Recipes
Simple, practical recipes built around the foods Rose recommends — each one designed around the nutritional priorities of perimenopause and menopause. Every recipe explains why it works, not just how to make it.
Rose
"These are the recipes I actually make. Not complicated, not expensive, not requiring special equipment. Just food that genuinely helps — and that I can get on the table on a Tuesday evening when I am tired and do not want to think too hard about what to eat."
The principles behind these recipes
Every recipe here hits at least three of these priorities: adequate protein, omega-3 fats, anti-inflammatory ingredients, phytoestrogens, magnesium-rich foods, or bone-supporting calcium and vitamin K. None of them are complicated. All of them explain why they work — because understanding the reasoning makes you more likely to actually cook them.
Overnight Oats with Flaxseed, Walnut and Berry
⏱ 5 mins prep, overnight
👤 Serves 1
Hot flashesBone densityHeart health
Why this works for menopause
Ground flaxseed provides lignans that support estrogen metabolism. Walnuts add omega-3 for cardiovascular and brain health. Berries bring antioxidants and fibre. Oats provide beta-glucan for cholesterol reduction. Together this is one of the most menopause-supportive breakfasts possible.
Ingredients
• 50g rolled oats
• 200ml milk or unsweetened oat milk
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup (optional)
• Small handful walnuts
• Large handful mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
• 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt to serve
Method
1. Combine oats, milk, ground flaxseed, chia seeds, and honey in a jar or bowl.
2. Stir well, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
3. In the morning, top with Greek yogurt, walnuts, and berries.
4. Add a splash more milk if too thick.
Rose
"This is what I eat most mornings. The Greek yogurt adds protein so the meal actually keeps me full until lunch — which the oats alone would not do."
Salmon and Leafy Green Bowl with Olive Oil Dressing
⏱ 20 minutes
👤 Serves 1
Joint painBrain fogHeart healthMood
Why this works for menopause
Fatty fish provides EPA and DHA omega-3 — the most evidence-backed dietary intervention for cardiovascular health and inflammation. Leafy greens provide magnesium, calcium, and folate. Olive oil provides oleocanthal with anti-inflammatory properties similar to ibuprofen. A genuinely functional lunch.
Ingredients
• 150g salmon fillet (fresh or tinned)
• 2 large handfuls mixed leafy greens (spinach, kale, rocket)
• Half an avocado
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
• Half a lemon
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Half a teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper
• Optional: half a cup cooked quinoa for added protein
Method
1. If using fresh salmon, season and cook in a pan with a little olive oil for 3-4 minutes each side until cooked through.
2. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper for the dressing.
3. Arrange greens in a bowl. Add flaked salmon, sliced avocado, and quinoa if using.
4. Scatter pumpkin seeds and drizzle with dressing.
5. Tinned salmon works just as well and is significantly cheaper — buy the kind packed in olive oil.
Rose
"Tinned sardines work equally well and have even more omega-3. I know that sounds less appealing but with a good dressing and fresh greens they are genuinely delicious."
Turmeric Lentil Soup with Leafy Greens
⏱ 30 minutes
👤 Serves 4
InflammationGut healthWeightEnergy
Why this works for menopause
Lentils provide protein, fibre, and iron — all important in perimenopause. Turmeric is one of the most studied anti-inflammatory foods available. Leafy greens add magnesium and calcium. This soup is filling, warming, and makes four portions so you eat well for days.
Ingredients
• 250g red lentils, rinsed
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 400ml tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• 2 large handfuls spinach or kale
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of half a lemon
• Salt and pepper
Method
1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
2. Add garlic, ginger, turmeric, and cumin. Stir for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Add lentils, tomatoes, and stock. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes until lentils are tender.
4. Stir in leafy greens and cook for 2 more minutes.
5. Add lemon juice, taste and adjust seasoning.
6. Serve with whole grain bread or a dollop of Greek yogurt for extra protein.
Rose
"Black pepper significantly increases the absorption of curcumin from turmeric — add a generous grind. The lemon also helps. Do not skip either."
Greek Yogurt Parfait with Seeds and Dark Chocolate
⏱ 5 minutes
👤 Serves 1
Bone densityMoodSleepGut health
Why this works for menopause
Greek yogurt provides protein and calcium for bone health plus live cultures for gut health. Pumpkin seeds are the richest food source of magnesium — essential for sleep and mood. Dark chocolate at 70%+ provides magnesium, flavonoids, and theobromine. A dessert that is genuinely functional.
Ingredients
• 200g plain full-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
• 1 tablespoon flaxseed (ground)
• Small handful blueberries
• 2 squares dark chocolate (70%+ cocoa), roughly broken
• Half a teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
• Drizzle of honey (optional)
Method
1. Spoon Greek yogurt into a bowl or glass.
2. Top with pumpkin seeds, ground flaxseed, and blueberries.
3. Break dark chocolate into small pieces and scatter over.
4. Add vanilla and honey if using.
5. Eat immediately or refrigerate covered for up to 24 hours.
Rose
"This is what I have most evenings when I want something sweet. The magnesium from the pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate genuinely helps with sleep when eaten in the evening."
Bone Broth Vegetable Soup with Collagen Boost
⏱ 25 minutes
👤 Serves 2
Joint painSkinGut healthSleep
Why this works for menopause
Bone broth provides glycine and proline — the amino acids needed to build collagen in skin, joints, and bone. Sweet potato adds beta-carotene and complex carbohydrates for blood sugar stability. Cruciferous vegetables support estrogen metabolism. A warming bowl that addresses multiple menopause priorities simultaneously.
Ingredients
• 750ml good quality bone broth (homemade or shop-bought — check it gels when cold)
• 1 medium sweet potato, cubed
• 1 head broccoli, cut into florets
• 2 handfuls kale or cavolo nero, stems removed
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon white miso paste
• Fresh ginger to taste
• Optional: 1 tablespoon collagen peptide powder stirred in at end
Method
1. Heat olive oil in a pot. Add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute.
2. Add sweet potato and bone broth. Simmer for 10 minutes until potato is almost tender.
3. Add broccoli and cook for 4 more minutes.
4. Stir in kale and miso paste. Cook for 2 minutes — do not boil after adding miso as heat destroys the beneficial bacteria.
5. Stir in collagen peptides if using.
6. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately.
Rose
"Miso adds a depth of flavour and provides beneficial gut bacteria. The key is not to boil the soup after adding it. A good bone broth should wobble like jelly when cold — that is the collagen working."
Edamame and Salmon Nori Bowl
⏱ 15 minutes
👤 Serves 1
Hot flashesHeart healthBone densityBrain
Why this works for menopause
Edamame provides soy isoflavones that may reduce hot flash frequency in women who produce equol. Salmon provides omega-3 EPA and DHA. Brown rice provides complex carbohydrates for blood sugar stability. Nori provides iodine to support thyroid function — often affected at menopause.
Ingredients
• 100g cooked salmon (or tinned)
• 80g frozen edamame, defrosted
• 100g cooked brown rice or cauliflower rice
• 2 sheets nori, torn or cut into strips
• Half an avocado, sliced
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon tamari or low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• Half a cucumber, sliced
Method
1. Mix together tamari, sesame oil, and rice vinegar for the dressing.
2. Arrange rice in a bowl. Top with salmon, edamame, avocado, and cucumber.
3. Add nori strips and scatter sesame seeds.
4. Drizzle with dressing and serve immediately.
Rose
"This bowl contains three of the most important food groups for menopausal women — omega-3 rich fish, phytoestrogen-containing soy, and cruciferous vegetables if you add a handful of shredded cabbage. And it takes 15 minutes."
From Rose
"Food changed more for me during perimenopause than at any other time in my life — not because I started dieting but because I started understanding what my body actually needed. More protein. More omega-3. Less of the things that spike blood sugar. The recipes here are what that looks like in practice."