This crispy cabbage is one of those surprisingly good recipes you don’t expect to love… and then you’re standing at the pan picking at it before it even hits the table. The cabbage gets golden and crunchy in the oven, then it’s tossed in a creamy almond-sesame dressing that’s nutty, savory, and just a little tangy. It’s simple, cozy, and the kind of veggie side that actually feels satisfying — perfect for busy nights when you want something easy but still really, really good.
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsps Almond Butter (runny)
- 1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tsp Sesame Oil
- 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tbsp Water
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper (to taste)
- 8 cups Savoy Cabbage (shredded)
- 2 tbsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Sesame Seeds
Instructions:
- In a small bowl, mix together the almond butter, apple cider vinegar, sesame oil, garlic powder, water, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the cabbage to the baking sheet and add the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine, then spread it out in an even layer.
- Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cabbage has browned and is crispy.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and pour the dressing all over. Toss to combine. Top with sesame seeds and divide evenly onto plates. Enjoy!
4 servings
Here’s the truth I wish more women heard sooner:
You’re not tired because you’re lazy.
You’re not burned out because you’re “bad at stress.”
And you’re definitely not broken.
If you’re waking up exhausted, relying on caffeine just to function, and feeling wired at night but wiped out all day — that’s not a personality flaw. That’s chronic stress changing how your body operates.
Chronic Stress Doesn’t Just Affect Your Mind — It Rewires Your Body
When your nervous system lives in fight-or-flight for too long, your hormones take the hit. Chronic stress disrupts your HPA axis (the communication system between your brain and hormones), which controls cortisol, thyroid output, sleep, and energy.
- Here’s what that can look like in real life:
- Cortisol stops following a healthy daily rhythm
- Thyroid function can slow, dragging down metabolism and energy
- Sleep becomes lighter, shorter, or impossible to maintain
- Energy crashes feel constant instead of occasional
So you wake up tired.
You push through the day on caffeine.
You collapse at night but can’t truly rest.
And slowly, this starts to feel like “normal.”
Your Body Isn’t Failing — It’s Protecting You
This part matters: your body is responding exactly as it was designed to under chronic stress.
Research shows that long-term stress leads to HPA axis dysfunction, impairing hormone production and energy metabolism. In other words, your exhaustion is a biological response — not a lack of willpower.
That’s why pushing harder, doing more, or telling yourself to “just relax” doesn’t fix burnout. Your nervous system doesn’t feel safe enough to power back up.
Healing Burnout Requires Regulation, Not Hustle
Real healing isn’t about doing less or escaping responsibility. It’s about restoring safety in the body so your hormones can regulate again.
That means:
- Stabilizing blood sugar so cortisol doesn’t spike all day
- Supporting thyroid function with consistent nourishment and rest
- Teaching your nervous system that it’s safe to exit survival mode
- Rebuilding energy instead of borrowing it from tomorrow
This work matters to me deeply because I’ve lived it. I know what it’s like to feel depleted while doing “everything right.” And I also know that burnout doesn’t mean you’re weak — it means your body has been strong for too long without support.
If this hit close to home, know this: you’re not alone, and you don’t have to keep running yourself into the ground to feel worthy of rest 🤍
This is one of those dinners I make when I want something real but don’t have the energy for complicated. The chicken gets golden, then turns sticky and citrusy in the pan while the sauce thickens (aka it smells amazing and everyone suddenly appears in the kitchen). I throw together a simple romaine salad, slice the chicken on top, add everything bagel seasoning, and call it a win. It’s light but filling, gluten-free, and feels like a reset after a long, chaotic day.
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (divided)
- 5 ozs Chicken Breast (boneless, skinless)
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper (to taste)
- 1/2 cup Orange Juice
- 1 tbsp Tamari
- 2 tsps Raw Honey
- 1/3 Lemon (medium, juiced)
- 3 leaves Romaine (medium, chopped)
- 1 tbsp Everything Bagel Seasoning
Instructions:
- Heat half of the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Add it to the pan and cook for five minutes until golden brown, flipping halfway through.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the orange juice, tamari, honey, salt, and pepper. Add the mixture to the pan and cover with a lid. Cook on medium-low heat for 12 to 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through, flipping halfway.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add the romaine and toss well.
- Transfer the salad to a plate. Slice the chicken and place it on top of the salad. Sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning and enjoy!
1 serving
For a long time, I thought healing my hormones meant trying harder.
Eating cleaner.
Taking more supplements.
Pushing through workouts.
Powering through exhaustion like it was a personality trait.
And yet… I still felt off. Moody. Bloated. Tired but wired. Like a completely different person depending on the week of the month.
What finally changed everything wasn’t more discipline — it was doing the opposite of what I’d been taught.
Instead of obsessing over perfection, I started focusing on what my body actually responds to.
I calmed my nervous system.
I ate real, balanced meals instead of living on snacks and caffeine.
I swapped intense workouts for walking and strength training.
I supported my gut (yes, including regular bowel movements — because that matters).
I built simple daily rituals that made my body feel safe instead of stressed.
And that’s when things started to shift.
Why Nervous System Support Matters for Hormone Balance
Here’s the part no one explains clearly enough: you cannot balance hormones in a body that’s stuck in survival mode.
Chronic stress directly impacts the HPA axis, which plays a major role in hormone regulation. Research published in the Journal of Endocrinology shows that ongoing stress and HPA-axis dysregulation can interfere with ovulation, lower progesterone levels, and disrupt thyroid function. When stress is high, hormone balance becomes nearly impossible — no matter how “clean” your diet looks.
Further research from Frontiers in Physiology found that calming the nervous system through parasympathetic activation (think breathwork, gentle movement, and regulation practices) improves cortisol rhythms and hormone signaling overall.
In other words: your body needs to feel safe before it can heal.
You Don’t Need a Detox — You Need Stability
Most women aren’t struggling because they’re doing too little. They’re struggling because they’re doing too much — without supporting the foundations first.
Hormone balance isn’t about cutting more foods, pushing harder, or adding another supplement to the cabinet. It’s about:
- Blood sugar stability
- Nervous system regulation
- Gut health support
- Movement that works with your cycle
- Daily rhythms your body can rely on
When those pieces come together, your body stops fighting you.
A Simple Place to Start
If you want to begin supporting your hormones without overwhelm, I recommend starting with cycle syncing. Understanding the four phases of your cycle — and how your energy, metabolism, and needs shift each week — can completely change how you eat, move, and plan your days.
I created a free Cycle Syncing Guide that breaks this down in a simple, practical way so you can start working with your body instead of against it.
Because healing your hormones doesn’t require perfection.
It requires safety, consistency, and a plan your body actually understands.
And that’s where real balance begins.
This recipe is packed with plant-based goodness thanks to organic edamame and organic peanut butter, giving your body the protein it needs to feel satisfied and supported. The purple cabbage and carrots add a boost of antioxidants to help fight everyday stress in the body, while the fiber from brown rice, edamame, and veggies supports digestion and keeps blood sugar more stable. I loved the idea of matchstick carrots here, but honestly - if you can’t find them or just need to use the regular long carrots you already have at home, go for it. Real life cooking always wins.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup Brown Rice (dry, rinsed)
- 1/4 cup All Natural Organic Peanut Butter
- 2 tbsps Tamari
- 2 tbsps Water
- 1 tsp Maple Syrup
- 1 1/2 cups Frozen Organic Edamame (thawed)
- 1 1/2 cups Purple Cabbage (shredded)
- 1 cup Matchstick Carrots
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper (to taste)
Instructions:
- Cook the rice according to the package directions. Set aside.
- Whisk together the peanut butter, tamari, water, and maple syrup.
- Divide the cooked rice, edamame, cabbage, and carrots evenly into bowls. Top with the peanut sauce.
- Season with salt and pepper and enjoy!
2 servings
