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RHUBARB & ORANGE BIOTIC BIRCHER BOWL

What a mouthful!! And trust me you'll want a mouthful after you read all the benefits of this recipe!!



rhubarb and orange biotic bircher muesli bowl











Firstly, what an easy brekkie - made the night before - perfect to grab-and-go in this busy busy phase to fuel and maintain high energy!

If you are unfamiliar with “Bircher muesli”, its basically a muesli (so oats and nuts and seeds mix) that has been soaked (usually overnight, and usually in milk or yoghurt or in this case, kefir) and served cold. So it hasn’t been cooked, but the texture is soft like an undercooked porridge would be!


This is because the “soaking process” partially digests, as well as activates the muesli ingredients! Nuts and seeds are plants waiting to happen right? When you add water to plants - they grow. When you add water to a seed, it activates the systems & enzymes within to produce the nutrients etc that will enable the cells to multiply and it to rapidly grow! 

So, ‘activating’ the nuts and seeds improves its nutritional value, digestibility, and quite frankly, leaving it in the fridge over night is the most fool-proof, minimal-washing-up life hack ever.

See how you can get more out of this recipe here:




Probiotics - a v important element in the Follicular phase — to (I’m sure you know this already) but to maintain a healthy gut environment! This is the energetic phase, and so in order to maintain that energy, the food you’re eating needs to be properly / optimally / well digested into all the little nutrients that will travel to your cells and give you that energy..!


Kefir is (a little niche, for some, but) a great source of probiotics (as well as calcium, protein, etc).

So, similar to yoghurt, just a little more liquid, and more densely populated with probiotics - over 30 strains!

Make sure your kefir is “Live” and containing “Active cultures” (it very much should be), but make sure you check the ingredients for probiotic strains (namely strains of lactobacillus, bifidobacteria and saccharomyces), no added sugar, and that the dairy is responsibly farmed / organic /“hormone-free” (as synthetic hormones are sometimes used in dairy farming).



I chose rhubarb in this recipe, because a) I love it, and b) its benefits to the follicular phase.

Rhubarb is pretty sour, and in this recipe I deliberately haven’t offset it with too much maple (feel free to add more to taste). Sour and bitter, first thing in the morning, activates the liver. The liver is responsible for detoxing, and in the context of hormones, detoxing excess hormones! Thus (minimally though potentially contributing to) hormone balance. 


Oranges are well known for their Vitamin C content, which after menstruation, where iron stores need to be replenished, vitamin C aids the absorption of iron…! See where I’m going here?

Oats, a great source of fiber and low-GI / slow-release carbs, that will set you up for a fully-fuelled day.


And if you are seed cycling, this recipe contains your daily dose of pumpkin and flax seeds! 


 


GET MORE OUT OF THIS RECIPE:

  • Choose your nuts and seeds (but keep pumpkin and flax seeds for seed cycling benefits!)

  • Use gluten-free oats if necessary

  • Puffed ancient grains (ie puffed quinoa, buckwheat etc) make a great addition and really add to the texture of the Bircher muesli too - if you can find them

  • For lactose-free: swap for a dairy-free kefir

  • If you can’t get hold of kefir, use (live, sugar-free) yoghurt. If using regular yogurt, add a couple extra tbsp of almond milk. If using Greek yogurt, add a little more.

  • Make a double - quadruple batch of the DRY muesli mix and keep it in a kilner jar! This you can use to 

    • 1) Quickly make your Bircher every time, 

    • 2) leave to soak in milk as ‘overnight oats’ in the fridge, 

    • 3) sprinkle on a bowl of fruit, or over these Zesty Baked Plums, 

    • 4) simply enjoy 1/3 cup muesli with milk for a quick breakfast, pre-workout or energy-boosting snack

    • 5) add to warm milk / hot water in a saucepan and cook (like porridge) for a warm wintery version!

  • Add income protein powder (and a little extra almond milk or kefir) to boost the protein content

  • Alternative to the rhubarb on top (if its not available / in season etc), mixed berries are a great option + orange and ginger, or apples, pears, plums, peaches all stew very well too - use in equal portions to the rhubarb and you won’t need as much maple. Or simply top with fresh (raw) seasonal fruit, or a syrup of choice.



 


FOLLICULAR PHASE -SPECIFIC:

MACROS:

Carbohydrates: in the oats and naturally occurring sugars in the fruits. Glucose is energy - and when combined with the fibre, fats and protein in this recipe, will create longer-lasting energy to keep you fuelled in this high-energy phase!

Protein: in the kefir and nuts! Add in some protein powder if you’d like to boost the protein content.

Fats: (in the nuts and seeds, and yoghurt if not 0%) are so important for hormone balance (hormones are built from fats) as oestrogen rises. 


COOKING STYLE:

Raw! Soaked and activated nuts, seeds and oats increase their digestibility, as well as nutrient profile, as soaking “activates” certain minerals and nutrients!

Served cold- also okay in this phase (I bang on about warm foods for warm abdomen, but the Follicular phase is a little more flexible).



INGREDIENTS / NUTRITIONAL PROFILE:

Rhubarb = contain phytoestrogens, which can help regulate and balance oestrogen ensuring they don’t raise too high or get too low. Rhubarb is also high in fibre, supporting liver function and detox of excess oestrogen. Too high oestrogen levels can cause mood swings, bloating, and irregular cycles. Rhubarb contains powerful polyphenols, such as anthraquinones and flavonoids, which help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. This is beneficial during the follicular phase when the body is preparing for ovulation and potential implantation. Vitamin K, C, calcium and magnesium are also found in rhubarb — all important bits & mins for hormone production, energy and ovulation (the build up to).


Orange = Vitamin C (the classic rep oranges get) not only is a pin point for immunity, but aids the absorption of iron! Replenishing iron stores after menstruation is very important to prevent low energy & anaemia (especially when you want to maximise this phase!)


Oats = are a wonderful source of a soluble fiber beta glucan that can bind to and carry out LDL cholesterol, up-regulate natural killer cells stimulating the immune system. Oats have also been used in Western medicine as a ‘nervine tonic’ for nervous exhaustion, thought to be due to their vitamin B content which relax and regulate the nervous system. These fibrous slow-release carbohydrate wonder-grains are great in the Follicular phase when the body is primed to utilize glucose for energy. 


Almonds = are a high protein nut, also containing lots of the healthy fats -> hormone building, as well as stabilising & balancing energy and mood.

Almonds contain a potent amount of Vitamin E too; not only great for the health of your skin (yes, that glow) & liver (think hormone detoxing), but can also alleviate symptoms of painful periods and other PMS symptoms. Additionally, vitamin E helps protect egg cells from oxidative damage, which is crucial for fertility, particularly as a person ages.


Kefir = gut health -> maintaining a healthy microbiome for optimal digestion and reduce bloating, immune support, hormone balance (as a result of healthy gut and hormone detox and processing), lactose digestion: the probiotics help break down lactose, making kefir easier to digest for those with lactose intolerance.


(Seed-cycling) Pumpkin & Flax seeds = Flax seeds contain lignans, which are phytoestrogens that help balance estrogen levels by binding to excess estrogen and aiding its metabolism.

Pumpkin seeds are rich in zinc, which supports the production of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), crucial for healthy ovulation. They also support progesterone production later in the cycle, ensuring a smooth transition to the luteal phase. 


 

Rhubarb & Orange Biotic Bircher:

(2 servings)


Ingredients:

Homemade Bircher muesli mix:

1/2 cup oats 

2 tbsp oat flour (oats milled / ground to flour)

2 tbsp flaked almonds

2 tbsp hazelnuts (roughly chopped)

2 tbsp pumpkin seeds

2 tbsp ground flax seeds


For the biotic Bircher:

1/2 cup plain Organic kefir

1/2 cup almond milk


For the orange-stewed rhubarb:

1 1/2 cup chopped fresh rhubarb (about 2 medium stalks)

1 orange

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp fresh grated ginger root, washed and peeled


To serve: toasted flaked almonds, orange zest, hemp seeds



METHOD:

  1. Start by making the orange-stewed rhubarb so it has time to cool. First, wash the rhubarb stalks and trim the ends. This should expose a fringe of red strands - pull back the film to peel the rhubarb, ((which will reduce some of the bitterness and woodiness.). Roughly chop the stalks into 2cm chunks and place in a small saucepan.

  2. Zest the orange and add 1/4 tsp to the rhubarb. Then use a sharp knife to peel /slice away the white pith of the orange, and slice to circles and add to the rhubarb, with any juices that may have escaped in the peeling process.

  3. Add the finely grated ginger root to the saucepan, and bring to a very low and slow simmer. You’re aiming to slowly soften the rhubarb and orange to release the juices, upon which point you can slightly increase the heat and allow to bubble gently around the edges, stirring often so the bottom nor edges burn. Now you can stir in the maple syrup (which will loosen the mixture). Once the fruit is totally soft, remove the saucepan from the heat and allow to cool.

  4. Now make the muesli mix: mill 2 tbsp oats to flour in a coffee grinder or high-powered blender, and tip into a large bowl. Add the rest of the muesli mix ingredients; the whole oats, flaked almonds, chopped hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds and ground flax seeds, and mix to combine.

  5. Add the kefir, almond milk, stirring as you add the liquids and the mixture thickens.

  6. Transfer to 2 glass jars or storage containers and top with the now cool orange-stewed rhubarb. 

  7. Finally, wash and grate the apple and divide between both jars to top. Sprinkle some hemp seeds or toasted flaked almonds if desired, and place in the fridge overnight.



rhubarb and orange biotic bircher bowl



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All information is collation of own research and personal experience. G holds a Human Biosciences BSc degree, and has completed a Nutritional Chef course, as well as having cooked alongside a Naturopathic chef for over 4 years, and worked with/for central London renowned health food businesses in both developmental and practical roles.

G has a wide array of experience and diverse skill set to now cook and eat incredibly intuitively. With developed and refined self- and cycle- awareness, intuition and kitchen skills, this platform is to pass on G's research and findings, and intuitively created recipes (that will apply widely since they are equally founded upon and combined with scientific findings in female hormonal research).

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