Pasture-raised chicken or crispy tempeh over baby arugula with fresh strawberries, pistachios, sunflower seeds, and a creamy balsamic dressing. This salad carries the three things that matter most in perimenopause, a quality protein, a wide spread of plants for the gut, and healthy fat from extra-virgin olive oil, and it does it without tasting like a prescription.Arugula showed up in the research before it showed up on this menu.

Gio wrote about it this month in the hormone health piece, Eating for Hormone Health: The Mediterranean Plate in Menopause: what the research says about eating through perimenopause, and it stuck with me in the kitchen. The estrobolome, the gut bacteria that helps your body metabolize estrogen, thrives on plant variety. Not more of one plant but different ones across the week, and the more distinct the better.

This salad has six. Arugula, strawberries, cucumber, celery, red onion, and mint, plus pistachios and sunflower seeds if you count those, which the gut bacteria do. It is the kind of plate that does more than it looks like it is doing.

Why each part earns its place

The protein: pasture-raised chicken. Lean muscle gets harder to hold once estrogen drops, and a real protein at the center of the plate is the most direct thing you can do for the body in these years. Pasture-raised is the sourcing standard in this kitchen, every week.

The plants: baby arugula, strawberries, cucumber, celery, red onion, and mint. Six distinct plants on one plate. Each one feeds a different corner of the gut microbiome, and the variety across different plants is what the gut bacteria are actually working with. A 2025 review in Frontiers in Nutrition connects low fiber and plant diversity directly with worse hot flashes and night sweats in menopausal women, which makes the width of this plate more than a culinary choice. Arugula is bitter and fiber-forward. Strawberries bring color and natural sweetness. Mint, cucumber, and celery keep it fresh rather than heavy.

The fat: extra-virgin olive oil in the dressing. The dressing here is olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon, apple cider vinegar, a small pour of maple syrup, garlic, and water. No seed oils. The olive oil carries the fat-soluble nutrients out of the arugula and keeps the meal satisfying past the one-hour mark. The European Menopause and Andropause Society points to olive oil as central to the Mediterranean pattern for women through perimenopause and beyond.

The seeds: pistachios and sunflower seeds. Both add crunch and both add to the plant count. Pistachios rank among the higher-fiber tree nuts, carrying roughly 3 grams of fiber per ounce, which means they are feeding the gut while they finish the plate.

The best hormone-health dinner is the one that does the work without announcing it.

How it comes together

Start with the dressing. Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, one small garlic clove pressed or grated fine, a small pour of maple syrup, and a splash of filtered water until it emulsifies. Taste it. It should be tangy, a little sweet, and creamy from the Dijon.

Roast the chicken breast at 400°F until cooked through, around 20 to 25 minutes depending on thickness, then let it rest five minutes before slicing. Season simply with olive oil and spices before it goes in, nothing more.

Build the salad in a wide bowl. Arugula first as the base, then the sliced strawberries, cucumber, celery, and red onion scattered across. Mint torn rather than chopped. The chicken sliced and laid over the top, then pistachios and sunflower seeds last so they stay crisp.

Dressing on the side or poured just before eating. Not before, or the arugula wilts and loses the texture that makes it worth eating.

The vegan version: crispy tempeh

The plant version swaps the chicken for crispy roasted tempeh, seasoned and roasted until it has real texture and color. Tempeh is fermented soy, which means it is both a protein and a source of beneficial bacteria for the gut, making it one of the better vegan proteins for this particular month's theme.

Everything else stays the same, the plant count, the dressing, the same gut-feeding work on a different protein.

Make it, or have it made

You can build this at home from the steps above, and it is worth it on a night when you have twenty-five minutes.

And if you want the full research on why this plate matters for hormone health in perimenopause, Gio wrote it out in detail. Eating for Hormone Health: The Mediterranean Plate in Menopause: over on the blog this month.

With gratitude,

Brooke

FAQ

What makes this salad good for hormone health?
It carries a quality protein to protect lean muscle, six distinct plants to feed the gut bacteria that help metabolize estrogen, and healthy fat from extra-virgin olive oil, without seed oils or anything processed. Each component is doing specific work for the body in perimenopause and menopause.

What is the estrobolome and why does it matter for this recipe?
The estrobolome is a group of gut bacteria that helps the body metabolize estrogen. A 2026 review in Nutrients found that greater variety in those bacteria is associated with better estrogen regulation, and that variety comes from eating many different plants. This salad carries six distinct plants on one plate.

Is there a vegan version of this dish?
Yes. The vegan version swaps pasture-raised chicken for crispy roasted tempeh. Tempeh is fermented soy, which brings both protein and beneficial bacteria for the gut. The plant count, the dressing, and the gut-feeding structure stay exactly the same.

Do I need to count macros to eat this way?
No. A quality protein, a wide spread of plants, and healthy fat from extra-virgin olive oil gives the body what it needs without tracking a single number. The structure of the plate does the work.

Can I get this delivered in San Diego?
Salt + Soil delivers fresh, organic, Mediterranean-inspired meals across coastal San Diego every Tuesday. This dish is on the current menu in both the chicken and tempeh versions, seed-oil-free and cooked fresh in our kitchen.

What dressing is used in this recipe?
The dressing is extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, garlic, and filtered water. No seed oils, no dairy, no refined sugar.