Serves 4

​Ingredients:

  • 250g Puy lentils
  • ​8 dried shiitake mushrooms
  • ​1/2 onion, peeled
  • 10cm piece kombu seaweed
  • 250ml chicken stock
  • 2 tsps. tamari
  • 10g coconut fat
  • 60g precooked, vacuum-packed chestnuts
  • ​200g pumpkin, cut into 2cm cubes
  • ​Thumb-sized piece fresh ginger grated
  • ​15g brown rice miso

Puy lentil stew with mushrooms, miso and pumpkin

​(Source: Cook, Nourish, Glow - Amelia Freer)

This is a wonderful salad that can make a really filling lunch, or a great side dish.

Kick-starter Kedgeree

​Source - The Medicinal Chef - Dale Pinnock)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

  • 1 x 400g can chickpeas, drained
  • 20g edamame beans, thawed if frozen
  • 1/2 cucumber, diced
  • juice and zest of 1 lime
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1 tsp light soy sauce
  • 20g fresh coriander leaves, chopped
  • ​1 large red chilli, sliced

Filling and packed with nutrients, this breakfast/brunch recipe will keep you going for hours.

Method:

  1. ​Combine the drained chickpeas and edamame beans in a salad bowl, along with the diced cucumber.
  2. ​Mix the lime zest and juice, honey, and soy sauce together to make a dressing.
  3. ​Add the chopped coriander and the dressing, and stir thoroughly. Top with the sliced red chilli and serve.

Method:

  1. Heat a little olive oil over a medium heat in a large pan, add onion and red pepper and cook gently until softened - about 5 minutes
  2. ​Add curry powder, turmeric, chilli and rice and stir for a few minutes to toast the spices slightly.
  3. ​Add enough water to cover the rice, season with salt and pepper and simmer, covered, over a medium heat for around 20 minutes, or until the rice has softened. You may need to top up the water now and then during the cooking time.
  4. ​Meanwhile, cover the egg with water in a small pan, bring to the boil and boil for 7 minutes. Drain under cold water and leave to cool before peeling ad cutting into quarters lengthways.
  5. ​Just before the rice is cooked, stir the baby spinach through it and cook for a couple more minutes to wilt the spinach.
  6. ​When the rice is cooked, stir through the flaked mackerel and yoghurt. Serve with egg wedges on top.

Baked salmon with herbed omega crust

​(Source: The Medicinal chef - Dale Pinnock)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

  • ​3 tbsp. ground flaxseeds
  • 1 tbsp. wholemeal breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1/2 garlic clove, crushed
  • zest of 1 lemon, plus 1 lemon cut into wedges
  • ​2 large salmon fillets
  • sea salt and black pepper
  • ​1 tbsp. olive oil

Serves 1

Ingredients:

  • Olive oil, for cooking
  • 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 red pepper, diced
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 red chilli, diced
  • 75g brown basmati rice
  • 1 large free-range egg
  • handful baby spinach
  • 1 smoked mackerel fillet, broken into small pieces
  • 1 tbsp. live probiotic yoghurt
  • sea salt and black pepper

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 190/gas mark 5 and line a baking tray with foil
  2. ​Combine the ground flaxseeds, breadcrumbs, herbs, garlic, lemon zest and olive oil in a bowl to make the topping, then season with salt and pepper
  3. Spread the flaxseed mixture over the salmon fillet, flesh side up, and place the fillet on the prepared baking tray.
  4. ​Roast in the oven for about 8-10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
  5. ​Serve with lemon wedges and the salad of mixed leaves.

Method:

  1. ​Cover the lentils with water and soak overnight. Soak the shiitake mushrooms in 350ml of hot water, ideally overnight also.
  2. ​Drain and rinse the lentils. Put them into a pan with the onion, garlic, the shiitake mushrooms and their soaking water, and the Kombu seaweed.​ Add extra 150ml of water if the lentils aren't quite covered.
  3. ​Bring to the boil, cover and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, then remove and discard the garlic and kombu.
  4. ​Add the chicken stock, tamari, coconut fat, chestnuts, pumpkin and grated ginger. Make sure that the vegetables are covered by the stock (add water, if necessary). Add the brown rice miso, cover the pan and cook over a medium heat for another 15 minutes.

A real powerhouse dish delivering all important omega-3 fatty acids, which are vital for virtually every system in the body and provide a whole array of therapeutic benefits.

Recipes for Menopause management

Key Ingredients:

​Mackerel - packed with calcium, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids

​Brown Rice - low GI and packed with energy-giving B vitamins

Miso - bursting with phyto-oestrogens

​Chickpeas - packed with phyto-oestrogens

​Flaxseeds - packed with phyto-oestrogens and omega-3 fatty acids.


Edamame and chickpea salad with lime, chilli and coriander

​(source: The Medicinal Chef - Dale Pinnock)