Submit your favorite recipe!

Rules: Your recipe must honor The Menopause Makeover Food Pyramid guidelines:

35% of calories from Lean Protein

40% of calories from Low glycemic carbs

35% of calories from Healthy Fats

Email Staness@MenopauseMakeover.com and submit your recipe.

If your recipe is Menopause Makeover approved, it will be posted for other women to enjoy.

You may submit a recipe and/or a menu.

Once you submit your recipe you will automatically be entered to win a FREE one hour personal Menopause Makeover consultation with Staness.

The winner will be randomly selected and announced August 1, 2010.

Inspire others with your delicious Menopause Makeover Approved healthy dish!

EMAIL your recipe today.

Staness@MenopauseMakeover.com

When you follow the Menopause Makeover Food Pyramid, you will be using the thermic effect of food to help burn off that stubborn menopause belly fat. The thermic effect of food is the amount of energy it takes your body to digest food.

Thermic Effect for:

Proteins: About 30%
Carbohydrates: About 20%
Fats: About 3%

Your body is using more energy to digest protein, helping you speed up your metabolism. A higher metabolism is your secret weapon to weight loss and good health. Knowing what foods speed up your metabolism can help you lose weight and burn belly fat.

Counting calories helped me conquer the menopause bulge! Thanks to Dr. David Katz, director and co-founder of the Yale Prevention Research Center who created a nutritional scoring system called NuVal, I was able to watch calories and eat nutritious foods!

Dr. Katz, nutrition columnist to “O” Magazine and medical contributor for ABC News, created NuVal to make your life easier when making food selections. If you ask yourself “what are the healthiest breads, snack bars, cereals, and pastas,” then Dr. Katz has a solution for you.

Should you buy wheat or oatmeal bread? Are pretzels more nutritious than tortilla chips? These are the decisions that NuVal scores can help you make – in seconds – as you’re walking down the supermarket aisle. NuVal is currently in use in more than 525 supermarkets in 18 states. Click here for grocery store locations.

The Nuval Scoring System assigns the healthiness score to various food items on a scale from 1 to 100. The scale uses criteria like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and healthy omega three fat content in the rating. Also, the system takes into account the sugar and cholesterol content of the food.

The Menopause Makeover supports good nutrition, and the NuVal scoring system can make your life easier when making food choices. Do you know the healthiest breads or salty snacks? You may be surprised. Click here for the scores of your favorite foods.

Recently, The American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM), a leading organization of some of the country’s top physicians committed to preventing disease and promoting health, has officially endorsed the NuVal Nutritional Scoring System as an easy and effective way to help consumers learn about the foods they buy.

“When we created NuVal, our primary goal was to address the public health crisis related to food choices, including obesity and diabetes, with a simple solution that was accessible to everyone,” Dr. Katz said. “We feel we have created that in NuVal and are delighted to gain the acceptance of an organization that shares our passion for health promotion.”

It is never too late to improve your health with good nutrition.

NuVal takes all the guesswork out of identifying truly more nutritious food. When you are battling the menopause bulge, good nutrition is the ticket to good health.

NuVal is Menopause Makeover approved!

When it comes to food, I have a confession – I LOVE Hungry Girl. Hungry Girl says, “I’m not a nutritionist, I’m just hungry.” Sound familiar? Lisa Lillien, aka Hungry Girl, struggled with weight issues most of her life and over the years accumulated tons of diet and food tips. After getting her weight under control she dedicated her time to finding ways to eating super delicious foods using yummy recipes supported with nutritional information that keep your taste buds happy and calorie intake reasonable. Lisa considers herself a “foodologist,” an educated eater and committed to real-world food survival strategies. Lisa is a real gal struggling with the same food issues most of us struggle with everyday.

Of course Lisa is way younger than I am and nowhere near menopause, but I love her recipes and they work with the 8-step, 12-week Menopause Makeover program.

I want to share two of my favorite Hungry Girl recipes from Lisa’s latest book, Hungry Girl: 200 under 200: 200 Recipes under 200 Calories. Both recipes are less than 200 calories, made by using lean protein choices, they are easy to make, and honor The Menopause Makeover Food Pyramid. Eating five to six mini-meals a day keeps your feeling full and can help speed up your metabolism – a good thing when you are fighting the ever-expanding waistline dilemma during menopause. Healthy eating should be a lifestyle during menopause and beyond! Click here to find out if you are at a healthy weight.

Start your day off
El Ginormo Oven-Baked Southwest Omelette
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
2½ cups fat-free liquid egg substitute
½ cup fat-free milk
½ cup shredded reduced-fat cheese blend (look for one with Cheddar and Monterey Jack)
½ cup chopped red bell pepper
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
½ cup canned sweet corn, drained
¼ cup canned diced green chilies
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon dry taco seasoning mix
Optional toppings: salsa, fat-free sour cream, chopped scallions

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line a deep, round casserole dish (about 9 inches wide) with aluminum foil. Spray lightly with nonstick spray, making sure to coat the sides as well as the bottom.

In a large bowl, combine egg substitute, milk, cumin, and taco seasoning. Whisk mixture for 1 minute, until mixed thoroughly.

Add all of the other ingredients and mix well. Carefully transfer egg mixture to the casserole dish.

Bake in the oven for 60 to 70 minutes, until the top has puffed and the center is firm. Allow to cool slightly before cutting.

Cut into four slices. If you like, finish off with the optional toppings – we highly recommend ‘em!

Nutritional information per serving (1/4 of recipe)
188 calories
22g protein
2.5g fiber
17g carbs
3g fat

This next recipe is delicious for lunch
Chicken Fajita Pita
1 serving, entire recipe

Ingredients
3 ounces raw boneless skinless lean chicken breast, cut into strips
One-half whole-wheat or high-fiber pita
¼ cup sliced green bell pepper
¼ cup sliced onions
1 small lettuce leaf
1 teaspoon dry fajita seasoning mix
Optional toppings: salsa, fat-free sour cream

Directions
In a small bowl, combine fajita seasoning with 1 tablespoon water, until mixed well.

Add chicken, green pepper, and onions to the bowl, and stir to coat evenly with seasoning mixture. Place bowl in the fridge to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Once marinated, bring a medium pan sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat. Add contents of bowl, including any excess marinade, to the pan. Sauté until chicken is cooked through, stirring frequently, 5 to 7 minutes.

Place lettuce leaf inside the pita, and then fill pita with chicken-and-veggie mixture. Add some salsa and/or fat-free sour cream, if you like.

Nutritional information per serving (entire recipe)
180 calories
22.5g protein
3.5g fiber
18.5g carbs
1.5g fat

I have been enjoying Hungry Girl’s newsletters for the past three years. I’m excited to share Hungry Girl with YOU! You can subscribe to Hungry Girl’s daily newsletter and get news, food finds, recipes, and real-world survival strategies. It’s great waking up to her daily emails.

Enjoy these Menopause Makeover approved Hungry Girl recipes!

Featured Guest Chef, Dana Slatkin

Recipe #1: Roasted Halibut with Fennel-Tomato Sauce
Recipe #2: Asparagus Egg White Omelet

After two years listing my personal favorite recipes honoring The Menopause Makeover food pyramid, I am thrilled to dedicate this section to guest chefs and their favorite recipes, entertaining ideas, and healthy cooking tips. Our first featured guest is Dana Slaktin, chef of the famous Shutters on the Beach Hotel in Santa Monica, California, and author of The Summertime Anytime Cookbook.

Dana gradated from the Culinary Institute of America, and has worked in acclaimed kitchens in France and New York. She launched the Beverly Hills Farmer’s Market and has her own line of food products. Successfully combining elegance with delicious easy-to-prepare dishes that are healthy, Dana lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three gorgeous children.

Dana Slatkin’s cookbook, The Summertime Anytime Cookbook, can be purchased at The Menopause Makeover Store, click here.

Check out Dana’s website: www.DanaSlatkin.com

Recipe #1: Dana’s roasted halibut with fennel-tomato sauce recipe is easy to make and absolutely delicious. This roasted halibut recipe is high in protein, and low in fat. Serve with steamed greens and you have a perfectly balanced meal that is low in calories that will honor your Menopause Makeover.

Roasted Halibut with Fennel-Tomato Sauce
This dish satisfies a protein craving without leaving you lethargic, even on the steamiest night. Don’t be deterred by the long list of ingredients. Once they have been assembled, they can be left simmering on the stove while you relax or prepare the rest of the meal. Toasting the spices for a few minutes in a dry pan over medium heat will intensify their flavors. The result is an alluring light sauce that complements any white-fleshed fish.

Serves 8

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus a small amount for cooking the fish
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 medium leeks, chopped
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 small fennel bulb with greens, chopped
4 pounds ripe plum tomatoes (about 14), seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, toasted
1 tablespoon mustard seeds, toasted
2 bay leaves
Pinch of red pepper flakes
3 star anise, optional
2 cups white wine
2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
8 (6 to 8-ounce) skinless halibut fillets (preferably thick)

1. Prepare the fennel-tomato sauce: In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, leeks, and garlic and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the fennel bulb and greens and sauté until wilted, a few more minutes. Add the tomatoes, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, and star anise. Add the wine and enough broth to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for about 45 minutes until slightly thickened. Strain through a fine- mesh sieve into another saucepan, season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside. The sauce can be made up to this point and refrigerated overnight.

2. Preheat the oven to 350′F.

3. Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper. In a large ovenproof sauté pan, heat a thin film of olive oil over medium-high heat until very hot. Cook the fish until nicely browned on one side, about 4 minutes. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 4 to 5 more minutes, until fish is opaque at the thickest part (test with the tip of a knife).

4. Return the sauce to a simmer. Whisk in the cubes of butter, one at a time, until incorporated.

5. Ladle a generous amount of sauce into warm serving bowls; gently place the fish on top, and serve.

Recipe #2: Another fabulous favorite from Dana’s cookbook, Asparagus Egg White Omelet, will kick the day off with a low calorie, high protein blast leaving you feeling full for hours!

Asparagus Egg White Omelet

The trick to making an omelet look like the professionals do is a well-oiled pan and adequately whipped egg whites. Add some diced vegetables from last night’s dinner or your favorite cheese for extra kick. Serve it with fresh fruit, breakfast potatoes or a simple mixed green salad.

Makes 2 omelets

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 asparagus spears, tough ends trimmed, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 large egg whites
2 tablespoons chopped chives

1. In a small nonstick pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the asparagus and cook, tossing gently, until tender but still crunchy. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites with a fork until frothy. Add the chives and season the mixture generously with salt and pepper.

3. Using the same nonstick pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Pour half the egg-white mixture into the pan and, using a spatula, quickly draw the edges to the center so that the omelet cooks evenly. Reduce the heat and continue cooking until egg-whites are set but still creamy.

4. Spoon half of the asparagus in the center of the cooked egg-whites and leave on the heat for a half minute or so longer. Using a spatula, fold the omelet toward one edge of the pan, giving the pan a light tap to loosen the omelet. Slide the omelet onto a warm serving plate.

5. Repeat the process for the second omelet. Serve immediately.

Thank you Dana for sharing your elegant and yummy recipes!

Lisa Lillien, founder of HungryGirl.com, will be our next guest “foodologist!” Lisa’s guilt-free recipes can be found in her upcoming book, 200 under 200. Yep, that’s 200 hundred recipes, under 200 calories! During the menopause transition, every calorie counts. Lisa is a hungry girl like the rest of us, but she has managed to create sinful recipes that are low calorie and tasty, so you can meet your food goals. Lisa’s new easy-to-use cookbook, 200 under 200, can be purchased at The Menopause Makeover Store, click here.

Check out Hungry Girl’s website and purchase her first book, Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World. Hungry-Girl.com