Hormonal ARG!!!!

Hello all, my name is Dana and I am struggling to get fit. I did manage to hike 200 miles this summer and did reduce some of my caloric intake....AND GAINED 10 LBS. It turns out that I had a hormonal imbalance. Once surgery was complete (no cancer, just benign growths) I was able to lose 5 lbs right away, so I'm sure that part of the weight gain was my body thinking it was being "stressed" from all the hiking and so some of the fat clung. I don't regret continuing to hike as I was gaining heart health, muscle memory and muscle strength that does not just disappear. I am recovering from surgery and can walk up to 1.5 miles without too much exhaustion. Keep in mind this summer that I worked my way up to 14 miles in one hike. I started the summer at just 1.5 miles at a stretch, so I did see much improvement, but the gain of belly fat was infuriating!

I would love to know if you all get a good vegetarian or vegan recipe I'd love for you to share. My big change to my diet (to customize a hormone balance) is cutting way back on alcohol and meat. I often have glass or two of wine a night and I know that as women getting older that is a huge saboteur. Then the hormones in meat is another....so one of my plans is to trade artwork for sale at a local tourist shop. The owners also have an organic beef sales business and they've agreed to the trade...so I don't have to give up yummy meat entirely. Then I am adding powder protein and fish to balance my proteins. I currently weigh 227lbs. My highest weight was 250lbs. My goal is to work up to maintaining 5 workouts a week at 30-45 min each, hiking back up to and past 14 miles and to tone it down to below 200lbs. I'm hoping to start fishing so I can feel that I'm getting hormone reduced, mercury free and GMO free protein into my diet. I'm not a big fan of sugar so that helps (unless it's in a good Zin!!!).

Thanks for any feedback and especially for good recipes (even ones that aren't veg/vegan).