Easy, Yummy, And Healthy Recipes To Make While Pregnant
“Control your cravings!” – No one said ever. One of the perks of being pregnant is that you can eat as much as you want without any lurking judgy eyes. Unfortunately, you cannot eat everything you want without adding a few pounds here and there. So what do you do? Resort to healthy eating. Now, who said healthy has to be boring? These are recipes you can eat for lunch and dinner. And even binge on the leftover as a snack. And they are sure to satisfy your taste buds as well.
Pan-Seared Salmon
This dish is jam-packed with healthy fats, protein, and fiber. Sink your fork through the salmon flakes to have a mouthful of deliciousness.
Salmon – 1 fillet (250 gms), sliced
Garlic powder – 1 tbsp
Dried basil – 1 tbsp
Salt- 1/2 tsp
Butter – 2 tbsp
Lemon wedges – 4
How to prepare:
- Take a bowl and mix basil, salt, and garlic powder in it. Rub this mixture onto the salmon.
- Take a skillet and place it over medium heat. Melt the butter. Cook the salmon for about 5 minutes on each side until it turns brown and flaky. Serve it with lemon wedges.
You can eat it with sliced avocado, grated carrot, spinach, quinoa, and sesame seeds as a full meal.
Chicken With Pomegranate
For pomegranate glaze:
- Pomegranate juice – 1/2 cup
- Apple cider vinegar – 2 tbsp
- Honey – 1 tbsp
For Chicken:
- Chicken breast halves (skinless) – 4
- Parsley (chopped) – a handful
How to prepare:
- Mix the ingredients for the pomegranate glaze in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk it and let it come to boil. Now turn down the heat and cook it until it’s reduced to a quarter of the cup. Set it aside.
- Now season the chicken with salt and pepper. Preheat the grill. Set aside 2 tbsp of pomegranate glaze. Use the remaining glaze to brush the chicken until it’s nicely cooked.
- Once the chicken is cooked, brush it with the set-aside pomegranate glaze. Sprinkle it with parsley.
You can make more batches of the glaze and use it with pork or lamb chops.
Tofu + Broccoli Stir Fry
This terrific protein will make for a sumptuous snack with broccoli.
For stir-fry sauce:
- Soy sauce (low sodium) – 3 tbsp
- Rice vinegar – 2 tbsp
- Ginger (peeled, grated) – 1 tsp
- Minced Garlic – 1 tsp
- Cornstarch – 1 tbsp
Tofu (diced) – 440g
Vegetable oil – 2 tbsp
Broccoli florets – 2 cups
Sugar snap peas – 2 cups
Lightly toasted sliced almonds – 1/2 cup
How to prepare:
- Place the tofu on top of paper towels and layer it with another paper towel on top. Weigh it down with cans or books. Let it drain for 15-20 minutes.
- For the sauce, mix together the ingredients and keep it aside. Place a frying pan over medium heat and add the oil. Place one layer of tofu and cook it without stirring for about 10 minutes until golden brown on the bottom. Do the same on the other side as well. Move the tofu onto a plate.
- Pour 3/4 cup water to the pan and place it over medium heat. Add the sugar snap peas and broccoli and cook it for 3-4 minutes. Pour the stir-fry sauce and cook it until it thickens.
- Now mix in the tofu to the pan and give it a toss.
You can have this with cooked brown rice or whole wheat noodles garnished with toasted almonds.
Lemon Garlic Shrimp
Shrimp is a delicious seafood which when mixed with plant protein quinoa gives you a healthy meal. Shrimp is also low in mercury making it a safe choice for many expectant mothers (1).
Vegetable oil/butter – 2tbsp
Minced garlic – 1 tbsp
Shrimp – 800g
Kosher salt & ground pepper – to taste
Lemon – 1/2
How to prepare:
- Heat a skillet over medium flame and add the oil. Add the shrimp, salt, and pepper and cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side.
- Add a tablespoon of lemon juice and give it a stir. Do a taste test to see if you need to adjust any flavors. Garnish with chopped parsley.
You can eat it with quinoa and sliced avocado as a healthy snack or meal.
Mix it with pasta or noodles with stir fry asparagus and broccoli for a wholesome meal.
Not only are these recipes delicious, but they are also easy to make. You just need a few ingredients and little time to dig into a wholesome meal. You can also add in a few ingredients to add a twist and make it your own.
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