Healthy Post Partum Meals for clients

These are some great recipes for pregnancy and post partum.  This is also a list of available meals to pick from for your post partum meal train.  I am always open to adding more to the list if you have any ideas!

Easy, affordable, and healthy recipes for pregnancy and post-partum

*Vegetarian
**Vegan

*Twice Baked Broccoli & Kale stuffed potatoes

2 russet potatoes
1 cup cooked broccoli (roasted or steamed is fine)
6 large tuscan kale leaves
1/2 cup milk
2–3 tablespoons cheddar cheese, grated
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Scrub potatoes, then poke each several times with a fork (making sure to press well into the potato flesh).
3. Place the potatoes on a baking tray, and bake for 50-60 minutes, until tender. Once cooked, remove from the oven.
4. While the potatoes are cooking, prep the kale leaves: Wash and dry, remove and discard the thick inner stems, and roughly chop the leaves.
5. Cook in a pot of rapidly boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain and run under cold water to stop cooking process. Set cooked kale aside.
6. Slice potatoes lengthwise, and scoop the insides out into a blender, leaving a good 1/4 inch of potato flesh still attached to the potato skin (otherwise, your potato might fall apart). (Note: If you don't have a blender, you can use a hand blender, a food processor, or simply mash the ingredients with a fork!)
7. Add the broccoli, kale, and milk to the blender and blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Scoop the pureed broccoli-kale-potato mixture back into the potato skins. Sprinkle with the grated cheddar cheese, return to the baking sheet, and bake for another 10 minutes.
9. Change the oven setting to broil, and continue cooking on high for 3 minutes to brown the cheese. Remove from the oven and serve!

**Veggie Chilli

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 red bell peppers, cored and diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 cans (15 ounces each) diced tomatoes
• 1 cup frozen corn

1. In a Dutch oven or large stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, peppers, garlic, cumin, cayenne, and chili powder, and season with salt and pepper. Stir together and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Mix in beans, tomatoes, and corn. Bring mixture to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Served with desired toppings. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for about a week or in the freezer for a couple months.
   
   
   

*Cheesy Stuffed Tomatoes

• 6 tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more to grease pan
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta
• Handful parsley
• Salt
• Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Slice tops off of each tomato about 1/2 inch down from stem, making a cap. Set caps aside. Using a spoon, scoop out flesh, being careful not to pierce skin.
3. Lightly grease a glass baking dish with olive oil, and space tomatoes evenly in pan with sliced sides up.
4. Mix feta and parsley. Stuff mixture into tomatoes.
5. Season tomato caps with salt and pepper and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place caps on tomatoes and bake for about 10 minutes, or until tomatoes soften and begin to look shriveled and cheese is melted.

*Quinoa with Avacado Pesto Sauce

• 2 heads broccoli, cut into florets
• 8 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
• Sea salt
• 1 avocado
• 3 ounces Parmesan cheese, cut into small chunks
• Lemon juice (optional)
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts or almonds
• 1/2 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 pound mushrooms

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Toss broccoli and garlic with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until beginning to brown. Set 1/2 cup broccoli aside.
3. Add remaining broccoli, garlic, avocado, Parmesan, and remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil to a blender, and blend until a smooth puree is formed. Taste and season with salt. Stir in lemon juice, if desired.
4. Mix 1/2 cup broccoli pesto and reserved broccoli florets into cooked quinoa. (Save any leftover pesto in the fridge for another use.)
5. Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add nuts to dry pan and toast, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant and beginning to turn golden brown. Remove from pan and add to quinoa.
6. Add butter to the same frying pan and let it melt. Add mushrooms and cook until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add to salad and serve warm.

Chicken Potato Green Bean Casserole

• 12 oz. green beans
• 1 lb. chicken breasts, diced
• 1 lb. red potatoes, chopped
• ½ cup butter {I use salted}
• 1 (0.6 oz.) Zesty Italian seasoning packet
• Salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Layer your green beans, chicken, and potatoes in a 9x13 inch baking dish as seen above.
3. Cut your butter into 12-16 slices and spread evenly atop the veggies and chicken.
4. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning packet evenly over the beans, chicken, and potatoes and top with salt and pepper, to taste.
5. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour, until chicken is no longer pink and potatoes and soft. {If your beans start to get too cooked at about the 45 minute mark, place foil over the pan.}

**Mexican Style Sweet Potatoes

• 2 sweet potatoes
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 1/2 red pepper, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 can (13 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 lime, juiced
• Parsley, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake sweet potatoes for one hour.
2. Remove from the oven and slice lengthwise. Scoop out flesh so there is only a thin layer remaining lining the edges. Set aside.
3. Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add all vegetables and garlic, and cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
4. Add black beans and lime juice. Mash mixture with the edge of a fork to break up beans.
5. Add sweet potato flesh and mix until thoroughly combined.
6. Stuff each potato skin with bean mixture and serve with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and chopped parsley.
   
   
   
   

**Spicy Carrot Salad:

Microwave grated carrots and minced garlic in 1/4 cup water until crisp-tender.

Drain; toss with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, red pepper flakes and parsley.
Add your favorite leafy greens.

**Tomato-Peach Salad:

Toss tomato and peach wedges with red onion slices.

Drizzle with cider vinegar and olive oil;

season with sugar, salt and pepper.

Spinach Mozzarella Chicken Enchilladas

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large cooked chicken breast halves, diced
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach - thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 5 (10 inch) flour tortillas
• 2 (10 oz) cans of enchilada sauce
  
  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir green onions and garlic in butter until fragrant and softened, about 2 minutes. Stir chicken, spinach, chili powder, black pepper, and salt into the green onion mixture and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix ricotta cheese, sour cream, 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese into chicken mixture until thoroughly combined. Reserve remaining Monterey Jack and mozzarella cheeses for topping.
2. Place tortillas into a plastic bag, seal bag, and microwave on high until warm and soft, 30 to 45 seconds. Spoon about 3/4 cup of chicken filling down the center of each tortilla in a line. Roll tortillas around filling and place with seam sides down into a 9x13-inch baking dish.
3. Pour enchilada sauce over filled enchiladas and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of Monterey Jack and mozzarella cheeses over the top.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until filling is bubbling and cheese topping is browned at the edges, about 30 minutes.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until filling is bubbling and cheese topping is browned at the edges, about 30 minutes.

**Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers [gluten free]

• 1 cup (168 g) quinoa or rice, thoroughly rinsed and drained
• scant 2 cups (460 ml) vegetable stock (sub water, but it will be less flavorful)
• 4 large red, yellow or orange bell peppers, halved, seeds removed
• 1/2 cup (120 g) salsa, plus more for serving
• 1 Tbsp (4 g) nutritional yeast (optional)
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 15-ounce (425 g) can black beans, drained (if unsalted, add 1/4 tsp sea salt)
• 1 cup (168 g) whole kernel corn, drained

TOPPINGS optional

• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• Fresh lime juice
• Hot sauce
• Cilantro, chopped
• Diced red onion
• Creamy Cilantro Dressing
• Chipotle Red Salsa (or your favorite salsa)

1. Add quinoa and vegetable stock to a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until all liquid is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy - about 20 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish or rimmed baking sheet.
3. Brush halved peppers with a neutral, high heat oil, such as grape seed, avocado or refined coconut.
4. Add cooked quinoa to a large mixing bowl and add remaining ingredients - salsa through corn. Mix to thoroughly combine then taste and adjust seasonings accordingly, adding salt, pepper, or more spices as desired.
5. Generously stuff halved peppers with quinoa mixture until all peppers are full, then cover the dish with foil.
6. Bake for 30 minutes covered, then remove foil, increase heat to 400 degrees F, and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until peppers are soft and slightly golden brown. For softer peppers, bake 5-10 minutes more.
7. Serve with desired toppings (listed above) or as is. Best when fresh, though leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in a 350 degree oven until warmed through - about 20 minutes.
   
   
   

*Baked Spinach Pasta Casserole

10 ounce casarecce pasta or fusilli (short twisted spaghetti)

1 (5-ounce) package fresh baby spinach

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 cups chopped onion

1.1 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/4 cup)

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup (4 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Cooking spray

3/4 cup breadcrumbs

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 minutes or until almost al dente, omitting salt and fat. Remove from heat; stir in spinach. Let stand for 2 minutes or until spinach wilts. Drain pasta mixture well.

3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion; cook 15 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Add flour and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly with a whisk. Gradually add milk and wine; cook 8 minutes or until sauce boils and thickens, stirring constantly. Stir in 3/4 cup cheese, salt, and rind. Remove from heat; stir in pepper. Add pasta mixture to onion mixture, and toss gently to coat.

4. Spoon the pasta mixture into a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle half of breadcrumbs over pasta, and top evenly with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Sprinkle the remaining half of breadcrumbs over cheese. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

Broccoli and Rice Casserole

2 cups 1% low-fat milk

1 cup water

1 (3 1/2-ounce) bag boil-in-bag long-grain rice

3 cups small broccoli florets

Cooking spray

1/3 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup chopped celery

1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/4 cup (2 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese

2 ounces light processed cheese, cubed

2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Combine milk and water in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Add rice; cook 10 minutes. Remove rice; keep warm. Return milk mixture to a simmer. Add broccoli; cook 5 minutes. Drain; discard milk mixture.

3. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, celery, and bell pepper; sauté 5 minutes. Add cream cheese and processed cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat; stir in rice, broccoli, chicken, salt, and black pepper. Spoon 1 cup rice mixture into each of 4 (10-ounce) ramekins coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon Parmesan. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes or until cheese melts.