Healthy food recipes for pregnant women

Are you constantly pestered by your aunts and relatives to eat healthily and they constantly give you totally irrelevant advice of eating or not eating any food item. Chuck them! We’re here again, with some delicious yet healthy recipes that are good for you and for your baby as well.

You must know this that to take good care of your baby you should eat healthily and at proper intervals i.e., to say never miss your breakfast, grab healthy lunch, welcome snacks full of protein to your plate and have light dinner.

Let’s check out some lip-smacking recipes that you and your baby will love to have.

BREAKFAST

Remember, breakfast should be full of proteins. Below given are some amazing breakfast ideas.

Cabbage paratha

You’ll need:

• Whole wheat – ¾ cup
• Ghee- 1 Tsp
• Salt – to taste
• Grated cabbage – 1 cup
• Coriander – 2 tbsp
• Green chilies

Method of preparation:

• In a bowl, combine all ingredients and knead into soft dough.
• Now, for stuffing- sprinkle some salt over the grated cabbage and keep it aside for 10-12 minutes.
• Now, squeeze the water from cabbage and add paneer, coriander, and green chilies, salt and mix it well.
• Further, divide the dough into 5 equal portions and roll out each portion with the help of wheat flour.
• Next, put a bit of stuffing on each rolled portions and close it.
• Meanwhile, heat a non-stick griddle and cook the parantha using oil. Cook the paranthas till it turns golden brown.
• Yum! Cabbage parantha is ready.

Spinach dosa

If you’re a south Indian food lover, then this innovative recipe is just for you.

You’ll need:

• Spinach puree: ½ cup
• Split black lentils: ¼ cup (urad dal)
• Fenugreek (methi) seeds: ½ tsp
• Whole wheat: 1 cup
• Salt: to taste
• Oil: for cooking

Method of preparation:

• In a large bowl, combine black lentils and fenugreek seeds along with water and soak for 2 hours.
• After draining the above, blend it in a mixer with the help of a ½ cup of water till smooth without lumps.
• In a deep bowl, transfer the black lentils-fenugreek seed mixture along with spinach puree, whole wheat flour, salt and approx 1 cup of water. Mix it well.
• Further, heat a non-stick griddle, sprinkle few drops of water in it and gently wipe it off.
• Pour a scoop full of batter on the hot griddle and spread it in a circular motion.
• Put few drops of oil on the edges of the dosa so that it doesn’t stick to the griddle.
• Cook it till the base turns golden brown and now flip it and cook it from another side too.
• Repeat the step and make some more dosa’s.
• You can serve the dosa with sambhar and coconut chutney.

Smoothie

1. pineapple basil smoothie:

As breakfast should be full of proteins these smoothies full of energy will keep you charge all day.

You’ll need:

• Coconut milk: 1 cup
• Banana
• Frozen pineapple chunks: 1 1/2 cups
• Basil leaves
• grated and peeled ginger: 1/8 teaspoon (optional)

Method of preparation:

Blend all the ingredients in a blender till smooth. Pineapple basil smoothie is ready.

2. Raspberry orange smoothie

You’ll need:

• coconut water: 1/2 cup
• orange juice: 1/2 cup
• Sliced strawberry: 1/2 cup
• Banana: 1
• Frozen raspberry: 1 cup

Method of preparation:

Blend all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth for about 30 seconds.

3. Mango Ginger smoothie:

You’ll need:

• frozen mango chunks: 1 cup
• Low fat plain Greek yogurt: 1/3 cup
• cold water: 1/2 cup
• Orange juice: 1/4 cup
• Crystalized ginger: 4 pieces (Crystalized ginger, is one which has been slowly cooked in sugar, water and rolled in coarse sugar to preserve it. It has a sweet spicy taste and is used in sweets and desserts.)

Method of preparation:

In a blender, mix all the ingredients and blend until smooth.

LUNCH

These are some amazing recipes that you could try for lunch.

Chickpeas and spinach pulao

You’ll need:

• chickpeas (soaked overnight and boiled) – 1/2 cup
• Spinach- 1 cup (chopped)
• Rice- 2 cups
• onions: 1/4 cup
• Tomato- one small (chopped)
• Green chilies – 1/4 cup
• Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tbsp
• Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala –  Half tsp
• Water – as required
• Salt – to taste
• oil- 1/2 Tsp

Method of preparation:

• In a pressure cooker, put oil and heat it. Now add cumin seeds and let them crackle.
• Add onions and saute till they turn golden brown.
• Further, add ginger garlic paste and saute. Add green cillies, chickpeas and saute for few minutes and now add tomatoes and cook them until it becomes mushy and the oil separates from it.
• Next, add garam masala and some water. Pressure cook it for two whistles or until the chickpeas are cooked.
• Add, in the rice, salt, and spinach leaves. Pour enough water to cover the mixture. keep the flame on low. Cook it till rice and chickpeas are well cooked.
• Serve it hot with raita.

Peanut veggies salad

You’ll need:

• Raw peanuts shelled and pressure cooked – 2 cups
• Chopped veggies :
• Carrot- 1/4 cup
• Broccoli- 1/4 cup
• French beans- 1/4 cup
• Green chilies
• Fresh coriander leaves
• Chaat masala- 1/4 cup
• Cumin powder- 1/2 tsp
• Pepper powder- 1/4 tsp
• Lemon Juice- 1 tbsp
• Salt – to taste

Method of preparation:

• Steam all the chopped vegetable and mix all ingredients in a deep bowl.
• Sprinkle, some pepper with lime juice.
• The salad is ready.

Stuffed paneer chapati

You’ll need:

• Whole wheat flour: 2 cup
• Water: as required for kneading the dough
• Ghee
• Salt
• Paneer: 90 grams
• green chili
• garam masala powder: 1 teaspoon
• Dry mango powder: 1/2 tsp

Method of preparation:

• Take 2 cups of whole wheat flour, ghee for kneading the dough. Then add water and start mixing the dough.
• Cover and allow the dough to rest for 20-30 minutes.
• Grate paneer for stuffing and add chopped green chilies. Then add, garam masala, dry mango powder, red chili powder, and salt to taste.
• Mix the stuffing well with the grated paneer.
• Make sections out of the dough and roll them with your palms
• Place the paneer stuffing on the rolled sections and spread it wide.
• Cover it with other rolled dough and press the edges well. Now, place another rolled dough and roll them again to a diameter of 6-7 inches on a rolling board.
• Heat a griddle and place the paranthas on it. Flip the parantha when it’s base turns golden brown. Cook it nicely from both sides.
• Paneer parantha is ready! Serve it hot with chutney.

SNACKS

Mixed beans salad

You’ll need:

• Large kidney beans: 1/2 cups
• Soybeans: 1/2 cup
• Black-eyed beans(lobia): 1/2 cup
• Garlic cloves: 2-3
• Onion-1 (finely chopped)
• Red bell pepper-1
• yellow bell pepper_ 1
• Green bell pepper_ 1
• Cherry tomatoes- 6-7
• Spring onions: 4-5
• Coriander
• For dressing: 
• Olive oil-1/4 cup
• White wine vinegar – 2Tspp
• Mayonnaise- 1 tbsp
• Black pepper powder

Method of preparation:

• First, cook the beans until soft. Before cooking, the beans should be washed first and soaked for at least 6 hours in enough water.
• After it’s been soaked, drain and pressure cook it by putting salt, garlic cloves, 1 cup water in it. (2-3 whistles)
• Then, turn off the gas stove and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain the excess liquid and allow it to cool completely.
• For dressing, add all ingredients in a bottle with a lid. Tightly, close the lid and shake the bottle to mix all the ingredients.
• For preparing vegetables, chop all the veggies and transfer it to a bowl. next, pour the salad dressing and stir it.
• Mixed beans salad is ready.

Green beans egg scramble

You’ll need:

• 3 whole eggs
• 300 grams Green beans (French Beans), chopped
• 1 teaspoon Cumin (Jeera) seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)
• 1 teaspoon Black pepper powder
• 1 Green Chilli, chopped
• Salt, to taste
• Cooking oil

Method of preparation:

• Heat a saucepan with oil and then add cumin seeds. Allow it to crackle.
• Add green beans and sprinkle salt and cook it till they turn soft.
• Now, break the eggs slowly and sprinkle some turmeric powder, green chili, and salt. Once, the beans are cooked mix the eggs in it.
• Keep on stirring till the eggs and beans are properly mixed.
• It is ready to eat. Serve the green beans egg scramble recipe with dal or oats.
• Apart from these two snacks, you could also have some green tea along with some seasonal fruits.

DINNER

Check out these amazing and healthy dinner ideas that will keep you full.

Beetroot and sesame roti

You’ll need:

• Beetroot (peeled, grated and boiled) – 1/4 cup
• Sesame seeds- 1 tbsp
• Whole wheat flour- 1/2 cup
• Oil- 2 Tsp
• Chili powder- 1/2 Tsp
• Coriander powder- 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
• Asafetida- a pinch
• Salt- to taste
• Whole wheat flour

Method of preparation:

• In a deep bowl, combine the ingredients (listed above) and knead to a soft dough.
• Divide the dough into 8 equal parts and roll out each part into a circle using rolling board using whole wheat flour
• Now, turn on the gas stove and heat a non-stick griddle and cook each roti till it turns golden brown from the base.
• Now, flip the roti and cook the other side too till it turns golden brown.

Moong dal and paneer tikki

You’ll need:

• Yellow moong dal- 1/2 cup (soaked and drained)
• Low fat crumbled paneer- 1/2 cup
• Ragi- 1/4 cup
• Grated onions- 2 tbsp
• Chilli powder- 1 tbsp
• Grama masala- 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
• Ginger garlic paste- 1/2 tsp
• Chaat masala- 2 tsp
• chopped coriander- 2 tbsp

Method of preparation:

• In a broad non-stick pan combine yellow moong dal, 2 cups of water and salt and cover and cook it on a low flame for 7-8 minutes. (stir occasionally)
• Now, remove from the stove and drain well with the help of a strainer.
• Allow it to cool completely
• Next, add all the ingredients and mix well
• Divide the mixture into 10 equal parts and shape each part into a 50 mm flat round tikki with your palm.
• Heat a non-stick griddle and put a bit of oil on it and cook tikkis on a low flame till they turn brown from each side.

Paneer and green chana salad

You’ll need:

• Low fat paneer -1/2 cup (cubes)
• soaked and boiled green chana- 3/4 cup
• Spring onions- (chopped)
• Chopped tomatoes- 1/4 cup
• Chopped green chilies- 1 Tsp
• Lemon dressing :
• Lemon juice- 2 tbsp
• Salt- to taste
• Black pepper- to taste
• Black salt- 1/2 Tsp
• Roasted and crushed cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp

Method of preparation:

• Combine all the ingredients in a deep bowl. Toss it gently.
• Further, add lemon dressing and again toss it.
• You can refrigerate for an hour and serve it chilled, garnished with coriander.

There’s an advice for all the mommies to be – These recipes have a lot of nutrients filled in it. You can easily try to cook these delicious recipes at home. But, before trying these recipes it is always advisable to ask your doctor/dietician.