Delicious Recipes for Gut Health and Hormone Balance

Did you know the last point of hormone breakdown is in your digestive tract? This is why hormone health and gut health play such a balancing act within the body. Oftentimes, we can get distracted by one or the other in terms of symptoms, frustrations, and treatment, so why not add nutrition to your diet for both?!

Fiber and Protein focused

Both protein and fiber are essential macronutrients that support a healthy gut and hormonal balance. Protein helps to keep us full throughout the day, which supports our hunger and fullness hormones. In addition, protein assists with the synthesis of hormones by supplying the body with the essential amino acids it needs to create and break down hormones.

Fiber helps to bulk stools and assist digestion. Fiber is also beneficial in building a strong microbiome to assist with hormone breakdown. By adding protein and fiber into meals and snacks, blood sugar levels have a consistent rise and fall throughout the day and support sex hormones. Here are a few of our favorite foods that contain both protein and fiber: walnuts, chia and flax seeds, quinoa, and chickpeas.

Start with your foundation

Beginning your day with a robust breakfast can assist with blood sugar control throughout the day and support healthy digestion. We like to aim for 25-30 grams of protein at breakfast time so that the body can be set up for success, and energy and metabolism can be maintained. You may ask yourself about intermittent fasting and for both hormone and gut health, we aim for around a 12-hour fast so that the body can fully rest during sleep, and then be sustained with energy while awake for the other 12 hours of your day. For example, we may suggest that someone have a protein and fiber-forward breakfast around 7 AM if they work a 9 AM - 5 PM job. Then we may suggest for them to eat dinner around 6:30 PM so that they are finished with their last meal of the night around 7 PM, which allows for a 12-hour overnight fast. This allows the bowels to rest, potentially better blood sugar balance, and nutrition to support the body.

Re-envision your Plate

For optimal hormone and gut health, we want to have balance in the meals and snacks that are consumed. For meals, a good rule of thumb is:

• ½ your plate as colorful vegetables like arugula, cauliflower, bell peppers and red onion

• ¼ your plate as whole grains like quinoa, farro, and couscous

• ¼ your plate as lean proteins like chicken breast, tofu, or ground turkey

Another way to look at your plate is by:

• 2 fists colorful vegetables like broccoli, summer squash, and carrots

• 1 fist complex carbohydrates like sweet potato and brown rice 

• 1 fist of protein like tempeh, lean beef, or lentils

This balance allows you to fill up on vital phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals from your colorful plate, fiber, and protein! 

Below are two of our favorite recipes from our registered dietitian Amanda Brainerd, who you can follow @mandasmealsss on Instagram for more anti-inflammatory and healthy recipes as well as nutrition tips and tricks.

Healthy Orange Chicken

Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 2-4 

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp arrowroot starch 

• 2 tbsp coconut aminos 

• 2 chicken breasts, cubed 

• 1 tbsp olive oil 

• 2 garlic cloves, minced 

• ⅓ c orange juice 

• ⅓ c red wine vinegar 

• ¼ c maple syrup 

• 2 tbsp soy sauce 

• 2 tbsp mixture from above 

• 2 tbsp arrowroot starch 

• 1 bag of frozen broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots

• 1 cup of quinoa or brown rice 

• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Directions

• Heat oil in a skillet 

• Toss chicken, coconut aminos, and arrowroot starch in a big bowl, then add to skillet for 3-5 minutes to brown 

• Mix orange juice sauce in a bowl and add to chicken mixture when chicken is 75% cooked 

• Make a slurry starch mixture by adding 2 tbsp arrowroot starch with 2 tbsp of orange juice sauce, once combined add to chicken saute pan

• Allow the mixture to thicken and chicken to finish cooking 

• Microwave bag of frozen vegetables

• Cook quinoa according to package instructions

• Serve with 1 cup vegetable mix, 1 fist size of orange chicken, and ¼ - ½ cup quinoa 

• Top with sesame seeds and enjoy!

Tofu Coconut Curry

Time: 45 minutes

Serves: 4-6 

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 yellow onion, chopped

• 1 bell pepper, chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1-inch fresh ginger, minced

• 1 packet @simplyorganicfoods Curry Simmer Sauce

• 1 can, 14 fl. oz. coconut milk

• ½ cup crushed tomatoes

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 package, 16 oz extra firm plain tofu, chopped into 1-inch cubes

• 2 cups baby spinach

• 1 lime, zest and juice

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 1 Seeds of Change Brown Rice packet

Directions

• Press tofu then cut it into small 1-inch cubes

• Add olive oil to a large skillet at medium-high heat

• Add onion and bell pepper then sauté until the onions begin to brown, about 4-5 minutes.

• Add in the garlic, ginger, and spice packet and sauté for 2-3 minutes

• Reduce the heat to low and stir in the coconut milk, crushed tomatoes, and tomato paste until well incorporated. Add the tofu and gently stir to coat with the sauce.

• Bring the curry to a boil before reducing the heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes.

• Stir in the spinach, lime zest, and lime juice, until the spinach wilts.

• Taste for additional salt and pepper.

• Cook rice packet to package instructions

• Serve ~2 scoops of curry over ⅓ cup rice & enjoy!!

Interested in learning more about gut health, hormones, and how both affect your overall health?

We’d love to work with you! Schedule a complimentary Meet + Greet session. We look forward to finding individualized solutions to fit your needs.

Published: September 11th, 2023.

This blog post was written by Amanda Brainerd MS, RD, LD, CSCC, a dietitian at Katie Chapmon Nutrition. She works with clients virtually and is accepting new clients.