Girl Soup

Whether you’re trying to conceive or just want to feel your best, ovulation is a beautiful window to nourish your body with intention. One of my favorite things about this phase is how naturally energized and social it can feel. Estrogen is peaking which means brighter moods, better circulation, and often stronger digestion. I like to match that energy in the kitchen with meals that are fresh, colorful, and alive.

Here are the four core principles that shaped this recipe:

1. 1. Eat fresh. Prioritize fresh, vibrant ingredients like greens, herbs, citrus, and seasonal produce — over dense, rich dishes.
   2. Anchor each meal with balanced protein. Salmon, lentils, eggs, tofu, and legumes help stabilize blood sugar and support hormone signaling.
   3. Hydrate strategically. Brothy soups, citrus, pomegranate, and water-rich fruits support circulation and overall fluid balance.
   4. Add greens to every plate. Bitter and cruciferous greens support estrogen metabolism and keep meals feeling light.

I named this recipe Girl Soup because it’s one of my favorite things to eat during ovulation. It’s simple, brothy, and layered with lentils, flaky salmon, greens, and aromatics — deeply nourishing without feeling heavy. The best part about the recipe is that you can make one big pot leading up to ovulation and it’ll last you for days as soon as the window opens. Plus, the flavors meld and deepen as you go. And of course, this soup is perfect for the whole family. My husband absolutely loved it!

To make this soup a sturdy meal, I like to prepare a quick salad to go with it. And if you prep your veggies and mix-ins at the beginning of the week and have everything ready in the fridge, it really is simple and easy to eat well! Nutrient-rich, high in protein and fiber, and simply delicious, this is my favorite side salad to eat with girl soup (or anything really):

• Little gem lettuce
• Dino kale, roughly chopped and massaged to tenderize
• 1 soft-boiled egg, sliced
• Roasted chickpeas
• Fresh herbs like cilantro, dill
• Canned sardines
• Champagne vinaigrette (in a jar, add few splashes of vinegar, 1 dollop of dijon mustard, salt & pepper, and few good glugs of olive oil, shake and enjoy!)

Girl Soup (8 servings):

2 leeks, washed and sliced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp black pepper

5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

2 tsp grated ginger

2 cups french green lentils, rinsed and picked

10 cups chicken broth

2 fillets of salmon, about 10 oz total

Drizzle of soy sauce

Drizzle of sesame oil

2 scallions, sliced

4-5 stalks dino kale, de-stemmed and roughly chopped

Fresh herbs like dill, cilantro, parsley

1 lemon

Step 1. Prep the salmon. Cut salmon into small cubes or bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl or plate. Drizzle with soy sauce and sesame oil. Toss to coat and set aside. If using frozen salmon, thaw it completely before seasoning.

Step 2. Cook the aromatics. In a large pot, heat 2 TBSP olive oil on medium low heat and add leeks and carrots. Sauté for a couple minutes and then add coriander, black pepper, garlic, and ginger. Stir to combine and then add the lentils with a big pinch of salt. After a few minutes, add the chicken broth, another big pinch of salt, about 15 cilantro stems and simmer on medium-low covered for 10 minutes.

Step 3. Taste and season. When lentils are done, remove cilantro stems and add scallions and dino kale and stir for a minute. Turn the heat off and add salmon including any leftover marinade, submerging the pieces of salmon into the soup to gently poach. Taste the soup one last time and season up with salt, if necessary.

Step 4. Finish. Top with chopped herbs and a big squeeze of lemon juice. Enjoy with a side salad (see below) or piece of toasted sourdough. It gets better with each day.