Tag: healthy pregnancy

Comfort Food: Ratatouille

To me, comfort food is something that can be eaten at any time during the year. Regardless of when you eat it, you’re transported, temporarily, to a place or time that brings back good memories and, for a few moments, makes the stresses of everyday life disappear. Comfort food is something I tend to cook slowly to allow all the flavors I love to blend together perfectly. While not typical, I think ratatouille can be comfort food because of the intense flavors and fragrances that come from this dish.

Why You Should Eat Ratatouille

Ratatouille is a French stew from the Provencal region. It uses vegetables that are slowly cooked and blended together to create an incredible, hearty stew. The vegetables provide vitamins, minerals, fiber, and essential amino acids. The olive oil they’re cooked in is a healthy fat.

6 Dishes in 1!

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Photo by Jarosław Ceborski 

Once prepared, ratatouille can be used in many ways. The longer it sits in the refrigerator, the more intense the flavors become. I love this dish for its possibilities alone!

  1. Eat it as a wonderful stew that goes incredibly well with toasted bread.
  2. Serve it as a sauce over whole wheat pasta or creamy polenta.
  3. Add it as a side dish for grilled chicken or pork.
  4. Place it in a shallow dish and add poached eggs to make a tasty version of “Eggs in Purgatory” or a shakshuka.
  5. Use it as a great filling for omelets.
  6. Eat it cold with crackers for an easy mid-afternoon snack.

This dish does take time to prep all the ingredients and cook, but the results are worth the effort.This dish is perfect to make on a weekend and will provide several servings throughout the work week. And hint: friends and family, ratatouille makes a great dish to bring to a pregnant woman! 

Ratatouille

  • 1 large eggplant, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
  • Salt to taste
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
  • 2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 4 large cloves garlic, chopped
  • 5 large tomatoes, cut into 1/3-inch cubes, with their juices (or use 1 large [28 ounce] can peeled tomatoes with its juice or 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme, plus more for serving
  • 3/4 teaspoon sugar (optional)
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  1. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat.
  2. Add the eggplant and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft and starting to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside.
  3. Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring frequently, until tender-crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with some salt and transfer to a 2nd plate lined with paper towels (not the one with the eggplant- both get added separately). Keep it set aside.
  4. Add two more tablespoons of oil to the pan and add the onion. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking for about 3 minutes more.
  5. Add the tomatoes (and their juices), tomato paste, thyme, sugar, and another sprinkle of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are broken down into a sauce, 8 to 10 minutes.
  6. Add the cooked eggplant to the pan; bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until the eggplant is soft.
  7. Add the zucchini and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, or until just warmed through.
  8. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
  9. Sprinkle with fresh basil and thyme, drizzle with a little olive oil if desired
  10. Serve warm or chilled. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5-7 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

 

Feature photo (top of page) is by Brooke Lark.

 

Paul Quinn, PhD, CNM -Prenatal Possibilities1 Comment

Modern Rice Pudding

When I was a kid, there was a fantastic deli that had some of the best food. Everything was fresh, and every item in the display case looked like it had been made minutes before I walked in the door. One of the best things this deli had was homemade rice pudding.  It was a creamy, rich, decadent treat filled with soft rice in a velvety custard base with a hint of cinnamon and a puff of meringue strategically placed throughout the tray of pudding that added a lightness, or fluffiness to the dish. Its smoothness, and coolness, made it a dessert or treat for any season.

Fast forward to adulthood and I realize that rice pudding is not the best treat for pregnant women. Its loaded with fat which, while tasty, often takes a while to digest thanks to slowed motility in pregnant women and, sadly, can contribute to wicked heartburn for a pregnant woman. Often the pudding has cinnamon incorporated throughout the mix and that, in turn, adds to the likelihood of heartburn happening. To me, rice pudding is too important of an American classic or staple to not be enjoyed by everyone. I wanted to find a way for pregnant women to enjoy the taste of rice pudding but avoid the nasty side effects or discomforts that can come from the traditional recipe. I think I’ve come up with a way to modernize rice pudding that everyone can enjoy!

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My recipe starts with Arborio rice. Many of you know Arborio rice because it’s the key ingredient in risotto. Arborio rice is a sturdy grain of rice that breaks down slowly in cream and becomes tender. My recipe cuts down the time it takes to make the pudding and involves less steps than traditional rice pudding. Plus, this version stays creamy in the refrigerator for several days and can be enjoyed by anyone. This pudding can be customized too–you can swap Arborio rice with Brown or Jasmine rice, or add in raisins, walnuts, mini chocolate chips, or berries or lemon zest to change the flavor profile of this versatile dish. I think this dish will satisfy any pregnant woman’s craving for something sweet but not heavy, but also tastes good for any friends or family who are rice pudding fans!

Modern Rice Pudding

  • 2/3 cup Arborio rice (or Brown rice or Jasmine rice– any short grain rice works great)
  • 2 cups milk (whole, 2% or skim works best, or try Half & Half if you desire a more rich, creamy texture)
  • 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
  • 1/2 cup sugar (turbinado, white, or a suitable substitute like Splenda, work well)
  1. In a medium, heavy saucepan combine rice and milk
  2. Scrape seeds from the vanilla bean and add to the rice & milk mixture. Add in the bean shell
  3. Bring the rice and milk to a boil
  4. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender
  5. Mix in sugar and remove vanilla bean shell
  6. Continue cooking until mixture thickens, about 5-10 minutes
  7. Serve warm or allow to cool then refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours (or overnight)
  8. Consider mix-ins: raisins, chopped nuts, rum extract (1-2 teaspoons), dried fruit, pineapple chunks, flaked coconut, chia seeds, or mini chocolate chips
  9. Garnish with a dash of cinnamon of a dusting of unsweetened cocoa powder

Paul Quinn, PhD, CNM -Prenatal Possibilities1 Comment

Protein Packed Soup

The classic “16 Bean” soup is one of the most versatile soups today. It’s packed with a variety of legumes that are loaded with protein, fiber, and it can be made vegetarian or with meat. This soup also allows you to shop for your own legumes, or buy a pre-packaged dried mixture from a brand like Goya. I’ll give the recipe in all its variations.

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Photo by Caroline Attwood

If you have access to a store that sells a variety of dried beans, you can’t go wrong making this soup. Personally, I like to go through the barrels of beans and other dried legumes and choose my own, based on their color and on my own personal taste. To make this soup, I suggest people buy about 2 ounces (or ¼ cup) each of any dried legume. The best part of this soup: no matter how many beans you choose, they will all soften and cook down the same when the soup is made. Even better, any combination of beans will add their own unique flavor to make this soup your new favorite.

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Photo by paul morris

Don’t be turned off by the variety of beans; you don’t need 16 different types right out of the gate. Start with some that you know, then introduce new types in future soups. The bottom line: you can’t go wrong with this soup in terms of taste and nutrition. Plus, it stores beautifully and reheats well for lunch, a dinner, or a late day snack.

Choose your beans, and share your favorites here!

16 Bean Soup

  • 1 package of 16 Bean Soup Mix (like Goya) OR, 2 ounce each (1/4 cup each) of any of the following dried beans (you want a total of about 16oz of beans):

Peas

  • Whole green peas
  • Green split peas  
  • Yellow split peas
  • Blackeye Peas

   Beans

  • Red Beans
  • Pink Beans
  • Small White Beans
  • Black Beans
  • Red Kidney Beans
  • Great Northern Beans
  • Baby Lima Beans
  • Large Lima Beans

    Other

  • Red Lentils
  • Yellow Lentils
  • Chickpeas (Garbanzo) Beans
  • Pearl Barley
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ cup carrots, diced
  • ½ cup celery, diced
  • 1 cup onion, diced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 4-5 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth if using meat)
  • 2 bouillon cubes (vegetable for vegetarian, chicken if using meat)
  • 1 large or 2 small pork/ham hocks (if using meat)
  • 2 bay leaves
  1. Prepare the beans: There are 2 ways to prepare the beans:
  2. Overnight: Put all the beans in a bowl and cover with enough water to cover completely (about 3-4 cups). Cover with plastic wrap and let them sit overnight, at least 8 hours
  3. 1 hour method: Cover with 4 cups of warm water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer for 2 minutes then cover, remove from heat, and allow to sit for an hour.
  4. Drain beans and rinse thoroughly. Allow to drain
  5. Add carrots, celery, and onion to pot and add salt and pepper. Saute in olive oil over medium heat in a large pot until soft and onions are translucent, about 8 minutes
  6. Add garlic and sautee 1-2 minutes
  7. Add the drained beans and stir to combine
  8. Add in the broth (and pork if using), broth of choice, and bouillon cubes. Stir to combine
  9. Bring to boil
  10. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour- 90 minutes or until all beans are tender.
  11. Serve with toasted bread and garnish with fresh parsley or a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

 

    

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