Six recipes for pleasure and well-being from pregnancy to breastfeeding

6 recettes plaisir et bien-être de la grossesse à l’allaitement - Élhée

ARTICLE SUMMARY:

During pregnancy: essential nutrients and vitamins for you and your baby
3 pregnancy recipes to enjoy without feeling guilty
Breastfeeding mothers: a balanced diet to stock up on energy
3 tailor-made breastfeeding recipes

April is a bit like the season for new babies, right? And, if they are not yet born, perhaps they are in preparation? Tell us everything! Because, for our part, we have chosen this month to talk to you about delicacies and food. Pregnant or breastfeeding, what foods and nutrients are essential for you? We tell you everything and above all, we share with you some Quick recipes to make your life easier in the kitchen .

During pregnancy: essential nutrients and vitamins for you and your baby

To ensure your full health and the good growth of the baby in your belly, throughout your pregnancy you must ensure that you consume enough essential vitamins and nutrients .

Vitamin B9 : it is the first essential before, during and after pregnancy that you should not do without. It is found in vegetables and fruits such as spinach, lamb's lettuce, endives, leeks, artichokes, bananas, all red fruits and also in yeast.
Iron : it is the second nutrient that should not be neglected if you are expecting a baby, as needs increase throughout the pregnancy. To get iron, eat well-cooked meat (to avoid the development of bacteria) and legumes.
Calcium : essential for the baby's bone mineralization, it also prevents high blood pressure during pregnancy. Calcium is mainly found in cheeses (hard cheeses only to avoid listeriosis and toxoplasmosis), yogurts or in milk. Leafy vegetables, dried fruits and nuts also contain it.
Vitamin D : it helps to assimilate calcium. Produced by the body, you also consume it by eating fatty fish such as well-cooked salmon and smoked herring, or egg yolk.
Iodine : this trace element is fundamental for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland and the proper development of the fetus. Because the needs of pregnant women are increased, eat well-cooked shellfish and sea fish, eggs, dairy products and iodized salt.

3 pregnancy recipes to enjoy without feeling guilty

Artichoke Puree

For a little delight rich in vitamin B, carefully wash a few artichoke bases which you will crush with a fork before adding a quarter of lemon for seasoning. Heat everything over low heat, add salt, pepper and a teaspoon of crème fraîche before serving, why not, with grilled chicken breasts.

Leek and chicken gratin

Do you have a little more time on your hands? Combine leek and chicken breasts, Comté cheese and button mushrooms. Wash and cut the leeks, chicken and mushrooms into strips, before browning the last two in a little oil.

In a gratin dish, place the leeks and cover them with the mushrooms and chicken. Mix crème fraîche, cheese, salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg in the pan used for cooking, before pouring everything into your dish.

All you have to do is grate a little Comté on top of your preparation and put it in the oven for 10 minutes in cooking mode, 5 minutes in grill mode. It's ready !

Pear marmalade

Ultra-simple to make and deliciously comforting at any time of the day, pear marmalade is made by cooking large pieces of pear in a little water with vanilla or cinnamon, which you then simply crush with a fork. Serve warm or cold and enjoy comfortably seated on the sofa.

Breastfeeding mothers: a balanced diet to stock up on energy

To produce the milk your baby needs, you burn a lot of calories (hello back to the postpartum line). If an intake - estimated at 500 calories on average per day - may be necessary, it varies depending on whether you breastfeed one or two babies or whether you practice mixed breastfeeding. or exclusive. Either way, you need a regular and varied diet . The good news ? You can again eat whatever you like, but in moderate quantities . An excellent solution for varying dishes and foods.

Of the proteins (animal and plant), carbohydrates (rice, pasta, wholemeal bread and cereals, etc.), fibers (dried fruits and legumes), fatty acids, vitamins and minerals .
Of calcium , found in cheeses such as Comté, Cantal or Beaufort, but also in nuts and green leafy vegetables.

3 tailor-made breastfeeding recipes

St Marcellin and spinach quiche

This is a recipe that you can prepare almost all year round as long as you have puff pastry, baby spinach, little Saint-Marcellin, eggs, petit-suisse or fromage blanc in your cupboards, salt and pepper.

The only difficulty? Separate the egg whites (to whip them until stiff) and add the yolks to the crushed Saint-Marcellin with the petit-suisses. This is followed by the roughly chopped spinach and seasoning.

The most delicate step? Add the whipped whites to your cheese preparation, without breaking them. It's done ? Now just pour everything onto the tart base and bake at 200°C for around 25 minutes.

Egg casserole with smoked salmon

Do you want little casseroles? That’s good for us too! To make them you need 4 eggs, smoked salmon, liquid cream, butter, 5 berry spices and tarragon.

In your oven preheated to 200°C, place a deep dish filled with approximately 2 cm of water to create a bain-marie. Butter your casserole dishes and add the spices, smoked salmon and broken egg on top. Finish with a new layer of salmon, crème fraîche and tarragon, before baking for 10 minutes. Ting!

Carrot almonds

These cute tartlets are eaten at the end of a meal as a sweet dish. To prepare them, you need shortcrust pastry, soft dried apricots (or fresh if it's in season), grated carrots (which encourage the milk to rise), powdered and flaked almonds, an egg, natural yogurt and caster sugar.

Do you have everything? Whisk together the egg and sugar, yogurt, almond powder and carrots before garnishing the bottom of your tartlets or pie. Add the apricots and flaked almonds, then bake in a not too hot oven for 25 minutes. At table !

And for those who are hungry, what should we eat?

Pregnant or breastfeeding, cravings and hunger pangs are common. To eat well without having anything to regret, Élhée has prepared a additional list of quick and healthy snacks , to always keep on hand.

We make ourselves a milkshake with ripe fruit from the fridge and milk.
We take advantage of all fresh and seasonal fruits , to chew or squeeze.
We spread a slice of walnut bread with a crushed banana .
We slip a little packet of dried fruits and seeds , in the pocket of his vest (figs, apricots, hazelnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, etc.)
We prepare a bowl of Humus . This chickpea puree contains crushed sesame, lemon, garlic and olive oil, so you can dip veggie sticks in it.
We stock up on canned mackerel or anchovies , to eat with a few salad leaves.

And above all, have fun. While waiting for baby, even if there are some restrictions, the world's cuisines offer enough possibilities to continue eating well. Besides, don't forget that from now on, you share everything with your child, especially the taste.

Breastfeeding means rediscovered culinary freedom combined with a virtual obligation to snack. Don't deprive yourself of it! You will discover, because the flavor of breast milk changes with food, another way to share and exchange with your baby.

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