Food Made Simple

Food and menopause turned out to be a whole different ball game. I was getting desperate. Insulin resistance is tough. I was gaining a kilo per month!! The panic was shattering.

Nothing I knew, worked. Researching and getting some guidance helped.

The challenge I face I’d to keep up while traveling and being at conferences. I’ll share tips and recipes I have, but I’d also love to hear yours! ❤️

A menopause-friendly flavor bomb in Düsseldorf! 🌿

I’m always looking for meals that make menopause weight loss feel less like a chore and more like a treat. I hit the jackpot at with these marinated tofu pockets! (Hint, this is number 34 on their current menu.)

Why this is a win for your goals:

✅ High-Quality plant protein! Tofu is a complete protein, which is crucial for maintaining muscle mass as our metabolism shifts.

✅ Mushroom! Shiitake mushrooms are great for satiety (keeping you full longer) and adding that savory “umami” flavor without the heavy fats.

✅ Rich in fiber! This is packed with seasonal veggies to help manage that stubborn menopause bloat and keep digestion on track.

It’s proof that we don’t have to sacrifice flavor to stay on track with our weight loss journey.

Huge thanks to my dear friend Christian Behrends in Düsseldorf, for taking me to this fantastic restaurant!

The magic of seasoning with lemon juice, salt and garlic powder. This is a protein + fibre bomb. Crispy fried thinly sliced tofu (200 gram), a little bit of freshly chopped mushrooms (3 pieces), paksoi (200 gram), white Gigante beans (115 gram).

The trick is to fry the tofu (in 15ml oil) separately until it’s really crispy, and then season that with salt and garlic powder after you took it out of the pan and cut them up in small squares, in a bowl.

Then slow-fry the beans in that same pan, together with the mushrooms, sprinkle with a tiny bit of salt after a minute or so. The beans and mushrooms will caramelise. Let that fry for five minutes and stir, then add in the chopped up paksoi. Let that fry for 5 more minutes, add some more salt and a teaspoon of garlic powder. Shortly before you take it out of the pan, add the juice of half a small lemon. Stir well.

Add the whole shebang to the bowl with the tofu and mix.

Happy eating!

Savory, spicy lentil paste as a base on crackers, topped with red beet tapenade, topped with sesame seeds and leek.

So beautiful and tasty, at the Gero Brasserie in Mönchengladbach, Germany. Beets, apple and a surprisingly light sweet & sour dressing.

As a Dutch person, I’m sometimes shocked by the throat singing amounts of vinegar German chefs add to salads. But this time it was beautifully balanced.

Getting vitamins, prepared with love and care, by
❤️ and her uncle are rocking this place.

Coated in a tablespoon of soy sauce, a royal amount of curry madras spice (spicy!) and a heaped tablespoon of sour starch, I slowly fried this diced tofu at medium heat. This coating is magic! Just let this sit for about 10 minutes before you put them in the skillet.

Mushrooms thinly coated in oil (love the spray bottle), a bit of salt and baharat spice mix.

Crudely chopped onions and leek, stewed at low temperature in a small gush of water and half a table spoon of tahini.

Thinly sliced raw carrots in a dressing of one coffee spoon of vegan Hellmanns mayo, one coffee spoon of apple vinegar, two tablespoons of soy yoghurt and a few drops of stevia. Sprinkled the plate with freshly chopped cilantro.

Who needs eggs and butter when you have banana, and margarine. Dutch apple pie with cinnamon and my super ingredients: cardamom and cayenne pepper.

PS those who wonder why I don’t use coconut oil. That’s so darn unsustainable. I am still looking for a pure alternative, that solidifies at room temperature. Ideas, anyone?

Inspiration for ! Dinner made in 30 minutes today: fried smoked tofu glazed with sweet ginger sauce. Cauliflower oven roasted in a coating of thick batter, made of soy milk, wheat flour, sambal brandal, tahini, baharat and salt, sprinkled with breadcrumbs. Fried zucchini with fresh cilantro. Tomato salad with raspberry balsamico and olive oil.

4

Tofu simmered in hoisin sauce. Potatoes cooked with sautéed onions in mushroom broth. Cubes of cooked beet with very finely chopped red onion and a spoonful of soy yogurt, sprinkled with fresh coriander. A handful of finely chopped leeks.

WW 5 Points