A quick hit of cottage cheese!
Did you know that cottage cheese is packed full of protein that can be really good for you during perimenopause and after menopause? It is rich in a protein called 'casein' which is s slow-releasing protein, helping with muscle maintenance.
If like me weight management is a big deal for you, cottage cheese comes with the added benefit of leaving you with a feeling of fullness which makes it ideal for weight management. Being a good source of calcium and phosphorus, it is also providing you with minerals that are essential for strong bones and teeth - and this is why I have suggested this for both perimenopause and post-menopause, because women lose bone density and become more at risk of Osteoporosis so we really need to look after our bone health!
How do you eat yours?
I've always loved cottage cheese & when I suggested a sliced beef and cottage cheese sandwich to my husband I did get a bit of an odd look but hey, we can't all like the same thing!
More recently I've been trying to avoid too much bread so was looking for alternative lunch options and, on the recommendation of my aunt, tried out the cottage cheese mash!
So it might look a bit messy but it is full of goodness and really is ultra quick to make!
Ingredients
2 x Rye Ryvita
1 x hard boiled egg
1 x avocado (I also buy the holy moly smashed avocado tubs when they are one offer but no good if you like it chunky!)
2 x heaped dessert spoons cottage cheese
Method (this will be quick!)
Put all ingredients (bar the Ryvita of course) into a bowl, mash it together until it is at your desired level of lumpiness!
Spread it over the Ryvita, season and tuck in. I did add a tiny bit of lemon juice the second time I made this which was good and my friend suggested a layer of Marmite to the Ryvita - not tried that one I must confess but maybe one day...!
This may be a quick and easy recipe but adding the egg and avocado into the mix creates a meal packed full of goodness during those wonderful perimenopause years...
Egg contain all nine essential amino acids which are crucial for things like muscle maintenance & are sometimes described as being a 'complete protein source'. If like me you are experiencing brain fog and occasional (or regular) low mood, then egg is a great addition to your diet as it contains something call 'choline' which supports both brain health and mood regulation.
Avocados are rich in healthy fats, fibre and vitamins - I actually avoided these for ages because they were high in weight watcher points but have started adding them back into my diet since reading more on how these can be beneficial at this stage of my life. Adding this to your diet is helpful for regulating your hormones, reducing bad cholesterol levels and can also support heart health, which all sounds good to me!
So whether you're tucking into cottage cheese straight from the tub or mixing it up with other great ingredients, you can feel confident that this is doing you some good!
How do you eat yours?