3 Tasty Salads for Menopause

Why You Need Healthy Salads in Your Diet for Menopause

Did you know that the more phytochemicals you can consume, the greater your chances of experiencing fewer hot flashes and menopausal symptoms? Phytochemicals are nutrients found in plants. The greater the variety of plants in your diet, the more you can potentially impact your symptoms.

Take a little time right now to evaluate your diet for menopause. How many fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds have you been consuming? Make a list of what you ate yesterday. Did you eat more than five servings of these foods? Did you eat more than 10 servings?

Often those who are having the greatest problems with menopausal symptoms are not eating regular meals, nor are they eating close to five servings of these foods. They are concentrating on quick energy and often too tired to eat a healthy meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

You don’t have to spend a lot of time cooking in the hot kitchen to meet a goal of 10+ servings of foods that provide phytonutrients. You can make a few salads at the beginning of the week and then munch on them during the week at meal time. Here are a few to get you started:

Beet Broccoli Detox Salad

Yield: 5 servings (13 servings vegetables)

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups beets, diced
• ½ cup chopped parsley
• ½ cup celery, chopped
• 1 cucumber, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, shredded
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
• ½ pound broccoli florets
• 1 bunch green onions, sliced thinly
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Directions:

1. Mix all vegetables together in a very large bowl.
2. In the blender, mix olive oil, mustard and apple cider vinegar. Blend for 15 seconds.
3. Pour blended mixture over vegetables. Toss and serve.

It’s primarily the broccoli and beets that assist in detoxification in this recipe. Let’s look at another detoxification recipe with broccoli.

Cruciferous Antioxidant Salad

Yield: 12 servings (Provides 12 servings vegetables)

Ingredients:

• 1 pound broccoli florets, cut into small bites
• ½ cup pomegranate seeds
• 2 cups cooked brown rice that has cooled
• 1-1/2 cup strawberries, sliced
• ½ cup raspberries
• 1 pound cauliflower, cut into small bites
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Pinch of sea salt
• Pinch of black pepper

Directions:

1. In a large salad bowl, add rice, broccoli, cauliflower and pomegranate seeds. Toss.
2. In a blender, mix balsamic vinegar with olive oil and salt and pepper. Pour over rice vegetable mixture. Toss to blend flavors.
3. Add strawberries and raspberries. Toss lightly and serve.

You wouldn’t eat both these recipes for the same meal, but you could eat the Beet Broccoli Detox Salad for lunch and the Cruciferous Antioxidant Salad for dinner. Let’s look at one more recipe.

Cucumber Celery Yogurt Chicken Salad

Yield: 6 servings (10 servings vegetables)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chicken, cooked and cut into bite size pieces
• 2 cucumbers, cubed
• 1 cup celery, sliced
• ½ cup fennel, diced
• 1/2 cup nopalitas (cactus leaf), diced (tastes like lime green beans)
• ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
• 3 red potatoes, cooked, cooled and cubed
• 1 sweet red onion, diced

• 1-1/2 cups plain yogurt
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup fresh oregano, chopped

Directions:

1. Cook chicken. Debone it and cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
2. Boil red potatoes. Let them cool in refrigerator. Then slice into cubes.
3. In a large bowl, mix chicken, celery, fennel, nopalitas, parsley, and onion. Toss lightly.
4. In the blender, mix honey, yogurt, apple cider vinegar and oregano for 20 seconds. Pour over the chicken vegetable mix and toss.
5. Fold in potatoes.
6. Serve cold.

Why not make your salads right now for the next few days or even the week?