)

• 1 cup coconut milk

• 1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour

• 2-3 tablespoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon cumin

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• ¼ teaspoon cracked pepper

• 1 cup buffalo wing sauce (i.e., Frank's Red Hot

Buffalo Wing Sauce)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Line baking sheet with natural un-bleached parchment paper or

spray with coconut oil spray. If using oil, be sure to coat the baking sheet well with oil or

cauliflower will stick.

2. Wash and cut cauliflower head into bite size pieces.

3. Mix the coconut milk, flour and spices in a large mixing bowl (set the hot sauce aside for

later). Mix until the batter is thick and can coat the cauliflower.

4. Dip the cauliflower in the batter. Shake off excess batter. Lay florets in single layer on

baking sheet.

5. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown. Flip florets over half way through the baking to

get all sides crispy.

6. After cauliflower has baked for 30 minutes, remove from oven and put baked florets

into a mixing bowl with the wing sauce and toss until evenly coated.

7. Return cauliflower to baking sheet and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes.

Serve as-is or with vegan ranch, vegan blue cheese, or your favorite dipping sauce.