A colourful, satisfying lunch for energy, nourishment & healthy weight management

If you’re looking for a lunch that is quick, colourful and genuinely satisfying, this Meno Power Bowl is one to try.

Created with menopause in mind, it brings together plenty of colourful vegetables, leafy greens, healthy fats, fibre and a good source of protein — the combination I come back to again and again when helping women build more satisfying meals during midlife.

It is fresh enough for warmer days, easy to adapt depending on what’s in your fridge, and ideal for making ahead for a busy week.

The aim isn’t to create a “perfect” menopause meal. It’s to make it easier to put together a meal that keeps you satisfied and nourished.

Why I love this bowl

During menopause, many women find that their appetite, energy and relationship with food can change. Building meals around protein, fibre and plenty of plants can be a simple way to create meals that are more satisfying and nutrient-dense.

This bowl gives you:

• Protein from chicken, salmon, eggs or chickpeas
• Fibre from vegetables, leafy greens, pomegranate, avocado, nuts and seeds
• Healthy fats from avocado, extra virgin olive oil, walnuts and pumpkin seeds
• A rainbow of plant foods for variety and a wide range of nutrients
• Plenty of crunch, colour and flavour, so healthy eating doesn’t feel boring

And perhaps most importantly, it is a meal you can actually look forward to eating.

Ingredients

Serves 2–3

Greens & herbs

• 3 cups rocket (arugula)
• 1 cup baby spinach
• Small handful fresh coriander (cilantro)

Colour & crunch

• 1 medium avocado, diced
• ½ cup pomegranate seeds
• 1 small radish, thinly sliced
• ½ cup shredded carrot
• ½ cup diced orange bell pepper
• ¼ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds (optional)

Choose your protein

Choose one, or combine two if you prefer:

• Grilled chicken breast, sliced
• 2 salmon fillets, cooked and flaked
• 1½ cups roasted chickpeas
• 3–4 boiled eggs, quartered

Tip: If you’re making this as a main meal, don’t be shy with the protein. That’s what turns a lovely salad into a satisfying lunch.

Simple balsamic dressing

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Optional: a little freshly grated ginger or a pinch of turmeric

How to make your Meno Power Bowl

1. Prepare the greens

Wash and dry the rocket, spinach and coriander and place them in a large bowl.

2. Add the colour

Add the radish, shredded carrot, orange pepper, avocado and pomegranate seeds.

3. Add your protein

Add your choice of grilled chicken, salmon, roasted chickpeas or boiled eggs.

4. Add the crunch

Scatter over the walnuts and pumpkin seeds.

5. Make the dressing

Mix the olive oil and balsamic vinegar together, then season with salt and black pepper. Add a little grated ginger or turmeric if you fancy it.

Drizzle over the bowl just before serving and toss gently.

Make it your own

One of the best things about this bowl is that you don’t need to follow it rigidly.

Try adding:

Roasted sweet potato for extra fibre and a more substantial bowl.

Ground flaxseed sprinkled over the top.

Sauerkraut or kimchi if you enjoy fermented vegetables.

Cherry tomatoes, purple cabbage or microgreens to add even more colour and variety.

You can also swap the protein depending on what you have available. Leftover roast chicken or salmon can make this a particularly quick weekday lunch.

Make-ahead & meal-prep tips

This is a great recipe to prepare in advance.

• Wash and chop your vegetables and store them in airtight containers.
• Cook your chosen protein ahead of time.
• Keep the dressing separate until you’re ready to eat.
• Add avocado just before serving to keep it fresh.
• Portion out your walnuts and seeds so they’re ready to grab.
• Keep prepared ingredients refrigerated and use according to the storage life of the individual foods.

For an especially quick lunch, prepare several components at the weekend and assemble a fresh bowl in just a few minutes.

A simple menopause-friendly formula

You don’t need to eat this exact bowl every day.

Instead, use it as a template:

Protein + plants + fibre + healthy fats = a satisfying meal.

Once you start thinking this way, it becomes much easier to create your own menopause-friendly meals without weighing, measuring or following a rigid diet.

Swap the salmon for chicken.

Use lentils instead of chickpeas.

Add whatever vegetables are in your fridge.

The important thing is the overall combination, not perfection.

And what about Menobelly?

Food is always going to be one of the foundations of a healthy approach to weight management.

But sometimes you want additional support alongside the changes you’re making to your diet and lifestyle.

That’s where Menobelly comes in.

Menobelly is a high-potency formula containing targeted botanicals, adaptogens and essential nutrients, developed to complement a healthy lifestyle during the menopause transition.

If you’re working on your nutrition, movement, energy and overall wellbeing and would like additional nutritional support, you can find out more about Menobelly here:

Discover Menobelly →

And if you’re looking for more personalised support, my menopause coaching can help you turn the principles into something that works for your body, lifestyle and stage of menopause.

Explore menopause coaching →

Final thought

Healthy eating during menopause doesn’t need to mean eating tiny portions of plain salad.

It can be colourful.

It can be satisfying.

It can be full of flavour.

And it can fit into real life.

Start with a few simple building blocks – protein, fibre, plants and healthy fats – and build from there.

Enjoy! x