Anti-Hotflash Recipes

Women with menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings, and sleeping disorders, can find relief by adjusting their diet. The following recipes contain phytoestrogens, plant sources of estrogen. Some phytoestrogens are found in flaxseed or in soy foods such as tofu, tempeh, and soy milk. Research has shown that soy provides other health benefits. It may decrease low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Soy has also been found to decrease triglycerides and increase bone density. The recipes presented show how you can easily incorporate soy into your diet. It can be mixed, in powder form, into a smoothie, substituted for milk in pancakes, or, as tofu, blended into delicious cheesecake.

Eggless Tofu Spinach Quiche
Enchilada Casserole
Butternut Peanut Soup
Cherry Cheesecake
Orange Banana Creme
Soy Milk Pancakes
Spaghetti with a Tomato-Tofu Sauce

Eggless Tofu Spinach Quiche

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Ready in: 45 Minutes
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

1 (8-ounce) container tofu
1/3 cup 1% milk
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 cup diced onion
2/3 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 (9-inch) unbaked 9-inch piecrust

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C).
2. In a blender, combine tofu and milk; process until smooth, adding more milk if necessary. Blend in salt and pepper.
3. In a medium bowl, combine spinach, garlic, Cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese and tofu mixture. Mix well, and pour into prepared piecrust.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until set and golden brown on top. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

Enchilada Casserole

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 45 Minutes
Ready in: 1 hour
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 (8-ounce) package tempeh, crumbled
6 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 (19-ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 (6-ounce) can sliced black olives
8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C). Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the garlic, onion, beans, chilies, peppers, and tempeh. Pour enchilada sauce into a medium bowl.
3. To prepare the casserole, dip three tortillas in the enchilada sauce and place them in the prepared baking dish. Be sure to cover the bottom as completely as possible.
4. Place 1/2 of the bean mixture on top of the tortillas and repeat. Drizzle the remaining sauce over the casserole and sprinkle the top with the olives and the shredded cheese.
5. Cover and bake for 30 minutes; uncover and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbling and the cheese is melted.

Butternut Peanut Soup

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 35 Minutes
Ready in: 50 Minutes
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

1 3-pound butternut squash
2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoon curry powder or to taste
2 cups unsweetened soy milk
Salt to taste
Optional garnishes: finely chopped peanuts, chopped scallions

Directions

1. Remove the peel and seeds from the squash, and cut the flesh into large chunks. In a large saucepan, simmer squash in 2 cups vegetable broth, covered, until squash is tender (about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the squash pieces).
2. Allow squash to cool for a few minutes, and then transfer squash and cooking broth to a blender container. Add peanut butter and curry powder, and blend until very smooth. Add a little more liquid if necessary to facilitate blending.
3. Return mixture to saucepan. Add soymilk, and heat through (do not boil). Salt to taste. Serve immediately.

Cherry Cheesecake

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 40 Minutes
Ready in: 2 Hours 50 Minutes
Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup real maple syrup
1 (8-ounce) package firm silken tofu
1 (8-ounce) container nondairy cream cheese
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 1/2 lemons, juiced
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons soy milk
1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs and 1/4 cup maple syrup. Press into pie tin. Bake for 5 minutes.
3. In a blender, combine tofu, vegan cream cheese, lemon zest and juice, and confectioners' sugar. Dissolve cornstarch in soy milk, and add to the blender. Blend until smooth. Pour filling into crust.
4. Bake for 25 minutes at 350° F (175° C). Reduce heat to 325° F (165° C), and continue baking for 15 minutes, or until set. Cool on a wire rack, and then chill for several hours.
5. Invert onto a plate, and then invert again onto a serving platter. Pour cherry pie filling over the top, and serve.

Orange Banana Creme

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Makes 2 12-ounce servings

Ingredients

1/2 pint sherbert
1 banana
4 ounces nonfat vanilla yogurt
1 cup soy milk
6 ounces silken tofu
1/3 cup orange juice

Directions

1. Place the sherbert, banana, yogurt, soy milk, tofu, and orange juice in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade.
2. Pulse the ingredients 3 or 4 times. Then process until a smooth drink forms. Pour the drink into 2 glasses and serve immediately.

Soy Milk Pancakes

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Makes 2 main-course servings

Ingredients

1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-tablespoon sugar
1 egg
1 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons canola oil
Unsalted butter for the pan
Maple syrup for drizzling

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 250° F. Heat a pan over medium-low heat.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Set the bowl aside.
3. In another bowl whisk together the egg, soy milk, vanilla extract, and canola oil
4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the liquid ingredients into it. Whisk the batter until smooth.
5. Place a small amount of butter in the pan. Swirl it until it stops sizzling. Pour approximately 1/3 cup of batter into the pan. Cook the pancake until bubbles form on the surface, approximately 1 minute. Flip the pancake and cook it for another minute. Place it in the oven to keep it warm. Repeat the procedure with the remaining batter.
6. When all the pancakes have been cooked, divide them among 2 plates and accompany with maple syrup.

Spaghetti with a Tomato-Tofu Sauce

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Makes 4 main-course servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
Sea salt to taste
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, chopped
1 pound firm tofu, cut into small cubes
4 tablespoons top-quality red-wine vinegar
Black pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh basil, snipped
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
1 pound spaghetti
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a Dutch oven over low heat. Add the garlic and cook until soft and fragrant. Add the onion to the Dutch oven and sprinkle with sea salt. Cook the onion until soft, stirring occasionally.
2. Raise the heat to high and add the tomatoes to the Dutch oven. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a well-seasoned wok over high heat. When the oil is hot, place the tofu in the wok. Cook until golden, stirring several times. Add the vinegar to the wok and cook the tofu for 30 seconds more. Season with sea salt and black pepper and add it to the sauce. Cook the sauce for 5 minutes more. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the basil and oregano. Season the sauce with sea salt and black pepper.
4. Add sea salt to the boiling water, followed by the pasta. Cook the pasta until tender. Drain and divide among 4 plates. Spoon the sauce and tofu onto each plate and garnish with Parmesan cheese.

External Sources Allrecipes.com Ricciotti HR, Connelly V. The Menopause Cookbook. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company; 2000:104, 116, 179.

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