Warm Sweet Potato & Kale Salad (Menopause Friendly Recipe)
- Emma Lisa
- Mar 25, 2023
- 9 min read
Menopause and peri-menopause can bring with it fatigue, weight changes, and hot flashes, but the right foods and adopting a menopause friendly-diet can make a real difference. As a 50+ year-old mum of five personally in the thick of it, I know how much a healthy diet supports hormone balance as women. This Warm Sweet Potato & Kale Salad recipe is a just the nourishing recipe to help make menopause a little easier. Grab a herbal tea and come learn why with me, and then try the delicious recipe. Bon appetite!
Today, I'm cooking up a delicious, high-fibre recipe that is super loaded with essential nutrients that support good gut health, appetite control, and can help maintain body weight balance. If you're just interested in the recipe, jump down to details, click here. But if you are going through "the change", read on to learn how the food you eat every day can help ease your perimenopause or menopause symptoms.
Why You'll Love This
everyday ingredients — sweet potato, kale and avocado already in the fridge or at any supermarket
combinations that work — for hormone balance and menopause support that makes the difference
warm and grounding — the kind of meal the body settles into rather than pushes through
steady energy — fibre, healthy fats and slow-digesting carbohydrates keep blood sugar even
The Menopause Friendly Diet
& Why Nutrition Is Now So Important
Menopause often quietly rolls with hidden hormonal shifts that can affect everything from your metabolism, energy levels, sleep cycles to even how your body digests and assimilates food. But here's what I want you to know: this isn't about your body failing you. It's about understanding what your menopausal body needs now, and how to feed it a menopause friendly-diet that provides the right fuel to thrive. Because truth is, certain foods can and do make menopause symptoms significantly worse, and this is totally avoidable.
Processed carbohydrates and sugar are two of the biggest hormone disruptors during peri-menopause and menopause, and can send your already fluctuating blood sugar levels on a wild rollercoaster ride. Alcohol may suddenly start to disrupt your sleep (which is probably already challenging enough), while caffeine from coffee, tea, and chocolate can intensify hot flashes, night sweats and anxiety. Spicy foods you've tolerated for years can begin to trigger those sudden heat waves, and excess salt can worsen bloating and blood pressure changes. All of this can feel like an unwelcome sh** storm with seemingly now end in sight.
But this post isn't about another list of "menopause does & don'ts." I'm sharing all this as a menopausal woman myself, as your invitation to uncover what a healthy menopause friendly-diet can actually do for you. The right foods won't just help to manage symptoms, eating right for menopause can you get your sparkle back, revie that all-day energetic mentally clarity you had in your 20s. Fuel your body and you can soon start feeling physically stronger than you have in years.
Menopause isn't the end of feeling vibrant, it's actually the beginning of a new chapter where you get to nourish your body with intention and watch it respond with resilience!
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What Foods Are Good For Menopause?
Midlife Nutrition With Intention
One of the most complained about symptoms of menopause is that dreaded stubborn belly and weight gain, especially around the middle. You know that spare tyre that feels like it appears overnight and doesn't respond to dieting, rigorous workouts, and is frustratingly stubborn to shift? Well, the not-so-good- news is that, that kind of weight gain requires a difference approach than just a calories deficit and hitting the gym hard. It's hormonal, and you just can't treat like a 20 year old's binge, you have to be more strategic than that to even make a dent.
The good news is you can finally ditch restrictive diets, expensive shake programs, and influencer trends that only work for twenty-year-olds. Instead, we're going to focus on what actually matters in menopause, and that is to focus on wholefoods and hormone balancing recipes. Yes, the right nutrition and a well-balanced menopause friendly-diet can go a long way in helping to manage peri-menopause and menopause symptoms. In fact, it can give you your vitality back too. The secret is consuming more of the nutrients that play a key role in supporting hormone balance, bone strength, and the return of that all-day energy you had as a 25 year old. When your body is properly nourished, you'll can naturally cope better with the shifts and physical changes of menopause.
Hormone-Friendly Foods & Nutrients Every Woman Needs
Eating a variety of nutrient-dense foods is one of the best ways to support your body through peri-menopause and menopause. Focusing on clean eating foods that provide fibre, protein, healthy fats, and key vitamins and minerals can help balance hormones, support digestion, and maintain energy levels. Below, I’ve outlined some of the most important types of foods to include in a menopause friendly-diet, along with practical examples and tips for incorporating them into your weekly menu.
Foods Rich In Dietary Fibre
The menopause friendly-diet places a strong focus on high-fibre foods such as beans, berries, celery, chia seeds, leafy greens, lentils, raw oats, and psyllium husk to make your plate and bulk up the fibre content of your favourite recipes. Just like the kale and sweet potato used in my warm salad recipe below, both are an excellent sources of dietary fibre. Sweet potatoes also contain beta-carotene and other nutrients that support overall hormone health. I recommend consuming at least 40-80g of wholefood-based, high-fibre foods per day. Pair these with a serving of lean protein from either plant-based or animal sources at every main meal, and be diligent with your water intake. Whenever you increase dietary fibre, you must also increase your water intake to avoid constipation. Aim for 2.5 - 3 litres of clean, drinking water per day.
Calcium-Rich Foods
Calcium is essential during both peri-menopause and menopause, helping to support your bone health and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Foods like sweet potatoes and kale used in today's recipe, are naturally rich in calcium. You can also find it in calcium-fortified foods such as baked beans, dairy products, canned fish like salmon and sardines, tofu, and collard greens. Make conscious ingredient choices when building your plate and meal prepping to include a variety of these menopause friendly foods.
Magnesium-Rich Foods
Equally as important, and often consumed together, magnesium is another menopause-must for women during midlife. It can be found in dairy products, but if you are limiting those due to sensitivity, you can get it from leafy greens like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collards, kale, mustard greens, nuts (raw almonds, cashews), lentils, pumpkin seeds, organic raw cacao, and non-GMO soy tofu. Adequate magnesium will help alleviate common menopausal symptoms such as difficulty falling asleep, night-time anxiety, and mood swings. It is fine to consider a supplement if your diet falls short, or if your doctor has told you, you are deficient.
Meal planning more menopause-friendly meals like this Sweet Potato & Kale Warm Salad below and adding vitamin-rich, high-fibre foods to your weekly menu consistently can make a real difference. When you focus on nourishment, managing menopause becomes much more achievable and your body can thrive through this transition.
Warm Sweet Potato & Kale Salad Recipe
A Hormone Balanced Lunch & Dinner
This menopause-friendly salad an be made as a side or served as a main meal simply by adding a lean protein source such as organic chicken with the skin, tofu or a fillet of salmon. Personally, I love preparing this clean eating recipe as a plant-based dish without any meat, and have shared it that way for this post. If you wish to make it a main meal and include chicken, add it to the roasting step below.
Warm Sweet Potato & Kale Salad
SERVING: 4 • 255 Cal • 15g Protein • 5g Fibre • 12g Fat • 27g Net Carbs • PREP: 8 Mins • COOK: 5 Mins
Ingredients
2 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean
1 cup kale, de-stemmed, rinsed well
2-3 gloves of garlic, fresh bulbs
3 tbsp avocado oil, organic
1 tbsp turmeric, ground root
1/2 vegetable or rock salt
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1 pinch of cracked pepper
OPTIONAL: add 2 chicken breast, dice and add to the marinade step.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Rinse and prepare the vegetables — chop the sweet potato into chunks, leaving the skin on for extra nutrients or peeling if preferred, and tear the kale into smaller pieces.
Finely chop or crush the garlic and combine with avocado oil and seasonings. Set aside to marinate while the oven heats. If adding chicken, tofu or salmon, cut into chunks or dice ready for roasting.
Add everything to a roasting pan and pour the avocado oil mixture over the top. Toss well to coat.
Roast at 180°C for 30 minutes or until the sweet potato is tender and cooked through, turning occasionally to keep everything moist and evenly coated.
Serve straight from the pan as a main or spoon alongside as a side. A little crumbled feta over the top finishes it beautifully if dairy works for you.
⟶ Tips For Best Results
Prep everything first: lower the load by making the most of a five-minute Sunday prep — chop the sweet potato, tear the kale and have the garlic marinade ready to go. When the ingredients are prepped and waiting, a nourishing midweek meal becomes something that actually happens rather than something that doesn't.
Use the air fryer for protein: chicken, tofu or salmon in the air fryer takes half the time of a conventional oven and tastes just as good. A set-it-and-forget-it task that needs a minute to prep and delivers perfectly cooked protein every time. Batch cook a few portions and the hard part of the week is already done.
Cook the sweet potato in batches: roast a larger tray on Sunday and refrigerate the rest. Sweet potato reheats beautifully and makes every salad, bowl and quick lunch through the week feel more grounded and complete without any extra effort.
Crumbled feta as a finish: if dairy works well, a small handful of crumbled feta over the top of the warm bowl adds a creamy, salty contrast that makes this feel like a proper restaurant meal. One ingredient, big difference.
Nutritionist Note
This recipe was made for the season of midlife when energy shifts, the body feels different and food choices start to matter in a way they quietly didn't before. Sweet potato, kale and avocado do something real here; warming, grounding and nourishing in the way that perimenopause and menopause actually ask for. No restriction, no complexity. Just a warm bowl of whole food that meets the body where it is and gives it something to work with. The kind of meal worth returning to on the harder weeks.
Health + happiness,
Emma Lisa xx
MIDLIFE NUTRITION PRACTITIONER
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FAQs | Menopause-Friendly Recipes & Food
Recipes & Hormone Harmony with a Women's Nutritionist
Can I eat this recipe during perimenopause?
Absolutely. This recipe was designed with perimenopause in mind, the ingredients support hormone balance, steady energy and the kind of gentle nourishment the body is asking for during this season. Make it regularly and notice the difference.
What foods help with menopause symptoms?
Foods rich in phytoestrogens, magnesium, healthy fats and fibre tend to do the most quiet work during menopause, think leafy greens, sweet potato, avocado, flaxseeds, kale and berries. The goal is building meals around ingredients that support hormone balance and steady blood sugar rather than removing things from the plate.
Will this recipe help with menopause weight gain?
Menopause weight gain is largely driven by shifting hormones, elevated cortisol and blood sugar imbalance, not a lack of willpower. Meals built around fibre, protein and healthy fats like this one support the body's natural ability to regulate appetite and energy, which over time creates a steadier, more settled relationship with food and weight.
Can I meal prep this for the week?
Yes, this is one of the best recipes to batch cook. Roast a larger tray of sweet potato and store in the fridge for up to four days. The kale wilts slightly when dressed ahead of time so keep it separate and assemble when ready to eat.
What protein works best for menopause?
Clean, easily digestible protein supports muscle maintenance, hormone production and mood stability through menopause. Chicken, salmon, eggs, tofu and tempeh all work well alongside this recipe. A small handful of pumpkin seeds or hemp seeds over the top adds a plant-based protein boost without changing the flavour.
ABOUT ME
Emma Lisa, Midlife Nutritionist
Women's Wellness & Recipe Creator
Emma Lisa is a Nutritionist & Women's Health Practitioner with over 14+ years experience in midlife nutrition, meal planning and health coaching. She is a published cookbook author, passionate recipe creator and lifestyle blogger. When she's not in clinic, Emma is mum to five kids, found in her test kitchen or working as a wellness digital creator. She lives in Sydney, Australia.
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Did you give this recipe a try? Let me know what you thought by leaving a little note and recipe rating in the comments. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your healthy, hormone-balancing creations always makes me smile!
Love love love this recipe! Never knew kale could taste so good. Yummy!
Emma most informative. I had no idea that food could help with my menopause symptoms. Will definitely try this recipe, thank you Gilly x