I'm Charlotte Hunter. I, too, felt like my body was punishing me for being a woman. Seriously, I’ve been there and got the t-shirt. And I launched a nutrition therapy business to prove it.
I couldn’t not share my favourite pie recipes that combat menopause symptoms.
All of these recipes have been trialed and tested in my own home and with my clients. These particular ones are child-friendly (and adored by kids), healthy and fantastic for slaying menopause symptoms.
Why we love pie during menopause and perimenopause
Menopause, perimenopause or not – everyone loves pie. It’s homely, filling and feels like a hug in a bite.
Pies make great weekly meals and there are so many ways to transform them into something nutritious and healthy.
In England, pies are symbolic of love, comfort and union. (Yes, really!)
In fact, pies have been uniting people since the time of the ancient Egyptians.
Pies are part of so many different cultures, so it’s only right that we take a look at some of the best pie recipes I’ve ever tried.
Pie recipes that combat menopause symptoms
Now that we know why we love pies, here are some of my personal favourite pie recipes. Not only are they delicious, they’re healthy, hearty and great for combatting menopause symptoms.
Creamy leek, squash and pesto pie
This leek, pesto and squash pie recipe is a fairly quick meal to make, taking only 15 minutes to prep and 50 minutes of cooking time. Not to mention, this can be frozen, making it the perfect batch-cooking recipe.
To make this creamy leek, squash and pesto pie, you’ll need these ingredients
You will need:
Squash; 300g
Peeled and chopped
Olive oil; 2 tablespoons
Leeks, 2 large or 3 medium-sized
Sliced
Fresh pesto; 3 to 4 tablespoons
A can of cannellini beans; 400g
Rinsed
Chicken stock, low-salt; 200ml
Half-fat creme fraiche; 2 tablespoons
Pre-made filo pastry (no one has time to make their own pastry!); 250g
An egg
Beaten
Salad leaves; 150g
With added olive oil drizzled on top – though this is optional
Nutritional value of ingredients
What makes this pie healthy? The ingredients, of course!
Squash Squash is great for perimenopause and menopause because it’s jam-packed with fibre. This fibre helps with digestion and balances blood sugar. Not to mention, squash contains heaps of Vitamin A and antioxidants, helping with itchy and dry skin, bettering your immune system and fighting against inflammation and bloating.
Olive oil Olive oil is great for perimenopause and menopause as a way to manage cholesterol levels and lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases, which often crop up during this stage of life. On top of this, olive oil helps with joint pain and inflammation, which are common symptoms of perimenopause and menopause.
Leeks Leeks are rich in nutrients, making them low-calorie while maintaining high levels of vitamins minerals. They’re fantastic for vitamin A, which helps with vision, cell communication and bettering your immune system. Furthermore, leeks contain vitamin K1. This helps to avoid blood clotting and to improve overall heart health. They also help with inflammation, weight loss and bloating.
Pesto Pesto contains ingredients that are rich in anti-inflammatory properties, good fats and nutrients like vitamins and calcium, supporting bone health and aiding against bone density loss – which is common during menopause and perimenopause.
Cannellini beans Cannellini beans are Italian and are also known as white kidney beans. They’re jam-packed with fibre, protein and carbohydrates while containing very little sugar. They’re also dense in B vitamins – including folate, vitamin K and vitamin E. Cannellini beans contain soluble fibre, which helps you digest your food slower and keeps you feeling fuller for longer. This aids with weight loss and bloating.
How to make this leek, squash and pesto pie
Here’s the recipe for this menopause-friendly pie recipe.
Pre-heat your oven to 200°C.
In a roasting tin, toss your squash in half of your olive oil. Add a pinch of salt, a crunch of pepper and any other seasonings you like.
When your oven is at the right temperature, roast your squash for 25-30 minutes. It should be just tender. Make sure you toss your squash half way through.
While your squash is roasting, heat the rest of your oil in your frying pan and fry your chopped leeks for around 5 minutes. They should be beginning to soften.
Stir in your pesto, cannellini beans and chicken stock. Let this simmer for around 5 minutes.
Next, add your creme fraiche and now roasted squash. Let them heat and bond together.
Spoon your filling from your frying pan into your baking dish.
Scrunch up your filo pastry and pop it on top of your filling.
Brush your beaten egg on top of your filo pastry.
Pop your dish into your oven and bake for 20 minutes. After, your pastry should look golden brown.
Serve your pie with mixed salad leaves on the side.
Get stuck in!
Healthy chicken pie
Chicken pie is a comforting weekly dish that has the whole family smiling. So, let’s take a look at this hearty pie recipe with a menopause-friendly spin.
To make this healthy chicken pie, you’ll need these ingredients
You will need:
Chicken breast; 200g
Semi-skimmed milk; 200ml
An onion, 1/4
Peeled
A bayleaf
Reduced-calorie pre-prepared puff pastry (again, who has the time to make fresh pastry?); 100g
Olive oil; 1 tablespoon
Bacon medallions; x2
Sliced into small pieces
Button mushrooms; 200g
Large in size and cut in half
A leek
Chopped
Plain flour; 1 tablespoon
Steamed broccoli
To serve on the side
Nutritional value of ingredients
What makes this pie recipe menopause-friendly while still satisfying everyone in the family? The ingredients!
Chicken breast Chicken breast is a great source of protein, keeping you feeling fuller for longer. As a result, this tackles weight gain which is super common in perimenopause and menopause.
Semi-skimmed milk Semi-skimmed milk is a good source of calcium, which is crucial for bone health. In menopause and perimenopause, a loss of bone density is common, so it’s important to consume more calcium to tackle it.
Mushrooms Mushrooms – regardless of which type – help to regulate blood sugar levels. You need balanced blood sugar to manage certain symptoms such as weight gain, mood swings and can even aid with menopause anxiety. On top of this, mushrooms are great for building a better immune system.
Leeks As mentioned before, leeks are fantastic for menopausal women. They’re low calorie ingredients, aiding with weight loss, while maintaining many vitamins to help with heart health, inflammation and bloating.
Broccoli Though broccoli isn’t in the pie and served on the side, broccoli is a nutritional powerhouse. It’s full of phytoestrogens and sulforaphane, which works to balance hormones. In turn, this helps with many symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats. Furthermore, broccoli also helps with bone health and general well-being.
How to make this healthy chicken pie recipe
Get this delicious healthy chicken pie on the table in an hour by following this recipe.
Place your chicken breast in the middle of a small pan. The pan needs to be small so that your chicken can properly poach in the milk.
Add your milk, bay leaf and onion.
Cover your pan with a lid and heat to a simmer. Simmer it gently for 15 minutes, ensuring the chicken is cooked all the way through.
While your chicken is poaching, preheat your oven to 200°C.
Cut your pre-made puff pastry into two rectangles. Carefully roll the pastry out until they are big enough to cover your pie dishes.
Turn your pie dishes upside down and pop them onto the rolled out pastry. Using a knife, cut around them to make your pie lids. With any excess pastry, cut them into strips and press them into the edge of your pie dishes to help your lids remain in place as the pies are baking.
Cut a cross in the centre of your pastry lids and pop them to the side.
Now, fry off your bacon with your oil in a frying pan. Once it’s golden-brown, add your mushrooms and one tablespoon of water to avoid sticking.
Cook your bacon and mushrooms for 2 to 3 minutes before adding your leeks. Continue to cook the mixture for around 5 minutes, making sure you’re breaking up the leeks as they soften.
When ready, remove your chicken from the milk. Use a sieve and a mug underneath to remove the milk from the pan and into a cup for later use.
Chop the chicken into bitesize pieces before adding the pieces into your vegetables.
Add your flour and stir thoroughly. The flour will act as a thickener for the next stage. Cook for around 2 to 3 minutes.
Add your strained milk that you used to poach the chicken in. The flour combined with the milk will make a stunning sauce, however you need to cook the flour out properly. So, continue to cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes.
Divide your mixture between your pie dishes.
Use the remnants of your milk to brush your pastry – both the edges and lids. If you need to, add a little more milk so that all the pastry has been brushed.
Pop your pies into the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes or so. Remove it when your pastry-lid is perfectly golden-brown.
Steam your broccoli as your pies bake and serve your delicious pies.
Get stuck in!
Apple and pear open pie
There’s nothing more comforting than a sweet pie. While we have two savoury pies on our list of pie recipes, I couldn’t ignore this beauty.
To make this apple and pear pie, you’ll need these ingredients
You will need:
Bramley apples; 200g
Peeled, cored and roughly diced
Ripe pears; x2
Peeled, cored and roughly diced
Apricot or peach spread (your choice); 4 heaped tablespoons
Pre-prepared puff pastry; 500g
An egg
Beaten
Demerara sugar; 15g
A touch of icing sugar to serve
Nutritional value of ingredients
While many people believe that a pudding cannot be healthy, this is about as healthy as it gets while satisfying your sweet tooth. Let’s take a look at the nutritional value of the ingredients in this pie recipe.
Apples A new study has found that higher intakes of specific fruits – including apples – may lead to fewer menopause symptoms. Apples have high levels of fibre, which helps with your digestion and blood sugar control. Not to mention, apples are rich in antioxidants, aiding with general wellbeing.
Pears Pears are rich in soluble fibre – specifically pectin – which aids with digestion and constipation. Constipation is a pretty common menopause symptom, so pears will help get you going regularly once more.
Apricots and peaches Even in a spread, apricots and peaches are fantastic for menopause symptoms. They’re a great source of phytoestrogens – specifically lignans – which work to balance hormone levels and, therefore, reduce the severity of your menopause symptoms.
How to make this quick apple and pear pie
Satisfy your family’s sweet tooth with a healthy alternative and make this quick apple and pear pie. Simply follow the recipe:
Preheat your oven to 200°C. Pop your baking tray in the oven to heat up.
Pop your apples and pears into a bowl. Add your peach or apricot spread and mix well. You want all your fruit to be evenly coated.
Take your pastry and roll it out on a floured surface. Cut your pastry into a circle by using a sharp knife. Then, pop your pastry onto a sheet of baking paper.
Move your apple and pear mixture into the middle of your pastry. Spread it all out a little, making sure to leave a 7cm (ish) border around the edge.
Using your beaten egg, brush the edge of your pastry for baking.
Push the pastry together to make sides. This may look a little bit like a pasty. Brush those sides with more of your beaten egg before sprinkling your demrara sugar over the fruit and edges of your pastry.
Carefully, lift your baking paper and put onto the pre-heated baking tray before returning it to the oven.
Bake your apple and pear pie for around 35 to 40 minutes. You’ll know when it’s done when the pastry is golden and crispy.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle a tiny bit of icing sugar on top.
Serve and get stuck in!
Menopause-friendly pie recipes – in a nutshell
Everyone loves pie. Whether it’s a healthy chicken pie, it’s full of creamy leeks, pesto and squash or a sweet apple and pear open pie, all of these recipes are huge crowd pleasers for both your tastebuds and your body.
Give these pie recipes a go! Snap a pic of your pie, add it to your story on Instagram and tag me – @menopausenutritionst – ‘cause I’d love to see your masterpieces!
Demystify your understanding of what’s happening to you. Arm yourself with solid, game-changing information to support you through this challenging phase of your life.