Protein-Packed, Nourishing Meat-Based Recipes…
As part of your wellness journey during menopause, maintaining a balanced diet is crucial, especially when it comes to protein intake. Incorporating a good proportion of protein in your meals can help sustain your energy levels, support healthy muscle mass, and keep you feeling fuller for longer.
Visualise your meal as a canvas – aim for 1/4 protein (from wholesome meat or plant based sources), 1/4 carbohydrates (preferably whole grains), and a generous half-plate of colourful vegetables.
Just like you, I juggle a busy schedule as a working mum. That’s why you’ll find the recipes I share here to be not only nourishing and tasty but also quick and easy to prepare. With minimal effort, you’ll have a balanced, meat-based meal on your table.
- Jamón De Bellota Ibérico summer orzo salad More chopping than cooking, this sunshine salad is perfect for warm evenings and makes brilliant leftovers for a picnic or lazy lunch. Fresh, vibrant and topped with indulgent Jamón De Bellota Ibérico – simple can be special. You can also substitute for Serrano ham
- Sticky mango chicken recipe Fresh tasty & packed with plant variety – great for gut and hormone health. We didn’t bother with poppadoms and had half the naan and there was still plenty. This is a really relaxed weekend dinner really.
- Crispy Chicken, Minty Pea & Lamb’s Lettuce Salad This spring salad is rich in protein to help keep blood sugar stable and energy up. Peas bring fibre and B vitamins for mood and nervous system support. A great option for warmer days when you want something satisfying but not heavy. I’d suggest doubling up so you can have some for lunch.
- Quick roast chicken with tarragon sauce The tarragon sauce takes this to another level! If you are looking for something hearty and satisfying at the end of the day, this is for you. Or an alternative to a roast dinner at the weekend. Yum!
- Spicy chicken, split pea and coconut soup A proper menopause hero and on repeat in our house for a reason. High in protein and fibre to support fullness, gut health and steady energy, with coconut adding richness without heaviness. Warming, nourishing and incredibly satisfying. We all LOVE it
- Family Friendly Chilli We have this regularly on rotation in the winter. Enough heat to add flavour, but mild enough to keep the rest of the family happy. We add jalapenos to ours for an extra kick. The recipe mentions serving with tortilla chips, I don’t have these but they keep the kids happy. You’ll have leftovers for lunch too.
- Grilled fillet steak with the creamiest white beans and leeks This one feels like a real treat, it works well for both midweek or a weekend decadence. The recipe says it takes 55 minutes, but I’ve made this a few times and it definitely doesn’t take that long.
- Quick Chicken Stew Comforting, packed full of vegetables and pretty quick to get on the table. Plenty of protein to keep you feeling full and satisfied.
- Minced beef hotpot I’d suggest a generous serving of broccoli on the side.
- Sausage & butter bean casserole with cauliflower rice You could also make this with a vegetarian sausage but also save yourself the aggravation of making cauliflower rice and use a microwave pouch instead. You could use quinoa, brown rice or the mixed grains with beans.
- Cauli-kale sausage bake A real family pleaser. Again, you can substitute for vegetarian sausages if you like but they do need to be really tasty ones for it to work, as much of the flavour comes from the sausage.
- Spanish inspired chicken one-pot
- Beef and broccoli noodle bowl Adding a sprinkle of sesame seeds will up the nutrition in this meal.
- Sausage and Bean Casserole Perfect as the nights begin to draw in and the temperature drops. On the table in 30 minutes.
- Creamy Spinach Chicken This feels decadent for a midweek meal. I didn’t bother bashing the chicken breasts smaller, but you will need to cook them for longer. Serve this with a little brown rice. Made lovely leftovers for next days lunch.
- Chicken, Leek & Brown Rice Stir-fry An incredibly fast dinner to prepare and minimal fuss. Great for midweek or a healthier alternative to a weekend takeaway. It could also take a lot more vegetables if you have some that need using up. Leftovers are ideal for a packed lunch.
- Chicken & Mozzarella Bake Hoovered up by everyone in the house. Perfect for a no fuss midweek meal.
- Oven-baked Thai chicken rice A little chopping and 5 minutes on the hob, then the oven does the rest of the work. Great for leftovers too. Personally, I would add some chopped green beans. If you cooking this for younger people in the family, this will be mild enough for their tastes. If you like more of a kick, add in more green curry paste and take care to choose a brand that has more flavour.
- 5-a-day turmeric traybake chicken This was lovely, although I did have yellow fingers from coating the chicken for the next few days! Great for digestion & helping to maintain a healthy gut. The diversity of vegetables provides a wide range of fibres and plant compounds that nourish the gut bacteria, supporting a diverse and robust microbiome.
- Greek Chicken Meatballs This was a huge hit in our house. Easy to make. I cooked them in the oven to reduce hands on time and served with roasted courgette instead of cucumber. This meal provides lean protein and antioxidants from the chicken and vegetables, essential for managing weight and mitigating oxidative stress during menopause.
- Chicken, Chickpea and Pepper Traybake This dish offers lean protein from chicken and fibre-rich chickpeas, both of which can help manage weight & cravings during menopause. The peppers add a boost of vitamin C, a potent antioxidant that can help combat oxidative stress often increased during this life stage. Plus, who doesn’t love a traybake with minimal washing up?
- Pork and Pineapple Rice Bowl with Pak Choi Pork provides high-quality protein and essential vitamins like B6 and B12, supporting overall body functions. Pineapple adds a touch of sweetness along with a host of vitamins and enzymes, while Pak choy is a leafy green packed with bone-supporting vitamin K and calcium, which are crucial during menopause. My husband isn’t particularly keen on fruit in or on dinner but went for this one!
- Greek-style lamb and sweet potato salad recipe We don’t often eat lamb so this was a bit of a treat for us. Lamb is a fantastic source of iron, essential for combating the fatigue often experienced during perimenopause/menopause. Sweet potatoes are packed with fibre and beta-carotene which can support gut health and help balance your mood. Fresh, tasty and easy to throw together.
- Peanut Butter Chicken Creamy but light this is a lovely dinner and really easy to cook. Throw in all in the tray and leave it. One thing I would say, is you really need to cut bigger pieces of broccoli into smaller pieces so that it cooks in time. I also used wholewheat noodles rather than the fresh used in the recipe. If you do this too you will need far less noodles by weight that in recipe.
- Easy Chicken Enchiladas If you are feeling in need of a hearty meal, this is it! I did add a little extra chicken and this made 5 huge portions. Everyone in the house loved it. Chicken provides lean protein for muscle maintenance, while black beans offer fibre for blood sugar balance and folate for cognitive health. The addition of spices such as cumin and paprika adds flavour and antioxidants and contributes to your plant count.
- Lemon chicken stir-fry This quick and adaptable stir-fry has a variety of vegetables like red pepper, carrot, and sugar snap peas, which offer a rainbow of nutrients, each colour providing different vitamins and antioxidants. You can swap these out though for whatever you have. The chicken delivers lean protein to help keep you full. We had this with whole wheat noodles.
- Lamb, aubergine & halloumi hotpot Ideal for a weekend when you have more time or add to the slow cooker before work. Lamb provides essential iron to combat fatigue, while aubergine & chick peas offers fibre and antioxidants. The various spices add flavour but also contribute to the diversity of your diet, supporting gut health. A super tasty way to include a variety of plant-based foods in your diet during menopause.
- Moroccan Meatballs with Red Pepper Sauce Spice up your dinner with these Moroccan Meatballs – I couldn’t find lamb meatballs, so I grabbed Moroccan-inspired kebabs from Tesco, rolled them into balls, and voilà! Don’t skimp on the seeds, they add that extra crunch for texture and nutrition.
- Bombay Potato & Chicken Thigh Traybake This Bombay Potato and Chicken Thigh Traybake was a surprise winner with everyone. Minimal mess – my kind of meal. Lovely and filling, the recipe says it serves 4, but we got 3 mains and 2 leftovers out of it. A must-try for those busy nights when you want something tasty without the hassle.
- Thai Green Curry Chicken Thighs A meal for 4, plus 2 lunches – I’m in! This packs in loads of lovely vegetables, the Thai curry flavour is mild so even fussy eaters will enjoy this. No waste, minimal washing up. What’s not to like.
- 1 chicken = 3 meals Such great value I had to include this! We got three dinners plus lunches out of each one. My daughter said these were the best meals she’d had in ages. Make sure you load up on any vegetables and bulk up the side salad and don’t go made on any additions of rice and potatoes. Remember the ½, ¼, ¼ rule (scroll down to the portion control section)
- Chicken Chimichangas This recipe made loads, we had 3 dinners and 2 lunches. The whole thing is much quicker if you use leftover chicken. I baked instead of fried and came out lovely and crisp. I added black beans instead of refried beans and Greek yoghurt instead of sour cream. I think it could benefit from some spinach put through it too, but if you wanted to add the veg component you could just serve steamed green vegetables of your choice on the side.
- Steak and chips salad recipe A healthier version of steak and chips, this salad is packed with nutritious veggies. The lean steak provides essential protein and iron, needed for energy. With a mix of salad leaves, radishes, peas, herbs, and purple sprouting broccoli, it’s a fibre-rich dish that supports digestion and hormonal balance. A perfect blend of indulgence and health!
- Chicken satay with noodles I would happily eat this instead of a takeaway at the weekend. I used chicken thighs instead of breast for extra juiciness and flavour, I’ve added roasted broccoli and cauliflower to boost fibre and nutrient content. You could use sugar snaps or pak choi, or whatever veg you have in the fridge. This was easy to prepare and would satisfy any cravings you might have for takeaway.
- Greek tomato chicken with lemon basil orzo Loved by all, this one-pan meal is rich in protein and comes with a nice mix of veggies. It’s filling, satisfying, and easy on the washing up afterwards. I would suggest reducing the orzo (we had way too much) and increasing the veg to make this more meno friendly. We had extra courgette and tenderstem broccoli.
- Sausage, roasted veg & puy lentil one-pot This has quickly become a firm favourite in our house, with my daughter even eating lentils without moaning. The instructions say to grill the sausages but I didn’t bother, just give them a head start in the oven. Vegetables I used were red onion, peppers (different colours) cherry tomatoes, courgette. Great for using up any veg lurking in the drawer.
- Speedy Chicken Souvlaki Really take your time to cook the chicken and it’ll give a lovely flavour. I added extra courgette and swapped fries for new potatoes sliced thinly and roasted in olive oil. Don’t skimp on the tzatziki, it really adds to the dish. This is rich in protein, supporting energy levels and ideal for a quick, balanced menopause-friendly meal.
- Chicken and mango coconut curry This speedy curry is perfect for a quick dinner. It has a nice touch of sweetness from the mango. Don’t skip on making the paste. Using leftover chicken makes it even easier! A tasty replacement for weekend takeaways without the added stress on your digestion.
- Lemony chicken lentils Protein and fibre combine in this easy one-pan meal. Lentils are a gut health superstar, balancing blood sugar and supporting digestion—key during menopause. Plus, you’ll have plenty of leftovers for a nourishing lunch the next day! Use the precooked chicken from the chicken & mango curry for this.
- Sticky Sesame Beef & Spring Onion Stir-fry Fast and family proof (even my daughter clears her plate). I cheat with garlic and ginger paste and serve it with microwave rice for speed. High in protein and iron , exactly what your body’s craving through perimenopause
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