Build Your Glow Bowl: My Go-To Anti-Inflammatory Lunch Formula

If you often feel bloated, tired, or craving sugar by mid-afternoon, your lunch may need a glow-up.

This week, I’m sharing my go-to anti-inflammatory lunch formula that supports your gut, hormones, skin, and energy levels, without needing a complicated recipe.

This is more of a template than a recipe. Once you learn the framework, you can create endless combinations depending on what you have at home. You can also cook up a batch of grains and proteins, and vary them up each day using different vegetables, dressings, and spice mixes or flavour bombs.

The Anti-Inflammatory Glow Bowl Recipe

1. Base (slow carbs): Choose 1 (or mix if you prefer)

• Quinoa

• Brown rice

• Buckwheat

• Cooked lentils or chickpeas

• Cauliflower rice (for lower carb)

2. Greens (fibre + phytonutrients): Add 1–2 handfuls

• Baby spinach, rocket, or mixed salad leaves

• Kale

• Coriander, parsley, mint

3. Colourful Veg (antioxidants): Pick 2–3

• Roasted sweet potato, carrot, or beetroot

• Steamed broccoli or zucchini

• Capsicum, cucumber, or cherry tomatoes

• Eggplant

4. Protein (repair + blood sugar balance): Pick 1

• Grilled chicken

• Salmon or sardines

• Egg (hard-boiled, or omelette)

• Tofu or tempeh

• Hummus

• Canned beans

5. Healthy Fats (for hormones + anti-inflammation): Pick 1–2

• Avocado

• Hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, or walnuts

• Olive oil, sesame oil, or flaxseed oil

• Tahini or almond butter dressing

6. Dressing (digestion + flavour bomb): Try this combo:

• 1 tbsp tahini or olive oil

• Juice of ½ lemon

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard or apple cider vinegar

• Pinch turmeric + black pepper

• Water to thin as needed

7.Optional Add-Ons:

• Kimchi, achar, or sauerkraut (gut-friendly fermented boost)

• Sprouts or microgreens (nutrient powerhouse)

• Dukkah or seaweed flakes (iodine)

Why It Works

✔️ Fibre for gut microbiome support

✔️ Antioxidants to calm inflammation

✔️ Healthy fats for skin and hormone balance

✔️ Balanced macros = no more afternoon crashes

Bonus Ritual: A 5-Minute Grounding Practice Before Meals

We often eat on autopilot: scrolling, rushing, or distracted.

This week, I invite you to try this simple reset ritual before lunch:

1. Sit down and take 3 deep belly breaths

2. Say a quiet “thank you” for your food

3. Put your phone out of reach

4. Chew slowly and notice the taste, smell, and texture

   
   

This helps activate your parasympathetic nervous system, your body’s “rest and digest” mode. It supports digestion, reduces bloating, and helps you feel more satisfied after eating.

Your Glow Challenge This Week

Build your own Glow Bowl at least once this week.

Pair it with the 5-minute pre-meal ritual.