Breastfeeding & Pregnancy Friendly Food Recipes

Here are some recipes I have collected from various sources. Soem from friends and family members, some from various internet sources like blogs and cafemom, and some from books like The Calm Baby Cookbook By Melanie Beingessner.

Easy Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
8 carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
1/2 onion, diced
1 can chicken broth
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp. oregano leaves
1 tsp. basil leaves
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Place all of the cubed chicken and chopped vegetables into a large bowl. Drizzle the chicken broth and olive oil over top, and then add the garlic, oregano, basil, sea salt and pepper. Toss well. Pour into two large baking dishes that have been coated with non-stick cooking spray. Cover and bake at 350° F for approximately 1hour. Remove from the oven, stir well and continue to bake, uncovered, for another 30 minutes. Test the potatoes for doneness.

Marinated Beef Wraps – excerpted from The Calm Baby Cookbook

1 lb flank steak
2 cups grapefruit juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 green onions, minced
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp sea salt
Dash black pepper
2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, minced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, roasted
2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
Lettuce leaves
Greek style pitas

Cut the flank steak in thin slices across the grain. Place them in a resealable freezer bag. In a large glass measuring cup, combine the grapefruit juice, olive oil, green onions, Worcestershire sauce, sea salt and pepper. Mix well, and reserve one cup of the marinade. Pour the remaining marinade into the freezer bag along with the steak strips. Continue to marinade the steak strips overnight, flipping the bag every time you go into the fridge.

Note: you may want to roast your garlic so that it is ready when you cook the meat the next day. The flavour of roasted garlic is mellow and pleasing. Most breastfeeding babies do not object to roasted garlic, but go easy at first to make sure. To roast a head of garlic, cut off the top so that the tips of the cloves are slightly exposed, wrap it in tinfoil (dull side out) and place in your oven when you are baking something else (to conserve energy). The garlic will take between 30 – 60 minutes to cook and become soft. When the garlic head is cooled, squeeze out the cooked garlic, place in an airtight container and use when cooking.

The next day, in a large frying pan, sauté the onions and mushrooms in the olive oil until golden brown. Mush up the roasted garlic with a fork and add it to the frying pan. Continue to cook for 2 more minutes, and then set aside.

Wrap up the Greek pitas in a big piece of tinfoil and place in your oven at 250° F. Drain the beef strips and cook them in the same frying pan over medium high heat until cooked through. Add the reserved marinade and bring to a boil. In a glass measuring cup, mix the cornstarch and cold water and add it to the beef mixture. Continue to cook and stir until the sauce has thickened.

Using the warmed Greek pitas, add steak strips to the middle of each, and then top with the mushrooms, onions and lettuce leaves. To help avoid a mess wrap the pitas in waxed paper before serving.

Waldorf Turkey Sandwiches

½ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 cup diced turkey
½ cup diced apple
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
¼ cup raisins
½ cup Lite Miracle Whip or mayonnaise
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Lettuce leaves
Whole wheat rolls

Preheat a non-stick frying pan to medium-low and add the sunflower seeds and walnuts. Stir often until they are toasted evenly. Remove from the burner and let cool.

In a bowl, combine the Lite Miracle Whip or mayonnaise, lemon peel, sea salt and pepper. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to coat. Spoon onto fresh rolls and top with fresh lettuce.

nutritioussnacks to eat while breastfeeding or on the go:

The Best Granola EVER

3 cups oats (large flake oats are better, but any kindwill do)
1 cup sunflower seeds
2 cups whole almonds chopped
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamonIn a mixing bowl combine all of the nuts and oats.

In ameasuring glass, mix the extra virgin olive oil, cinnamonand brown sugar until smooth. Pour over the nutsand oats and mix until well coated, then spread evenlyover 2 baking sheets. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes oruntil the nuts and oats start to brown at the edges. Addthe dried fruits evenly over the oat and nut mixture andbake for 5 minutes more.The fruit should be warm when you take the bakingsheets out of the oven. Watch closely, as the raisinscan plump up and burn easily if you bake them for toolong. This granola tastes wonderful eaten with a soyyogurt for breakfast.


Very Berry Protein Shake

Protein shakes provide instant energy and a great startto your day. They are easy to make and to take with you as you care for your baby.

2 cups rice milk
1 cup frozen berries or fruit – i.e. blueberries, raspberries,peaches, apricots
1 serving of dairy-free protein powder

Pour the rice milk and fruit into a blender and processon high until smooth. Add a serving of protein powder that doesn’t contain whey or milk solids and blend for a few light pulses to mix. Most protein powders are made from whey orcasein (by-products from cow’s milk) or soy. If your baby can tolerate soy, there are many soy based protein powders to choose from. Another alternative from dairy or soy protein powders is hemp protein. Hemp proteinprovides a complete balance of amino acids; essentialfatty acids; natural antioxidants, vitamins, minerals,fiber and chlorophyll.37 One of the best choices for hemp protein is Vega– a complete whole food replacement that contains a complete plant-based protein,essential fatty acids, digestive enzymes and a multi-mineral & vitamin complex. Vega can be found in most health food stores.


Honey Coated Almonds

1 egg white
2 cups whole almonds
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp. cinnamon

In a medium sized bowl, using a whisk, beat the eggwhite for about 2 minutes. Add the almonds and tossuntil well coated. In a measuring cup, mix the honeyand cinnamon and drizzle them over the almonds. Stirthe almonds once more, and then spread them evenlyacross a baking sheet coated with non-stick cookingspray. Bake at 300° F for 30 minutes or until brownedat the edges. Let cool on waxed paper.


Ginger Spiced Mixed Nuts

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup honey
1 cup walnut halves
1 cup whole almonds
2 cups peanuts
2 cups raisins

Preheat a large frying pan on medium heat. In a measuringcup, mix together the olive oil, the spices andhoney until smooth. Pour into the frying pan and heatthrough. Add the nuts and stir to coat, then add theraisins and stir again. Spread evenly over two bakingsheets covered with waxed paper. Let cool.


Trail Mix

1 cup whole almonds
1 cup walnuts coarsely chopped
1 cup raisins1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup salted peanuts

Mix in a large bowl and store in a resealable freezer bagclose to your breastfeeding station.


Maple Mixed Nuts

5 cups of your favorite nuts (use as many kinds asyou like)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves

In a large bowl, mix the nuts, the spices and the maplesyrup. Spread evenly over a baking sheet coated withnon-stick cooking spray.
Bake at 350° F for 20 minutes or until the nuts are brown at the edges. Let cool.

High Energy Snacks That You Can EatOne-handed

Simple Snack Ideas

• Almonds and raisins. You can mix these yourselfbeforehand and keep them in convenient snackinglocations throughout the house.
• Raisins are full of potassium, copper, iron, magnesium,riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, thiamin,niacin, calcium and folic acid.xxxv
• Fresh and dried fruits can be placed at your breastfeedingstation for you if you get hungry whilebreastfeeding. Choose from bananas, nectarines,apricots, plums, peaches, pineapple, apples, pears,raspberries, mangoes, blueberries, saskatoons andblackberries.
• Dried fruits such as raisins, dates, cranberries, apricots,figs, peaches, pears, apricots and apples can beplaced in strategic places around your house so thatyou can snack on the go.
• Prepare vegetables and keep them in your fridgeready to munch on when you find the time. Thereare many vegetables to choose from: carrots, celery,cucumber, zucchini slices, asparagus, green beans,baby corn and mushrooms. Most dips contain dairyproducts, but the following hummus recipe works

well.

 

Slightly Garlicky Hummus Dip

1 can chick peas (or garbanzo beans)
1/4 cup tahini (ground sesame seeds)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 freshly squeezed lemon
2 garlic cloves, roasted
3 tbsp. soya sauce
Sea salt to taste

Rinse the chickpeas and let drain. Add all of the ingredientsto a blender and process until smooth. If themixture is too thick, add a bit more olive oil, lemonjuice and soya sauce and blend again. Let sit for onehour and serve. This is great dip for vegetables, crackersor pita bread cut into wedges. The roasted garlic adds amellow flavour and will be easier on a baby’s digestivesystem.

Salmon Chowder

1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
2 cups diced, peeled carrots
2 bouillion cubes
8 cups water
2 cups diced, peeled potatoes
1 tsp. sea salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. dill weed
1 14-oz can creamed style corn
2 cups cooked salmon chunks or 2 cans of salmon,drained with bones and skin removed
1 can cocktail shrimp, drained

In a saucepan, sauté the onions, celery, carrots andbouillion cubes in 1 cup of water until tender. Add thepotatoes, sea salt, garlic, dill and the remaining water.Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add the corn, salmonand shrimp. Heat through and simmer for another 30 minutes. Add water if the soup becomes too thick.

Papaya Fish Soup

Ingredients:

- 1 white fish tail or fish bones or fish meat ~ about 1kg
- 100g raw peanuts (or black beans)
- 1 raw or half-ripe papaya, about 1kg - cut into cubes/wedges
- 1 piece tangerine peel
- 4 slices old ginger
- 1.5 litres boiling water
- 2 tbsp oil

Cooking Method:

1. Heat oil & fry ginger slices, then fry fish in oil until brown.

2. Put all ingredients into the slow cooker and simmer for about 2 to 3 hrs - generally until the soup smells really fragrant. Enjoy!

Fenugreek fish soup

Ingredient
serai, ginger, ikan bilis, ikan senangin and fenugreek or biji halba.  
(All in agaration measurement)

Method

2 stalks serai - bruised, a handful ikan bilis, a big chunk of ginger- bruised, 2 tablespoons fenugreek (biji halba, buy from sundry shops or in condiment section in supermarkets), 2 litre water.  Boil for 45mins to 1 hr and add in either fish or chicken slices to cook.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

here is a really great site for recipes for while you are pregnant, or for kids, vegitarian recipes, or for lot of other things, they are broken down by category and it's a great site for it in general

http://kidshealth.org/parent/recipes/