One pan dinner for women over 50

Salmon Tray Bake

Why This One-Tray Salmon Bake is a Brilliant Choice for Women Over 50

If you’re looking for an easy, delicious dinner that ticks all the boxes for health, balance, and taste—this is it. This colourful traybake of salmon, lentils, peppers, onions, olives, and a dollop of pesto is more than just a feast for the eyes.

For women over 50, this kind of meal is a nutritional powerhouse. As our bodies change, we need more support for metabolism, hormones, joint health, and muscle maintenance—all without adding unwanted weight.

This recipe delivers on all fronts. You’ve got protein-rich salmon for muscle and metabolism, fibre-packed lentils to support digestion and heart health, healthy fats from olives and pesto, and antioxidant-rich veggies. It’s satisfying, deeply nourishing, and naturally low in sugar and refined carbs.

And if weight loss is on your radar, this traybake is a smart choice. It keeps you feeling full without the blood sugar crashes that often lead to snacking or cravings. In fact, I’ve been wearing a continuous glucose monitor recently, and meals like this—balanced, whole-food, and full of fibre and protein—have been absolute winners for keeping my blood sugars steady.

Plus, there’s only one tray to wash up. Win-win!

And if my potato loving hubby loved it (and he did), I know you'll love it too.

One-Tray Salmon Dinner

This is the kind of recipe that feels almost too easy for how delicious and nourishing it turns out. It was one of those accidental throw togethers that worked so well I had to share it.

Everything cooks together in one tray, making it perfect for a weeknight dinner—yet it’s colourful and flavour-packed enough to serve to friends. The combination of roasted vegetables, flaky salmon, hearty lentils and a punch of pesto is just so satisfying.

Ingredients (Serves 2)

• Protein: ~46g

• Fibre: ~14.6g

• 1 tin of green lentils, rinsed and drained

• 3 peppers – one each of red, orange and yellow, cut into chunky pieces

• 1 red onion, cut into thick wedges

• A generous handful of black olives

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2salmon fillets

• 2–3 teaspoons of pesto (green or red – whatever you love)

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan) / 400°F.

2. Toss the lentils, chopped peppers, and red onion into a large roasting tray. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper if you like. Give everything a good mix.

3. Roast for 15 minutes to get those veggies starting to caramelise.

4. Remove the tray from the oven, nestle the salmon fillets on top of the veg, dot each fillet with a spoonful of pesto, and scatter the black olives around.

5. Return to the oven for 10–15 minutes, depending on the thickness of your salmon, until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.

6. Serve straight from the tray, maybe with a handful of rocket or a wedge of lemon on the side if you're feeling fancy.

Make It Your Way – Vegetarian Option

If you’re not eating fish, this traybake still works beautifully. Try swapping the salmon for thick slices of halloumi (added for the final 10–15 minutes so it gets golden and just a little melty) or chunks of marinated tofu for a plant-based version. Both give you a good hit of protein and keep the dish feeling hearty and satisfying.

You could also top the finished tray with a handful of toasted pine nuts or a few slices of avocado for an extra boost of healthy fats and texture.

Why It’s Good for You

This dinner isn’t just easy and tasty — it’s packed with nutrients that really support women in midlife and beyond:

🟠 Protein for muscle, metabolism & cravings control Salmon is a top source of high-quality protein and omega-3 fats, which are key for keeping your metabolism firing, supporting brain and heart health, and maintaining muscle as we age. Protein also helps keep you fuller for longer — ideal if you're working on weight loss or just avoiding the 4pm snack attack.

🟢 Blood sugar-friendly carbs Lentils and roasted vegetables are full of fibre, which slows down digestion and helps prevent blood sugar spikes. That steady energy means fewer cravings and better mood — I’ve seen this firsthand recently while wearing a CGM (continuous glucose monitor). Meals like this one really helped keep my levels beautifully stable.

🫒 Healthy fats for hormones & inflammation Olive oil, olives, and pesto bring in monounsaturated fats and anti-inflammatory compounds. Great for joint health, hormone balance, and supporting cholesterol levels — all important areas for women over 50.

🌈 Rainbow of antioxidants With red onion, peppers, and a sprinkle of herbs from the pesto, you’re getting a variety of antioxidants that support your immune system, skin, and even help reduce oxidative stress — basically helping you age well from the inside out.

If you're a woman over 50, fed up feeling tired and missing out on life, check out my About Me and Work With Me pages and you'll read how I can help you make the rest of your life the very best of your life.