Each trimester comes with its own needs of vital nutrients for the mother and the baby. Here is a compilation of quick trimester based recipes.
By Dr Khushboo Thakker Garodia
Studies have shown that what a woman eats during pregnancy nourishes her baby in the womb. This is why the food consumed by a pregnant woman is very important and it helps nourish all vital elements required by the foetus.
Each trimester comes with its own needs of vital nutrients for the mother and the baby. Here is a compilation of quick trimester based recipes – keeping the mother’s needs in mind.
Trimester 1
Chickpea Spinach Rice
This colourful dish is rich in protein, fibre, iron and vitamins. Chickpea is a very good source of vegetarian protein. And if you are a vegetarian or a vegan, you should be looking at including this legume in your diet.
The carbohydrate from the rice and the protein from the chickpea together add great nutritional values to the meal. This combination keeps the energy of the mum-to-be going through the day.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
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150 gm (¾ cup) chickpeas
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750 ml (3 cups) water
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300 gm (1 ½ cups) rice
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1 tomato, quartered
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¼ cup carrots, diced and boiled
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¼ cup French beans boiled
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¼ cup finely sliced capsicums – all 3 colours
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¼ cup finely sliced onions
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¼ cup fresh coriander and mint leaves
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½ cup blanched chopped spinach
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2 tsp fresh ginger
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1 green chili (optional)
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4 tbsp vegetable oil
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1-piece cinnamon stick
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4 cloves
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A pinch of asafoetida
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1 tbsp coriander seed powder
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1 tsp cumin seed powder
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¾ to 1 tsp red chili powder
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½ tsp turmeric powder
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1 tsp garam masala powder (optional)
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water (as required)
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2 tsp salt or to taste
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Directions:
Can be served with a side of beet raita.
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Trimester 2
Drumstick Dal
Here is a wholesome and rich toor dal cooked along with drumstick and subtle spices and tempering to give it a great taste and is an amazing anti-bloating recipe which is much needed in the second trimester.
Ingredients
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1 cup Arhar dal (Split Toor Dal)
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2 Drumstick, cut into 3 inch pieces
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1 Onion, sliced
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2 Tomatoes, roughly chopped
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2 Green Chillies, slit
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1 teaspoon Chilli Powder
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½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
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Salt, to taste
For tempering
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2 teaspoon Ghee
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¼ teaspoon Asafoetida
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½ teaspoon Mustard seeds
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1 sprig Curry leaves
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3 Dry Red Chillies
Directions:
In a pressure cooker combine the toor dal along with onions, tomatoes, chili powder, turmeric powder and green chili, one and a half cups of water, close and pressure cook for three whistles and turn off the heat.
Allow the pressure to release naturally. Once the pressure has released, open the cooker and give the dal a quick stir. Adjust the consistency to your liking.
Pressure cook drumsticks separately along with 2 tablespoons of water and a pinch of salt for two whistles and release the pressure immediately. Drumsticks should not become too soft. Cooking drumsticks separately retains their nutrition and colour.
Add the cooked drumsticks to the dal and give it a stir. Check the salt and seasonings and adjust according to taste.
The next step is to make the tempering. In a small pan, add ghee and allow it to heat; add the mustard seeds and allow it to crackle. Add the asafoetida powder and curry leaves, and dry red chilies stir it in and turn off the heat.
Pour this tempering over the cooked Drumstick Dal
Serve Drumstick Dal along with Millet Rotis for a wholesome week day lunch. Make sure to add 2 tsp of ghee, when you serve yourself the dal.
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Trimester 3
One Pot Khichdi
This one pot meal is a fantastic dinner option for the third trimester to ensure the mom-to-be has strength and stamina and keep fatigue at bay.
Ingredients:
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½ cup green moong dal soaked and drained,
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1 cup rice soaked and drained,
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1-2 whole onions peeled
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2 potatoes peeled
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2-3 small brinjals
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3 tbsp ghee
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pinch of asafoetida
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¼ tsp turmeric powder
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¼ cup green peas
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Salt as needed
To be mixed together into a masala mixture
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2 tbsp coriander powder
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1 tbsp sugar
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1 ½ tbsp chilli powder
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¾ cup freshly grated coconut
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⅓ cup finely chopped coriander leaves
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pinch of asafoetida
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Salt
Directions:
Clean, wash and soak the moong dal and rice in enough water for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
Make criss-cross slits on the onions, potatoes and brinjals taking care not to separate the segments.
Stuff each of the onions, potatoes and brinjals evenly with the prepared masala mixture. Keep aside.
Heat 2 tbsp of ghee in a pressure cooker, add the rice, dal, asafoetida and turmeric powder and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.
Add the stuffed vegetables, green peas, salt and 2½ cups of hot water, mix gently and pressure cook on a high flame for 3 whistles.
Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid.
Add the remaining 1 tbsp of ghee, mix well.
Serve immediately with Gujarati kadhi or buttermilk.
(The writer is Homeopath, Trichologist, an Integrative Health Expert & the Founder of Meraki Wellbeing)
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