It can be hard to find the time to eat well - but nutrition plays a powerful role in menopausal health. Here, presenter Mariella Frostrup and chef Belles Berry, daughter of Mary, share their go-to recipes to give your menu a quick and easy reboot from their new book Menolicious: Eat Your Way To A Better Menopause.
Autumn Grains Salad
Serves 4–6, ready in 30 mins
A fibre-fuelled salad with tahini and lime dressing, full of goodness and packed with nutrients. A versatile dish, equally as good as a main or a side dish beside your chosen protein.
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Ingredients:
- 250g buckwheat
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion, cut into 8 wedges
- 5 thyme sprigs, plus 1 tbsp finely
- chopped thyme leaves
- 200g chestnut mushrooms, quartered
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 100g cavolo nero, stalks removed, roughly chopped
- 200g Tenderstem broccoli, halved lengthways
- 6 dates, pitted and chopped
- 50g walnuts, chopped
- 1 tbsp flaxseeds
- 125g spinach
- flaky sea salt and freshly ground
- black pepper
For the tahini and lime dressing:
- 75g tahini
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt
- 2 garlic cloves
- 20g parsley, plus extra to garnish
- 50ml olive oil
Method:
- Cook the buckwheat according to the packet instructions.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan that has a lid over a medium-high heat, then add the onion and thyme sprigs and fry for 5 minutes. Increase the heat, add the mushrooms, and fry for a further 5 minutes until golden, then add the vinegar and cook for a further minute. Remove the thyme sprigs and transfer the mushrooms and onions to a large bowl.
- Using the same pan, add the cavolo nero and broccoli along with a cup of water and cook with the lid on for 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of cold water for a couple of minutes to stop the cooking process, then drain.
- Make the dressing. Using a food processor or blender, add the tahini, lime, salt, garlic, and parsley to the bowl and blitz to combine, then add the olive oil in a thin stream, mixing until it is completely incorporated.
- Add the cooked buckwheat, chopped dates and walnuts, flaxseeds, and finely chopped thyme to the mushroom bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the cavolo nero, broccoli, and spinach. Add the salad dressing and toss to combine, then transfer to a lovely serving bowl and sprinkle with fresh parsley.
This salad can be served warm or cold. If you like it warm, just hold back on the parsley, pop it in the oven at 200°C (180°C fan/400°F/Gas 6) for 10 minutes, then garnish with the parsley.
Nutrition:
Buckwheat is rich in fifibre and antioxidants, supporting digestive health and reducing inflammation during menopause.
- Carbs: 55g
- Protein: 12g
- Fibre: 6.8g
Firecracker Sesame Beef Stir-fry
Serves 4, takes 25mins
Firecracker sauce is an Asian classic, an explosion of flavours – sweet and spicy, and works perfectly with the sesame beef stir-fry. So easy to make, from chop to plate in 25 minutes, but tastes like you spent hours on it!
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp sesame oil, plus an extra drizzle
- 2 x 200g sirloin steaks
- 250g choi sum or pak choi, leaves trimmed and chopped
- 1 green pepper, deseeded and sliced into 1cm strips
- 200g Chinese leaf cabbage, roughly chopped
- 225g can of sliced water chestnuts, drained and rinsed
- 4 spring onions, cut into thin strips lengthways
- handful of coriander
- 1 tbsp black sesame seeds
- flaky sea salt and freshly
- ground black pepper
For the firecracker sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sriracha
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 banana shallot, finely chopped
- 2cm piece of fresh root
- ginger, peeled and grated
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
Method:
- Put all the ingredients for the sauce in a small saucepan with 2 tablespoons of water and heat gently for about 10 minutes.
- Season the steaks with salt and pepper, then heat a drizzle of sesame oil in a wok. Cook the steaks over a high heat for a couple of minutes on each side, turning every minute. Once the steaks are cooked to your liking, place them on a plate and cover.
- Wipe the wok clean, then heat the tablespoon of sesame oil over a high heat. Add the choi sum or pak choi, green pepper, Chinese leaf cabbage, and water chestnuts. Stir-fry for a couple of minutes, flipping the veg often. Remove from the heat.
- Slice the beef in strips, removing any excess fat, then stir them into the vegetables and sprinkle with the spring onions, coriander, and sesame seeds. Pour over the sauce (or serve it on the side).
Nutrition:
Beef is a rich source of heme iron, which is easily absorbed by the body and helps prevent anaemia. Protein is essential for maintaining muscle mass, which can decline during menopause due to hormonal changes.
- Carbs: 13g
- Protein: 31g
- Fibre: 2.5g
Energy Balls 3 Ways
Makes about 15 balls, takes around 25mins.
Quick and easy to make, these will put a pep in your step. Mariella swears by them as a perfect pick me- up at any time of the day. According to her, they go very well with an espresso.
Ingredients:
Coconut, mango, and lime
- 125g unsalted cashews
- 100g desiccated coconut
- 100g dried mango
- or dried apricots
- 30g chia seeds
- 1 tsp ground turmeric (or 5cm fresh turmeric root, finely grated)
- zest and juice of 2 limes
- 1 tbsp maple syrup, honey, or agave syrup
Fig, honey, and cinnamon
- 125g unsalted cashews
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 50g pumpkin seeds
- 200g dried figs, stalks
- removed, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Date, lemon, and ginger
- 125g unsalted cashews
- 50g pumpkin seeds
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 200g dates, pitted
- and chopped
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp ground ginger (or 5cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated)
Method
- Soak the cashews in water for 10 minutes, then drain. Place all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and blitz for about 15 seconds until well mixed.
- Lay a sheet of baking parchment on a small baking tray that fits in the freezer. Wash your hands with cold water and shake dry so they are still slightly damp. This stops the mixture sticking to your hands. Scoop 1 heaped tablespoon of the mixture into your hand, squeeze gently, and mould into a ball shape. Place on the baking parchment and repeat until the mixture is all used up.
- Place the balls into the freezer to firm up for 15 minutes before serving.
These will keep for up to 5 days in a Tupperware container in the fridge. Alternatively, bag them up for the freezer to take to work – they thaw in just 20 minutes.
Nutrition:
Coconut ball:
Coconut is rich in healthy fats and fibre, helping to support balance and digestive health during menopause.
- Carbs: 8.7g
- Protein: 2.9g
- Fibre: 3.3g
Fig Balls:
Figs are high in calcium and fibre, supporting bone health and digestion.
- Carbs: 9.3g
- Protein: 1.6g
- Fibre: 2.1g
Date Balls:
Dates are rich in natural sugars, fibre, and potassium, supporting digestion, and regulating blood pressure.
- Carbs: 12g
- Protein: 3g
- Fibre: 1.9g
Menolicious: Eat Your Way to a Better Menopause by Mariella Frostrup and Belles Berry. Published by DK RED, 28 August 2025. £22.
