4 delicious recipes for a better menopause, created by Jane Baxter (2024)

It’s fair to say that over the past couple of years, the narrative around the menopause has completely changed. No longer spoken about in hushed tones, the conversation about what actually happens to women during this period of change is growing louder by the day. Especially on a day like today: World Menopause Day.

Yet while companies introduce various menopause policies and more women start speaking to their doctors about HRT and other medical options to help ease their symptoms (such as low mood, hot flushes, irritability and vagin*l dryness), our diet – and how it can truly be our biggest ally for good health during menopause – is often overlooked.

Why? Because menopause has historically been vastly understudied.

But thanks to a large-scale, in-depth study from the personalised nutrition company ZOE, which was published in The Lancet and analysed the impact of menopause on women’s metabolism, researchers found that eating a healthy diet and focusing on gut health could help lessen the effect of menopausal symptoms.

So if small diet and lifestyle changes have the potential to make a huge difference in how women manage their symptoms, what – and how – should we eat for a better menopause?

What to eat in the menopause

By looking at the new scientific learnings on menopause, it’s clear women can reduce and alleviate symptoms by altering their gut microbiome (that’s the bacteria and microbes that live in your gut, FYI). Good gut health is important throughout our lives, but even more so when it comes to protecting women’s health during menopause. And it’s not as hard (or scary) as it sounds.

Changing your diet to support gut microbiome diversity can be as simple as increasing your intake of vegetables, reducing ultra-processed foods and incorporating more high-fibre foods.

So, if you’re looking for a little recipe inspiration, keep scrolling...

Recipes for a better menopause

‘As you embark on your menopause journey, the Mediterranean Diet can be a valuable ally,’ writes cook and food writer Jane Baxter in her co-authored book Recipes for a Better Menopause. ‘Drawing on my experience of cooking plant-based meals with a southern Italian influence for many years, it provided an excellent starting point when it came to catering for the changes in my own body.

‘As a new mother in my forties, I never imagined that my child’s teenage years would coincide with my transition through menopause, which was compounded by the stresses of launching a new business. These life changes prompted me to take a closer look at my diet and physical wellbeing.’

The recipes below are cherry-picked tried-and-tested meals from Recipes for a Better Menopause – which cleverly incorporates the research and ingredients known to ease menopausal symptoms from medical scientist, nutritionist and co-author, Dr Federica Amanti.

‘I hope [these recipes] will help you rediscover the pleasure of eating during menopause and beyond, making it a joy rather than a chore,’ adds Baxter.

Recipes for menopause

Mexican eggs

The peperonata base is a good side to serve with grilled fish or meat as well as with the eggs, and can also be made in advance and reheated when you are ready to cook with eggs.

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 400g (14oz) can black beans, drained
• 4 eggs
• 1 avocado juice of 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons chopped coriander
• 70g (2½oz) feta

Peperonata base

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely sliced
• 3 peppers (a mix of red, orange and yellow if possible), deseeded and finely sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 400g (14oz) can chopped tomatoes or passata
• pinch of cayenne pepper, ground cumin and dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar salt and pepper

Method

1. To make the peperonata base, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and tip in the sliced onion. Season with salt and cook gently for 20 minutes without browning. Add the peppers and stir well. Cook for a further 20 minutes until the peppers have softened.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, then tip in the chopped tomatoes along with the spices and oregano. Stir well and simmer gently for another 20 minutes until the tomatoes have reduced and are coating the peppers. Season well and add the balsamic vinegar.
3. Add the black beans to the peperonata. Cook for a few minutes to warm through.
4. Make 4 wells in the pan and crack an egg into each one. Cover the pan and cook gently for about 5 minutes or until the eggs are set to your liking.
5. Chop the avocado roughly and mix with the lime juice. Season well.
6. To serve, sprinkle the eggs with the avocado and coriander. Crumble the feta over the top to finish.

Seedy nutty bread

This bread toasts really well and is a good gluten-free option. It is full of fibre, plant protein and polyphenols, making it great for your gut health as well as providing a variety of nutrients found in the seeds and nuts.

Ingredients (makes 1 loaf):

• 70g (2½oz) pumpkin seeds
• 70g (2½oz) sunflower seeds
• 50g (1¾oz) sesame seeds
• 100g (3½oz) ground almonds
• 100g (3½oz) buckwheat flour
• 100g (3½oz) gluten-free oats
• 50g (1¾oz) flax seeds
• 2 tablespoons psyllium husks
• 2 tablespoons ground chia seeds
• 1½ teaspoons salt 50ml (2fl oz) olive oil
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup 500ml (18fl oz) water

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F/gas mark 3½). Line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with baking parchment.
2. Roast the pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds on a baking tray for 10–15 minutes or until the seeds are lightly coloured. Leave to cool and mix in a large bowl with the remaining dry ingredients.
3. Whisk the remaining (wet) ingredients together and pour into the dry. Beat well to combine. Pour into the lined loaf tin. Cover and leave overnight in the fridge.
4. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/gas mark 6).
5. Remove the loaf from the fridge and allow it to come up to room temperature. Bake for 50 minutes–1 hour. Leave to cool on a wire rack before slicing. This loaf keeps for a few days in an airtight container
   

Spiced chicken with red pepper & almond sauce

A very easy curry based on an early Madhur Jaffrey recipe. Serve with Raita and Kachumber.

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 2 tablespoons coconut or olive oil
• 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
• 250ml (9fl oz) chicken stock juice
• ½ lemon
• salt and pepper
• chopped coriander, to serve

Paste

• 1 red onion, roughly chopped
• 2 red peppers, deseeded and chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 teaspoons red pepper paste
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 75g (2½oz) flaked almonds (or ground almonds)
• 1 red chilli

Method:

1. In a food processor, blitz all the paste ingredients to make a smooth paste, adding a little water to help the ingredients break down.
2. Heat the oil in a large, shallow pan and add the red pepper paste. Stir well and fry over a low heat for about 15 minutes. While the paste is cooking, cut each chicken thigh into 3 pieces. Add the chicken to the paste and cook for another 5 minutes over high heat, coating the chicken and stirring constantly to stop the paste from catching.
3. Add the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Simmer gently over low heat for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.
4. Add the lemon juice and season well. Serve sprinkled with chopped coriander.

Yoghurt semifreddo with cherries & pistachios

Yoghurt and cherries make for a delicious combination and you can add kefir for an added probiotic hit. Any other cooked fruit can be added to the yoghurt base. Rhubarb would work particularly well, as would any soft fruit.

Ingredients (serves 6–8):

• 4 egg whites
• 150g (5½oz) honey
• pinch of cream of tartar
• pinch of salt
• 500g (1lb 2oz) Greek yoghurt
• pinch of ground cardamom
• zest of 1 orange
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 150g (5½oz) frozen cherries (or cherry halves)
• 300g (10½oz) cherries, pitted
• 50g (1¾oz) caster sugar
• 50ml (2fl oz) cherry brandy
• 75g (2½oz) pistachios, chopped

Method:

1. Line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with baking parchment.
2. In a large bowl over a pan of simmering water, whisk the egg whites lightly with the honey, cream of tartar and salt. Simmer for about 3 minutes until the honey has dissolved and the mixture is warm. Take off the heat and whisk well for 5 minutes until the meringue is glossy and stiff.
3. In a large bowl, mix the yoghurt with the cardamom, orange zest and vanilla extract. Whisk in a quarter of the meringue mixture and then carefully fold through the rest. Fold in the frozen cherries and spoon into the lined loaf tin. Cover and freeze for a minimum of 6 hours or overnight.
4. In a small pan, heat the fresh cherries with the sugar, cherry brandy and 50ml (2fl oz) water. Cook for about 5 minutes until the liquid has reduced and you have a thick sauce.
5. To serve, place slices of the semifreddo on a serving dish. Spoon over the sauce and sprinkle with pistachios.

Recipes for a Better Menopause by Dr Federica Amati and Jane Baxter is out now. RRP £25, published by Kyle Books. To buy a copy visit amazon.co.uk

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