Good nutrition is a key part of your menopause health and wellbeing repertoire. In fact, it’s an essential part. Ensuring that you feed your body with the nutrients it needs – and less of the ones it doesn’t – has never been more important. The best diet for a menopausal woman is one that is high on goodness, low on alcohol and, most importantly, allows you to enjoy and appreciate great food.
Alli Godbold is a nutritionist and cook who understands what the best foods for the menopausal years are, because she’s a midlife woman herself. Her recipes are delicious and easy to prepare – but don’t take our word for it. Try them for yourself. She shares five of the dishes she recommends for a menopause diet.
Blackened Salmon
Oily fish is the best source of omega 3 fats. Essential for health, they have an anti-inflammatory effect which can help with aches and pains as we age. More importantly, suppressing inflammation is key to preventing degenerative disease. Another great backbone for tasty menopause recipes.
Serving Size
Serves 4
Ingredients
- Four salmon fillets
- Four tbsp mirin rice wine
- 50g maple syrup
- Four tbsp tamari soy sauce
- Two tbsp rice vinegar
- Two spring onions, cut into fine strips
- 2 tsps sesame seeds
Method
- Mix the mirin, maple syrup and soy sauce in a shallow dish and marinate the salmon in it for a few minutes on each side.
- Heat a large non-stick frying pan on the hob.
- Cook the salmon in the pan for a couple of minutes and then turn it over, add marinade and cook for another few minutes.
- Remove salmon to a serving plate, add the rice vinegar to the pan and heat through.
- Pour the glaze over the salmon and top with spring onion strips and a sprinkling of sesame seeds.
READ MORE Why does perimenopause cause bloating?
Nutty Seed Bread
A low carb bread which is full of nuts and seeds, providing good fats and plenty of protein and fibre. It’s the best bread for blood sugar balance but also good for gut health. This ‘bread’ keeps you feeling fuller for longer than regular bread and will therefore help to prevent cravings so useful if you are trying to watch your menopause belly.
A note of caution, the dough needs to rest for a minimum of three hours before baking. If you try and cook it without waiting the bread will not hold together. I like to leave the bread in the tin overnight and bake first thing in the morning.
Ingredients
- 140g sunflower seeds
- 100g ground flax seeds
- 70g hazelnuts/almonds
- 150g gluten free rolled oats
- Two tbsp chia seeds
- Four tbsp psyllium seed husks
- One tsp sea salt
- One tbsp maple syrup
- Three tbsp olive oil or melted coconut oil
- 350ml water
Method
- Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Whisk together the liquid ingredients in a jug: maple syrup, oil and water.
- Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly to form a stiff dough.
- Spoon the dough into a lined 2lb loaf tin and smooth out. Leave in the tin for a minimum of three hours or overnight so that the psyllium husks completely absorb all the water.
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C.
- Place the loaf tin in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 20 minutes. Remove bread from loaf pan, place it upside down directly on the oven rack and continue to bake for another 30-40 minutes. The bread is ready when it sounds hollow when tapped.
- Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Smoked Mackerel Pate
A good source of essential omega 3s and good to have to hand in the fridge for a healthy snack spread on a cracker.
Serving Size
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 200g smoked mackerel
- 100g silken tofu or cottage cheese
- Juice of one lemon
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Half tsp horseradish sauce
- Sliced lemon to serve
Method
- Put all the ingredients into a food processor, season with pepper and blend to a not quite smooth texture.
READ MORE 11 ways to lose menopause belly fat.
Chocolate Avocado Mousse
Low in sugar yet hits the spot if you are craving chocolate. Plus, it’s very nutritious as it contains avocado, which supplies healthy fats, potassium and fibre.
Serving Size
Serves 2-4
Ingredients
- Large ripe avocado
- Three tbsp raw cacao powder
- Four dates, pitted
- Large ripe banana, peeled (I like to use one that I’ve frozen as it makes the mousse chilled, which tastes better. I always freeze bananas when they start to get brown spots. I peel them and wrap in tin foil.)
- Half tsp of good quality vanilla extract (I like Nielsen-Massey)
- Two tbsp water
Method
- Place all the ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until you have a smooth mixture.
- Divide into ramekin dishes or pretty tea cups and decorate with a mint leaf or a few berries.
