The baked oatmeal ideas just keep coming, and I, for one, am not mad about it (and hope you’re not either)!

This Gut-Friendly Strawberry Rhubarb Cheesecake version not only screams spring, but it’s easy to make, tastes like dessert, and is loaded with fiber-rich ingredients to help your gut microbiome thrive.

This is also especially important for your hormones, as the state of your gut health is intricately tied to hormone function, and keeping your microbiome balanced leads to better hormonal health. 

GUT HEALTH + HORMONE HEALTH — THE CONNECTION

In today’s world, we’re exposed to a variety of toxins, chemicals, pollutants, processed foods, prescriptions, alcohol, drugs and stress that wreak havoc on our gut microbiome, causing what’s known as dysbiosis, or an imbalance of the gut bacteria.

When gut bacteria becomes unbalanced, food and nutrients aren’t absorbed well, and larger molecules are able to cross the gut wall, causing food sensitivities and increasing inflammation in the body. This can provoke an immune response and trigger an autoimmune condition if left untreated, leading to hormone disruption, such as impaired ovulation or progesterone production (infertility), overstimulated estrogen or testosterone (painful periods, PCOS, endometriosis and breakouts) and blocked thyroid hormone (metabolism, temperature, mood, etc.).

It also effects hormone production, as nutrient absorption via your gut is necessary in order to synthesize hormones (i.e. it’s not just what you eat but how well you actually absorb it).

HOW TO SUPPORT YOUR HORMONES THROUGH YOUR GUT

In order to optimize both gut and hormone health, it’s important to do the following:

+ Eat a Diverse Variety of Nutrient-Dense Foods

Eating a diverse variety of nutrient-dense foods rich in quality protein, fiber and fat ensures you’re providing your body with the raw materials it needs to produce healthy hormones, as well as optimize digestion, regulate blood sugar, boost good gut bacteria and effectively eliminate toxins.

+ Eat For The Different Phases Of Your Cycle

Consuming a variety of foods based on where you’re at in your cycle not only supports different hormone fluctuations by meeting different nutrient needs but by rotating different foods and methods of cooking your gut doesn’t get too overexposed to any particular food that may be causing an inflammatory response. See this post on how to eat for each phase of your cycle or check out my Hormone Balance Reset Plan for phase-specific recipes, grocery shopping lists, recommended foods, etc.

+ Eat In A Calm, Relaxed Environment

Eating in a calm, relaxed state allows your body to tap into its parasympathetic nervous system (aka rest and digest mode) and properly absorb the nutrients you’re consuming.

+ Avoid Inflammatory Triggers When Possible

This can vary based on your unique gut microbiome and hormone balance, but for most people these triggers include refined sugar, alcohol, gluten, corn, dairy and processed foods in general. If you suspect you have a food intolerance or sensitivity, I highly recommend this FoodMarble Digestive Tracking Device.

If possible, I also encourage you to buy organic produce and wild-caught, grass-fed, and pasture-raised seafood and animal products to avoid toxins that wreak havoc on your gut, decimating the good bacteria, eventually leading to dysbiosis or leaky gut.

+ Incorporate Prebiotics + Probiotics 

These days, I’m finding many of my clients to be familiar with probiotics (which work to implant the gut with a plethora of healthy bacteria), but it’s just as important to incorporate prebiotics into your diet too (food that those healthy bacteria feed off of in order to proliferate and thrive).

Good sources of probiotic-rich foods include fermented coconut/greek yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha and kefir, while cooked onion and asparagus, green bananas, chicory root, artichokes, dandelion greens and oats (hello baked oatmeal) are loaded with prebiotics.

GUT-FRIENDLY RECIPES 

Thanks to a heavy dose of prebiotic fiber (hello oats), gut-protecting compounds (thanks cauliflower rice), fermented almond cream cheese (oh hey frosting) and inflammation-fighting CBD, this Strawberry Rhubarb Baked Oatmeal is an awesome gut + hormone-nourishing recipe to incorporate into your diet (especially during your follicular and ovulatory phases, which thrive off fresh, vibrant spring and summer-like foods).

See below for the recipe, or try a few of these other gut-friendly recipes to get you started:

+ Gut-Friendly One-Pot African Peanut Stew

+ Gut-Friendly Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

+ Gut-Friendly Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal 

+ Digestive-Boosting Eggplant Curry + Cardamom Spiced Quinoa

+ Gut-Healing Chicken Korma

+ Gut-Friendly Cinnamon Roll Oat Bake

+ Gut-Friendly Paleo Peach Cobbler

+ Gut-Boosting Paleo Pumpkin Muffins

Gut-Friendly Strawberry Rhubarb Cheesecake Baked Oatmeal (GF/DF/VEGAN)

DF

GF

VG

This easy, delicious recipe tastes like dessert and is loaded with nutrients to help heal your gut and balance your hormones.

PREP TIME:	TOTAL TIME:
00:00 Mins	00:35 Mins

• Author: Lauren Chambers

• Servings: 8-12

• Recipe Type: breakfast, dessert

• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

• For the Baked Oatmeal:
• 2 cups fresh strawberries, chopped and stems discarded
• 1 large rhubarb stalk (or 2 small) chopped
• 1½ cups GF rolled oats (I love Bob’s Red Mill)
• 1½ cups riced cauliflower (if not using, sub for more oats)
• ½ cup pecans, chopped
• 1 heaping tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 3 cups nutpods French Vanilla Oat Creamer (or other non-dairy milk) **Use code SOFRESH20 to save 20% off your first order
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp flaxseed powder + 2 ½ tbsp warm water (or swap for 1 whole egg, beaten)
• For the CBD Cream Cheese Frosting:
• 1 cup Kite-Hill or Mykonos Dairy-Free Cream Cheese
• ½ cup pure maple syrup
• 2 droppers (approximately 8.4 mg)Hemp CBD Elixir**Use code sa_lauren20 to save 20% off your first purchase
• 2 tbsp lemon juice (or ½ of a large lemon, juice squeezed)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. If using flaxseed gel as a binder (vs an egg) combine the flaxseed powder and warm water in a small bowl and stir. Allow to sit for a couple of minutes to thicken.
3. In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients, including berries.
4. In a small bowl combine all wet ingredients (including the flax gel OR egg beaten), mixing well, then stir in with the dry ingredients.
5. Pour the mixture into a 9” by 13″ inch baking pan and bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and liquid is absorbed.
6. While oats are baking, whisk together all ingredients for the CBD Cream Cheese Frosting.
7. Let oat bake cool once done, then smother with CBD Cream Cheese Frosting. Will last in the fridge for a week.

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