Super Foods Salad - PCOS-Friendly Recipe
This Super Foods Salad is a PCOS-friendly recipe with 265 calories, 9g protein, and 25g carbs per serving. Ready in 41 minutes. High in fiber (7g), which supports insulin sensitivity.
Nutrition per Serving
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup quinoa
- 6 oz (1 cup) shelled edamame
- Cilantro-Avocado Dressing
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 lemon, juice only (about 2 Tbsp)
- 2 Tbsp orange juice, preferably fresh
- 1 avocado (use 1/4 in the dressing and dice the remaining 3/4 for salad)
- 1/8 cup coarsely chopped cilantro, or use parsley
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and halved
- 1 head (6 oz) Boston, butter, or Bibb lettuce, or use kale, baby arugula, or spring mix, chopped or torn, if necessary
- 1/2 orange bell pepper, cored and diced
- 2 Tbsp unsalted sunflower seeds, or use pecans or pistachios
Instructions
- Rinse and cook the quinoa in 1 cup water for about 10 minutes or until the water is just absorbed. Fluff it and remove it from the heat.
- Meanwhile, cook the edamame for 5 minutes in about 4 cups of boiling water.
- In a small food processor or blender, puree the oil, lemon and orange juices, 1/4 avocado, cilantro, salt and garlic.
- In a large salad bowl, combine the lettuce, bell pepper, quinoa, edamame, remaining avocado and sunflower seeds. Pour the dressing over everything and toss gently. Serve immediately.
- Do Ahead Or Delegate: Cook the quinoa and the edamame, juice the orange, chop the cilantro, peel the garlic, prepare the dressing and dice the bell pepper.
- Choices: 1 Starch, 1 Nonstarchy Vegetable, 1 Lean Protein, 2 1/2 Fat
How This Recipe Supports PCOS Management
Understanding the nutritional profile of what you eat is a powerful step in managing PCOS. Here is how the key ingredients in this Super Foods Salad contribute to your health goals:
- Quinoa: Has a lower glycemic index than most grains, making it ideal for PCOS
- Kale: Contains antioxidants that help combat oxidative stress associated with PCOS
- Avocado: Healthy fats support hormone production and help reduce inflammation
- Olive oil: Anti-inflammatory properties make it especially beneficial for PCOS
- Garlic: May help reduce cholesterol levels often elevated in PCOS
PCOS Diet Principles in This Recipe
The PCOS diet focuses on three core principles: reducing inflammation, managing insulin resistance, and supporting hormonal balance. Every recipe in our collection is evaluated against these principles. This recipe excels in providing anti-inflammatory spices that target the chronic inflammation underlying PCOS, and healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that support cell membrane health and hormone synthesis. As part of a balanced PCOS meal plan, we recommend pairing recipes like this with a variety of nutrient-dense foods throughout the week to ensure you are meeting all your micronutrient needs.
Meal Prep Tip: This Super Foods Salad can be prepared ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Meal prepping is one of the most effective strategies for sticking to a PCOS-friendly diet, as it removes the temptation to reach for processed convenience foods when time is short.
PCOS-Friendly Foods in This Recipe
This recipe contains the following foods that may benefit PCOS management: Sunflower Seeds, Kale, Lemon.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this Super Foods Salad recipe is designed to be PCOS-friendly. At 265 calories per serving with 9g of protein, it supports balanced blood sugar and hormonal health. It also provides 7g of fiber, which helps with insulin sensitivity.
This recipe takes about 41 minutes total. Prep time is 36 minutes and cook time is 5 minutes. It makes 4 servings, so you can meal prep for multiple days.
Per serving: 265 calories, 9g protein (14%), 25g carbs, 16g fat. Plus 7g fiber. PCOS meal plans typically aim for 30% protein, 35% fat, 35% carbs to support insulin sensitivity.
Yes, this recipe works well as a PCOS-friendly Snack. At 265 calories, it fits within typical PCOS meal plan targets for Snack. Pair it with other PCOS-friendly foods throughout the day for balanced nutrition.
This recipe can be part of a structured PCOS meal plan. It makes 4 servings, making it great for meal prep. For a complete weekly plan tailored to your PCOS type, take our free 60-second quiz at pcosmealplanner.com/pcos-quiz to get a personalized 7-day meal plan.
Cook Another PCOS-Friendly Snack
Each recipe you add to your rotation makes PCOS management easier. Variety keeps you from getting bored and quitting.
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