If you’re searching for a fall IVF recipe – pumpkin takes some beating as your star ingredient. Perfect in one-pot cooking (from curries to soups), and packed with hormone-supporting fiber, plus beta-carotene for egg health, pumpkin packs an easy antioxidant punch. Healthy fertility recipes can miss a bit of flare, though. So we’ve turned to fertility nutritional therapist, Charlotte Grand, for a pumpkin and coconut curry you’ll want on stand-by right through the colder months.

Over to Charlotte –

thefertilitykitchen.co.uk | @thefertilitykitchen

This pumpkin curry is like a hug in a bowl – the perfect autumnal or fall dish. Pumpkin is rich in beta-carotene, an antioxidant which can support fertility and reproductive health. My recipe makes a big batch, so you’ll have plenty of leftovers to enjoy later in the week.

Related article – Turmeric for Fertility – Could this be a Fertility Super Spice?

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp coconut oil

• 3 tbsp Thai red curry paste

• 4 spring onions, finely chopped

• 1 red chilli, sliced (remove seeds for less heat)

• 3 stalks lemongrass, bruised

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger

• 1kg pumpkin (or squash), peeled and diced

• ½ red pepper, sliced

• ½ green pepper, sliced

• 250ml vegetable stock

• 400ml can full fat coconut milk

• ½ cup cashew nuts

• Juice of 1 fresh lime

• 1 tsp coconut sugar

• 1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped

Method

1. Heat the oil in a sauté pan and gently fry the curry paste with the onions, chilli, lemongrass, garlic and ginger for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

2. Stir the pumpkin and peppers into the pan and coat in the paste, then pour in the stock and coconut milk. Bring everything to a simmer, then cook for 10-15 minutes until the pumpkin is tender.

3. Remove the lemongrass and stir in the lime juice, sugar and coriander. Serve with rice noodles or courgetti for a low-carbohydrate alternative.

Charlotte is a BANT-registered Nutritionist, specialising in fertility. Her nutrition hub The Fertility Kitchen is focused on providing practical nutrition advice and healthy, nutrient-dense recipes designed to promote optimal fertility. In her practice, Charlotte takes a functional approach, helping her clients to identify and address the root cause of their fertility problems.

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