What to have and what not during the course of pregnancy

Pregnancy brings about changes in your physical appearance, emotional state and food habits. You may grow an aversion to certain food, especially in the first trimester. In the later part, you may also grow a craving for food. However, it is very important to note that although you may have grown an aversion to certain or many types of food, you need more nutritious food than before since the foetus developing in your womb needs nutrition. Although the doctor will prescribe folic acid and vitamin capsules to supply the extra nutrition, this may not be enough since your normal food intake shall likely come down drastically, at least in the first trimester. This calls for some healthy recipes for pregnant women that taste good to you and that you can have in ample amount. This will compensate for lack nutrition resulting from the lack of regular diet.

Vegetarian or non-vegetarian food
It all depends on the individual taste. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food can be nutritious. However, some women grow an aversion to non-vegetarian food such as egg, fish, chicken and mutton. If you are among them then you can have nutritious veg food. Beans, sprouts, corn, spinach, a variety of vegetable salads, etc. are some of the very nutritious vegetarian food.

Vegetable soup
A vegetable soup made from beans, carrot, beetroot, spinach, and tomato, and spiced up with some onion, coriander, cumin and chilly is one of the most nutritious and tasty pregnancy diet recipes.

Ingredients
1 cup of kidney beans, 1 carrot (grated), 1 beetroot (diced), 250gram spinach (chopped), 2 onions (chopped), 2 tomatoes (mashed), cooking oil, two green chilli, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 6 cups of water, freshly crushed black pepper and salt to taste.

How to prepare

Heat up 2 tbsps oil in a large pan, and add the chopped onion, carrot, beetroot, and garlic to it. Sauté the mixture until the onions turn translucent. Remember, onions will not become brown or golden brown. Now add the beans and the chopped spinach into the mixture and stir for a maximum of two minutes. Now add green chili, coriander powder and cumin powder and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until the aroma of raw spice has become subdued. Now stir in tomatoes purée and salt into the mixture and after stirring for another 1 or 2 minutes add the water. Bring the mixture to boil and then let it simmer over medium heat until you can feel that the vegetables have become tender, and the stock has become a little thicker than water. Take it down from flame, add the crushed black pepper and salt, and have it lukewarm. You will love it.

Aloo matar Poha

It is an excellent source of iron, and you need to put the poha in a sieve and keep it under running water for 10 to 15 minutes. Then drain out all the excess water and put in a non-stick pan. Then go on to put the essential masalas in it. Add the onions till it turns brown. You can put potatoes in heat it in medium flame till it is cooked. Then you just need to add a little bit of sugar or salt with it and serve it hot.

Author : Darren Duff

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