Whole Orange Blender Cake Baked Oat Bites

This title is a mouth full - and a mouth full of this sweet treat will leave you wanting more! A fun fact about the orange peel is that it is packed with antioxidants, so not only does this recipe save you from the hassle of peeling an orange, but it also give you added health benefits!

Ingredients for your follicular phase: oats, flax, and oranges. During the follicular phase, your metabolism naturally slows down, so you want to eat foods that aid liver detoxification to ensure estrogen buildup doesn't occur in the gut.

Oats are high in fiber which makes it wonderful for our body during the follicular phase. Fiber is key to helping our body flush out excess estrogen while our body ramps up production at this time of the cycle. The specific type of fiber it contains is called beta-glucan, which acts as a prebiotic for beneficial bacteria in our gut microbiome. And because a healthy gut can best regulate hormone production, this is very important! Rolled oats are also typically gluten-free by nature, so for those of us who are gluten-sensitive - this is a great breakfast to have.

Flax seeds act as estrogen blockers, which help our bodies reduce excess estrogen. They also are high in omega-3s which are shown to reduce FSH levels are anti-inflammatory which helps curb inflammation, and contain lots of protein which balances blood sugar.

Oranges, and citrus more generally, are high in vitamin C and antioxidants which reduce inflammation in the body. But most importantly, they are effective at liver detoxification, and vitamin C helps with iron absorption. And orange peels are loaded with antioxidants which is a bonus for this recipe!