Constipation tends to come and go during pregnancy, so there’s no need to be too concerned if your bowels feel a little off now and again. But when and if you do feel, well, stuck, this protein pear pudding is virtually guaranteed to get ya movin’. ⠀
Ingredients:⠀
6 ripe pears, washed & cubed (don’t remove peel!)⠀
6 tblsp gelatin protein powder (I like vital proteins)⠀
2 tblsp raw honey⠀
2 tblsp coconut oil⠀
1 1/2 cups water⠀
Cumin, cinnamon, and cloves to taste (optional)⠀
12 drops stevia (optional)⠀
How to: Into a large saucepan add 1/2 cup of water, honey, stevia, spices, and pears. Cook on medium heat for 10-15 min, or until pears are soft. Purée pears with an immersion blender or food processor. Return the mixture to the saucepan and keep warm on the lowest possible heat. In a small bowl, mix 1 cup of water and gelatin, stirring quickly so the gelatin doesn’t set. Pour the gelatin into the saucepan, stirring continuously until fully dissolved. Add coconut oil, allowing it to melt and blend evenly. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool. Pour into 1 cup mason jars and seal with a lid; place in fridge for several hours until set. Pro tip: I like to leave these out for 15 min or so before eating, so the pudding softens a little. Recipe makes 6 servings.
Coconut Chocolate Fudge
NOM OF THE WEEK: COCONUT CHOCOLATE FUDGE! I keep promising you all chocolate, so here's one more and you'll see why! Have you been try to bat away cravings for chocolate because you're worried it's not good for the baby? Stop! In fact, indulge! Researchers in Finland found that mamas who regularly ate chocolate during pregnancy had happier, livelier infants. Perhaps that's because chocolate contains phenylethylamine, which triggers the release of endorphins? Or perhaps it's just that mamas who are whacked out in chocolate bliss perceive their babies as being happier? Either way, you now have scientific proof that a bit of the sweet stuff is a good thing. (You're welcome by the way.)
For an antioxidant boost, make sure you're selecting chocolate with a high cacao content (over 70% preferably)- You're not going to get much benefit from eating, say, a Snickers bar. Or try this delicious Coconut Fudge- it's made with antioxidant rich dark chocolate & coconut oil, which is rich in nourishing fats. Just, you know, try not to eat the whole pan in one sitting ;)
INGREDIENTS: (Makes 16-24 Servings)
1 14 oz can whole fat coconut milk
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips
2 Tbls coconut oil
1/2 cup coconut flakes
HOW-TO:
In a medium-sized saucepan, empty the entire can of coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in honey and mix well. Let the mixture reduce by half, stirring occasionally (this will take about 20-30 min.) Over low heat, add the chocolate chips and coconut oil. Once completely melted, add in coconut flakes and mix well. Pour the fudge into a medium sized glass pan, cover, and store in fridge until completely hardened. Cut into small squares & enjoy!
Salmon Cakes
It’s important to focus on foods you can eat to support baby’s smarts! Like, omega 3 fatty acids, or more specifically docosahexaenoic acid (aka DHA). ⠀
DHA is a primary component of brain tissue, and it’s especially vital in the last 3 months of pregnancy. Unfortunately, many mamas don’t get enough from their diet, and if you’re not getting enough, baby’s not getting enough- and that’s a problem. Low levels of DHA during pregnancy have been linked to premature birth, low birth weight, and hyperactivity in children. So where can you find this miracle nutrient? Marine animals such as tuna, sardines, and anchovies are especially rich sources, but salmon is one of your best options- in fact, it’s one of the most nutrient dense foods in the planet. Sink your teeth into a baked or grilled salmon filet for dinner or try whipping up these super simple salmon cakes!⠀
INGREDIENTS:⠀
1 14.75 ounce can of salmon⠀
2 eggs⠀
1 tbls coconut flour⠀
1/2 onion, finely chopped⠀
1/2 red pepper, finely chopped⠀
2 tbls Dijon mustard⠀
2 tbls fresh dill, minced (optional)⠀
2 tbls olive oil ⠀
HOW-TO:⠀
Drain your salmon (the drier, the better). In a medium- sized bowl, wisk your eggs. Add in coconut flour & stir until dissolved. Add remaining ingredients & mix well. Form mixture into small cakes w/ hands. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add several cakes & cook for a few minutes on each side, until browned. Serve with lemon wedges & fresh tarter sauce!
Chocolate Placenta Truffles! (Placenta optional)⠀
Alright, last week I promised you some chocolate, and if you're gonna eat your placenta, you might as well do it in style, right? So close your eyes and imagine yourself a few days postpartum: unwashed hair tied up in a messy bun, lounging in a stained nursing top & PJ pants... and snacking on chocolate bonbons. Not too bad, eh?⠀
Okay, maybe it sounds a little weird to eat your placenta in dessert form, but you won't taste it this way, thanks to the bittersweet flavor of the chocolate! And... if you don't plan on consuming your placenta at all, no problem- you can still enjoy these delicious treats, sans birth organ.⠀
INGREDIENTS:⠀
8 oz dark chocolate⠀
1/2 cup heavy cream (or full fat coconut milk)⠀
1 Tbsp honey or maple syrup⠀
1/2 tsp vanilla extract⠀
1/4 cup crushed almonds (or any nut/seeds)⠀
1 Tbsp dried placenta powder (just take it right out of the capsules) (OPTIONAL)⠀
1/4 cup cacao or cocoa powder (optional)⠀
1/4 cup shredded coconut (optional)⠀
HOWTO:⠀
In a double boiler (over low heat) melt dark chocolate and cream, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly, then add honey, vanilla, crushed almonds and dried placenta powder. Mixx well & pour into bowl; cover & chill for 2 hours.⠀
Scoop individual truffles. Roll in shredded coconut, cocoa powder, or crushed almonds. Chill for 30 more minutes, then store in airtight container in fridge. 1 or 2 truffles a day postpartum should help balance your mood & give you a breast milk boost. Also, this may be the one time in your life that no one else wants to eat your chocolate! Yay!⠀
Zucchini Crusted Pizza
NOM OF THE WEEK: Zucchini - Crusted Pizza!⠀
To satisfy all those pregnancy cravings, I'm making sure to include recipes featuring chocolate, chips, and fudge for Nom of the weeks. But I would be remiss if I didn't include a recipe for the ultimate comfort food: PIZZA! Instead of a typical white flower crust, this version uses zucchini, a humble veggie that's high in vitamin C, manganese, and antioxidants.⠀
INGREDIENTS:⠀
Crust: 3 cups grated zucchini⠀
3 tbls coconut flour⠀
4 eggs⠀
2 cloves minced garlic⠀
1 heaping tsp oregano⠀
pinch of sea salt.⠀
Toppings: 1 small jar pizza sauce⠀
2 cups grates mozzarella⠀
Veggies of your choice.⠀
⠀
Preheat oven to 450 degrees (if you have a pizza stone, slide that in the oven so it can heat up, too.) Add crust ingredients to a food process and pulse until the mixture comes together. On a circle pan or pizza stone lined with parchment paper, form the dough into a pie shape, piling up extra along the perimeter to form a crust. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove pizza from the oven and lower the heat to 350 degrees. Cover your crust with a thin layer of pizza sauce, add mozzarella and additional toppings. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is melted!⠀
Enjoy with a big green salad (or chocolate)
Savory Quiche Muffins
Suffering from unsightly swelling? Best way to avoid this? Up your protein intake! Meat, Greek yogurt, pea protein, cheese, legumes, nuts, seeds, nutritional yeast, and eggs. ⠀
Speaking of which.... eggs are the super food! They are rich in vit B12, selenium, and leucine. They're inexpensive. But the true star player in eggs is choline. Which is vital for the development of baby's brain & spinal cord! Try mixing up your eggs w/ these savory quiche muffins!⠀
⠀
Ingredients:⠀
6 eggs⠀
2 cu raw spinach, chopped⠀
1/4 cu sundried tomatoes, chopped ⠀
1/2 cu grated cheddar or Colby cheese⠀
Salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste⠀
⠀
How-to:⠀
Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. Beat your eggs, then add remaining ingredients and combine. Into a greased cupcake tin, pour your egg mixture leaving half-inch of space to allow for rising. ⠀
Bake for 25 min or until muffins are slightly browned. Serve warm ⠀
Sauerkraut
(While definitely not most people's favorite dish, it has its benefits, I promise. Read on!)⠀
As baby comes down the birth canal, he'll pick up beneficial bacteria which will help him establish a healthy microbiome. So later in your pregnancy, it's great to give your inner ecosystem a little boost. The easiest (and cheapest) way to support gut health is to eat fermented foods. Unfortunately, most aren't fermented naturally so they don't offer much in the way of beneficial probiotics. Thankfully, you can make your own!⠀
Ingredients:⠀
1 small head organic green cabbage ⠀
1 Tablespoon fine-grain sea salt⠀
1 Tablespoon caraway seeds⠀
Water⠀
⠀
How-to:⠀
Finely chop the cabbage, wash & allow to dry for an hour or so. Place in large bowl. Add salt & caraway & mix. Let marinate for 10-15 min. Next, use your hands or a potato masher to smash cabbage, releasing as much liquid as possible (if you're having trouble getting enough liquid, add 1/4 water to the mix). ⠀
Transport the contents to a large mason jar, the brine (liquid) should cover the cabbage, but leave at least an inch of space at the top for expansion. Cover loosely w/ a plastic lid or cloth, let sit at room temp for at least 3 days. ⠀
Keeps for about a month in the fridge!⠀
Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
If you talk to virtually any midwife or doula, you're practically guaranteed to hear about the miracles of red raspberry leaf tea, an herbal tea that's been used for thousands of years to support respiratory and digestive health AND- here's where things get really interesting- to ease and shorten labor!⠀
It is suggested to start drinking red raspberry leaf tea during your second trimester.⠀
How to SPICE it up!⠀
Raspberry leaf tea tastes great on it's own, but it can get a bit boring day in, and day out. Here are two easy ways to jazz it up!⠀
For a warm, creamy treat: steep 1 tea bag in boiling water for 10-15 min. Then add 1/4 cup coconut milk and 1 tablespoon raw honey or another natural sweetener. ⠀
For a refreshing red raspberry orange cooler: steep 4 tea bags in boiling water, add 2 tablespoons raw honey, then chill in fridge. Once cooled, add a bit of fresh-squeezed orange juice (1/4 cu per serving) and garnish with an orange slice!⠀
YUM!!