Pumpkin & Butter Bean Chowder | Fertility Support

Soups, especially hearty ones, are all the rave when it comes to hormone support. You can pack so much into one pot. If you were Googling "recipes for ovulation and fertility" then you've come to the right place. If you want it with a touch of culture, then dahling you are home. 

This Pumpkin & Butter Bean Chowder is creamy, cozy and supercharged by three dynamic ingredients that support ovulation which in turn helps you achieve optimal cycles—pumpkin, butter beans and fenugreek. Before we dive into how those ingredients support your cycle, let’s pull back the curtain on ovulation itself—what it is, why it matters, and how to support it using food.

 

WHAT IS OVULATION & WHY IT MATTERS?

While the chowder is bubbling away on the stove, let's talk a bit about ovulation and why it matters. I won't get too sciency, I'll just give you the real talk.

The first thing to know is that ovulation is not just about getting pregnant, it's a key indicator of hormone health. In fact your period itself, or the menstrual phase, isn't even the star of your entire cycle. It's ovulation. 

Ovulation is that beautiful, fleeting moment when your ovary releases an egg. It typically happens around the midpoint of your cycle (around day 14 in a 28-day cycle), and it’s the main event that triggers your body to produce progesterone. After that egg is released, the follicle it came from transforms into something called the corpus luteum.

The corpus luteum is the only structure that produces significant amounts of progesterone during your cycle. Progesterone calms your nervous system, supports your mood, protects your uterine lining, and signals to your body that all is well. 

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN OVULATION DOES NOT OCCUR?

On the flipside, if you don’t ovulate, there’s no corpus luteum which means no natural surge in progesterone during the second half of your cycle (the luteal phase).

Now, your adrenal glands can make small amounts of progesterone, but it’s not nearly enough to support a healthy luteal phase, balanced mood, or fertility.

This is why cycles without ovulation—called anovulatory cycles—are often associated with:

• Estrogen dominance (because estrogen keeps rising with no progesterone to balance it)
• Irregular or missing periods
• Heavy bleeding or clotting
• Infertility
• Increased PMS symptoms (like anxiety, bloating, and cravings)

 

WHAT CAUSES OVULATION ISSUES.

There are a few key reasons why your body might not ovulate consistently, and they often have less to do with your ovaries, and more to do with how safe and nourished your body feels.

Here’s what can disrupt ovulation:

Chronic stress: When cortisol is high, your brain may delay or shut down the hormone signals needed to release an egg. Your body basically says, “Now’s not the time, it’s not safe.”

Undereating or overexercising: Not getting enough calories, carbs, or fat can shut down ovulation. Your body needs fuel to make hormones. No fuel, no cycle.

Insulin resistance and blood sugar issues: Common in PCOS, where elevated insulin disrupts the hormonal signals needed to ovulate.

Thyroid dysfunction: An underactive thyroid can throw off the entire hormonal chain and delay or block ovulation.

Coming off hormonal birth control: After years of suppressing ovulation, your body may need time and support to relearn the rhythm.

Low nutrient reserves: Vitamins and minerals like zinc, B6, magnesium, and vitamin A are all required for healthy ovulation and many of us are unknowingly deficient.

 

WHY EAT FOR FERTILITY (EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT TRYING TO CONCEIVE? 

Fertility isn’t just about having babies. It’s about how well your body is functioning overall. A fertile body is a well-fed, well-rested, hormonally balanced body. One that feels energized, emotionally steady, and symptom-free most of the month.

So when I say “eat for fertility,” I'm really saying eat to support your cycle, ovulation, hormone production and hormone clearance. Because when all of that is working smoothly, everything else falls into place: 

• Your skin improves
• Your sleep deepens
• Your period comes on time
• Your moods don’t hijack your life
• Your PMS symptoms fade
• Your stress doesn’t hit the same
• Your energy actually lasts the day

This is why eating for fertility isn't just about trying to get pregnant. It’s about building a strong, steady cycle that supports your hormonal balance, your energy, and your ability to feel good in your body every day. Ovulation is a marker that your endocrine system is working in harmony.

 

HOW TO START EATING FOR YOUR CYCLE IF YOUR PERIOD IS IRREGULAR? 

To get started with eating for your cycle, tracking it is key. For women who have irregular or missing periods or you're not sure when you're ovulating, there are still ways to track and support. 

One interesting, ancestral way to reconnect with your cycle is by using the moon as your guide. Women have synced their cycles with the moon for generations. If you think about it, the moon is cyclical (has a 28 day cycle) just like we are.

Ovulation tends to align with the full moon, when energy is outward, social, and magnetic. Menstruation usually aligns with the new moon, a time for rest and inward focus. So if your cycle is irregular, try using the moon phases to loosely guide your nourishment and track your signs of ovulation—like changes in cervical mucus (hello egg whites), increased energy, or a subtle libido spike.

 

So what does this all have to do with pumpkin and butter beans? Well, everything. 

Because in this neighborhood, food is how we rebuild the foundation. It’s how we signal to our body: “You’re safe. You can ovulate. You can support new life.”

Pumpkin is rich in beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A—an essential nutrient for egg quality and cervical fluid. It’s also a nourishing, grounding food that supports your liver in metabolizing excess estrogen. Butter beans (aka lima beans) are loaded with plant-based protein and folate, crucial for cell repair and healthy ovulation. And ground fenugreek? A humble Caribbean pantry staple that’s been shown to support blood sugar balance and improve estrogen metabolism.

This chowder is the epitome of cultural medicine in a bowl.

 

WHEN TO EAT THIS CHOWDER IN YOUR CYCLE.

This Pumpkin & Butter Bean Chowder is best enjoyed during the follicular and ovulatory phases of your cycle. However with a few tweaks it can also work beautifully in the early luteal phase.

Here’s the breakdown:

• Follicular Phase (Right after your period)
  Your body is rebuilding nutrient stores and preparing for ovulation. You need foods that are light but mineral-rich to replenish iron, support egg development, and detox leftover estrogen. This chowder does just that with iron from the butter beans, fiber from the pumpkin, and warmth from fenugreek.
• Ovulatory Phase (Mid-cycle)
  Estrogen peaks, and your energy is high. You’ll benefit from antioxidant-rich foods that support cervical fluid and egg quality. The beta-carotene from pumpkin supports egg maturation, while fiber and phytonutrients keep your liver moving excess hormones out.
• Luteal Phase (Days after ovulation)
  In early luteal, this chowder still works but just make it a little heartier since your appetite will be more intense during this season. Add root veggies like sweet potatoes or cassava to help keep blood sugar stable and support progesterone production.

Tip: If your cycle is irregular or you’re syncing with the moon, enjoy this chowder in the days leading up to and around the full moon, when ovulation is most likely to occur or be energetically supported.

 

ADD MORE NOURISHMENT!

Although this chowder is nourishing on its own, here's how you can bring about more balance and nourishment. 

Add complex carbs to the chowder itself or on the side like brown rice, cassava, plantain or green banana.

Add a slice of avocado on the side for extra healthy fats. Or even stir in leafy greens like callaloo or spinach.

 

Did you learn something new about your cycle? Share in the comments or connect in the private FB group!