The Cycle Kitchen
Seed cycling with Nevaeh [episode one: Banana Pancakes]
Cycle Syncing Magic
Hi hello friends, welcome to my new series ✨The Cycle Kitchen✨ I am starting this series as a form of accountability for myself. A couple of years ago, I was deep in hormone chaos (I mean so deep.) My skin, mood, and energy were all screaming at me. I was dealing with extremely irregular cycles and excruciating periods. I came across a post about cycle syncing and discovered seed cycling. I then began learning how to work with my cycle, and everything changed for me.
After a few months of really diving into it, my cycle started to regulate. I had fewer cramps, my skin cleared up, and for the first time, I felt somewhat in control of my moods and emotions. I was finally starting to feel at home in my body (which was very new for me). I was meal-prepping every week to align with my cycle, and my fridge was full of seed-cycling staples and hormone-friendly foods.
But like many healing journeys, I fell off track. Life got stressful, fast. There was so much shifting and changing, in my life, so many endings, beginnings, and big emotions. And, of course, right when I needed all those supportive habits the most... I stopped doing them. (The only thing I managed to keep up with was my electrolytes. Shoutout to electrolytes.) Slowly, my old symptoms started creeping back in: irregular cycles, acne, mood swings, and that all-too-familiar feeling of disconnection from my body. That’s where I’m at right now. And while it’s frustrating to feel like I’ve lost progress, I also know this: I’ve done it before, so of course I can do it again.
✨The Cycle Kitchen✨ (yes, it needs the sparkles every time, don’t ask me why, it just does) is my way of returning to what works. It’s a personal reset, a way to hold myself accountable, and an invitation to feel good in my body again. And since I’m doing it anyway... why not bring you with me and share what I’m doing?
So What is Seed Cycling?
Seed cycling is one of those holistic hacks that sounds too simple to work (until it does.) It’s a gentle, food-based way to support your hormones throughout your menstrual cycle by rotating specific seeds during different phases. That’s it. No expensive supplements, no complicated routines. Just seeds, your cycle, and consistency.
Here’s the basic idea:
Your cycle has four main phases (menstrual, follicular, ovulation, and luteal), and your hormones fluctuate wildly through each phase. Seed cycling pairs certain seeds with each half of your cycle to help bring things back into balance:
Follicular + Ovulation (Days 1–14):
This is your estrogen-dominant phase. During this time, you eat flax seeds and pumpkin seeds to support healthy estrogen levels and promote detoxification.
Luteal + Menstrual (Days 15–28):
This is your progesterone-supporting phase. You switch to sunflower seeds and sesame seeds to nourish progesterone production and ease PMS symptoms.
Each seed brings something unique to the table… fiber, zinc, healthy fats, lignans, and micronutrients that your body actually knows how to utilize. it’s so simple but so effective. It’s like giving your body tools it recognizes and hearing it say, “Girl, thank you.”
The best part? There’s no one way to do it. You can blend them into smoothies, sprinkle them on top of oats, throw them into energy bites, or bake them into whatever phase-friendly creation you’re craving (like, for example... these pancakes). I’m here to provide you with some delicious recipe ideas so you don’t have to go through the trial and error process as I did. Because yes we absolutely want to support our hormones but we also most definitely need it to taste good.
Banana Pancakes + The Follicular Phase
This recipe is designed for the follicular phase, the days right after your period when estrogen starts rising and your energy (finally) returns from the underworld. You might feel a little lighter, a little more motivated, a little more like you (this is my all-time favorite phase, seriously I feel like I can do anything and everything, I love you follicular.)This is the time to nourish that forward momentum with foods that support estrogen metabolism, blood sugar balance, and mood regulation.
*Side note* Please get enough sleep, just because you feel like you could run on 5 hours of sleep doesn’t mean you can, this will catch up to you in your luteal phase. The goal is to prevent burnout.
Okay now for our follicular phase best friends: flax and pumpkin seeds.
Flax seeds are full of lignans, which help balance estrogen levels and support detoxification.
Pumpkin seeds are rich in zinc, magnesium, and healthy fats that nourish your reproductive system and give your mood some much-needed love.
Eggs + protein powder keep your blood sugar steady, which is key for hormone harmony (and avoiding that mid-morning crash).
Bananas + cinnamon bring in natural sweetness and help regulate digestion.
And bonus: this recipe clocks in at around 27g of protein per serving (which is major for stabilizing hormones and keeping your nervous system happy.) Basically, it’s a hormonal hug in pancake form.
The Recipe🥞🍌
Cycle Phase: Follicular
Seed Combo: Flax + Pumpkin
Servings: 4 (3/4 pancakes per serving depending on batter consistency)
Protein: ~27g per serving
Ingredients:
– 4 overripe bananas
– 8 eggs
– 1/4 cup blended pumpkin seeds
– 1/4 cup flax meal
– 2 scoops vanilla protein powder
– Dash of cinnamon
– Dash of salt
To serve:
Top with berries of choice & your favorite yogurt (I love the brand Painter Sisters in peach flavor *chefs kiss* it’s so good.)
How to Make:
Mash your bananas in a big bowl.
Add the eggs and stir until smooth.
Mix in your flax, pumpkin seeds, protein powder, cinnamon, and salt.
Cook on skillet until golden on both sides. (I use coconut oil to cook mine)
Top and devour.
I recommend storing leftovers in the fridge or freezing them and heating them up throughout the week for an easy hormone-friendly breakfast.
Want to see how I make them in real-time? Watch the video over on Instagram 🍓
*side note* if you freeze them heat them in a pan, then pop them in the toaster for the perfect crisp on the outside.
✨ Don’t know what to buy to sync with your cycle? Download my free Cycle Kitchen Grocery List.
With love,
Nevaeh