Starting Each Day Eating Well

In your first trimester, it's difficult to avoid nausea. You may begin to crave acidic foods. Citrus fruit, can help quell the nausea. In the first trimester, many women experience nausea and crave salty foods. This often settles down in the second and third trimesters. What works for nausea for one woman doesn't mean it will work for all women. The most important thing is to keep fluids up and maintain a good urine output. During the day you may experience dips in energy. A small bag of nuts can help you regain energy. Herbal teas (green tea, citrus, ginger) are good for soothing digestion upsets, that will pass when second trimester starts.

First trimester

Anti-Nausea Breakfast

Mini Citrus Salad

Makes 2 bowls

Preparation Time 10 Minutes

• 1 organic pink grapefruit
• 1 organic blood orange
• 1/2 pomegranate, seeds extracted
• 2 cumquats, well washed, sliced into thin rounds
• 4 tablespoons agave syrup
• zest of 1/2 organic lime

Remove the rind and membrane from the grapefruit and blood orange with a knife and discard. Slice the flesh very thinly. Divide the grapefruit, orange, pomegranate seeds, cumquats and lime zest between two plates. Sprinkle with agave syrup. Chill in the refrigerator or enjoy straight away.

Crunchy Granola

Makes 1 Large Jar

Preparation Time 15 Minutes

Cooking Time 40 Minutes

• 50g (1 3/4oz) hazelnuts + 50g (1 3/4oz) almonds +50g (1 3/4oz) pecans + 50g (1 3/4oz) walnuts
• 200g (7oz) rolled oats
• 4 tablespoons seeds (linseed [flaxseed], sesame, sunflower)
• 2 tablespoons desiccated (shredded) coconut
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 3-4 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons raw (demerara) or light brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 150 C (300 F). Roughly chop the nuts with a knife or in a food processor (1-2 pulses).

Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl; season with salt. Place the coconut oil, honey and sugar in a saucepan. Heat gently for a few minutes, stirring.

Line a baking tray with baking paper and spread over he mixture of dried ingredients. Pour the liquid mixture over the top and mix well to coat the grains and nuts. Cook in the oven for about 40 minutes; stir half way through the cooking time. The granola should gently brown but not burn. Let the mixture cool at room temperature. Roughly break up the pieces then store them in a jar.

Ginger Yoghurt

Makes 6-8 Small Tubs

Preparation Time 10 Minutes

Cooking Time 12 Hours

Resting Time 4 Hours

• 1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups) pasteurised milk
• 125g (4 1/2oz/1 small tub) plain yoghurt
• Seeds from 1/2 cardamom pod, husk removed
• 1/2cm (1/4 inch) fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 teaspoons honey or agave syrup, or 3 dates (optional)

Whisk the milk with the plain yoghurt in a mixing bowl until well combined. Crush the cardamom seeds to a fine powder. Mix the ginger and cardamom into the milk-yoghurt mixture. If you want to, you can sweeten the mixture with honey, agave syrup or pureed dates. Pour the mixture into glass yoghurt pots and place them in a yoghurt-maker for 12 hours. Chill for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator before serving.

TIP: The granola keeps for 2-3 weeks at room temperature in an airtight container away from light. The home-made yoghurts will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator.

Energy Breakfast

French Toast

Makes 2 Generous Slices

Preparation Time 10 Minutes

Cooking Time 5 Minutes

• 1-large free-range egg
• 1-25ml (4fl oz/1/2 cup) pasteurised milk
• 1-vanilla bean, seeds scraped (or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder, or liquid vanilla extract)
• 2-slices stale bread or brioche
• 1-knob of butter, for frying
• 1-tablespoon muscovado sugar (or light brown, or raw [demerara] sugar)
• 1-sliced banana (or 1 handful berries, or another fruit of your choice, well washed)
• 1-tablespoon icing (confectioners) sugar
• 4 tablespoons maple syrup

Whisk the egg with the milk and vanilla in a large, shallow dish. Place the bread in the mixture and turn over to coat both sides well.

Melt a knob of butter in a frying pan and lay the soaked bread in the pan, without the pieces touching each other. Brown each side for a few minutes. Sprinkle with muscovado sugar; the bread will lightly caramelise.

Place the French toast on a plate, scatter with slices of banana, then dust with icing sugar. Lightly drizzle with maple syrup and serve while still hot.

Blueberry Smoothie

Makes 2 Large Glasses

Preparation Time 10 Times

• Juice of 2 organic oranges
• Juice of 1 organic lemon
• 80 g (2 1/4oz) fresh (or frozen) blueberries
• 1 handful kale, shredded, or curly cabbage
• 2 tablespoons honey or agave syrup (optional)

Liquidise all of the ingredients in a blender. Add a little water to thin out the smoothie, if necessary.

Pro-digestion Breakfast

(1 pancake per pregnant woman)

Serve the pancakes with the well-chilled smoothie

Pancakes

With Chestnut Flour

Makes 15-20 Pancakes

Preparation Time 10 Minutes

Resting Time 30 Minutes

Cooking Time 10 Minutes

• 1- 10g (3 3/4 oz) chestnut flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 250ml (9fl oz/1 cup) pasteurised milk
• 1 free-range egg, separated
• 40g (1 1/2oz) butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon liquid vanilla extract
• 1 knob of butter or coconut oil, for frying
• a little agave syrup (or maple syrup)
• a few berries, fresh or frozen
• 1 small handful crushed hazelnuts

Mix together the chestnut flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk the milk and egg yolk in a small bowl, then mix in the milk and melted butter. In another bowl, beat the egg white with a little salt to form firm peaks. Stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture and, using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the egg white. Let the batter rest for 30 minutes.

Melt a knob of butter or some coconut oil in a frying pan. Pour in a small ladle full of batter. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until small bubbles form, then turn the pancake over. Repeat until you have used all the batter. Drizzle the warm pancakes with maple or agave syrup and add a few berries and some chopped hazelnuts.

TIP: If you're short on time, you can add the egg whole without beating the egg white.

Peach Smoothie

With Mint + Spinach

Makes 2 Large Glasses

Preparation Time 5 Minutes

• 2 peaches, in large pieces
• 1 sprig mint or a handful of leaves
• 1 handful baby spinach leaves, well washed
• 1 tablespoon agave syrup or flower honey

Liquidise all of the ingredients in a blender. Add a little water to thin out the smoothie.

SUGGESTION: choose organic herbs, and fruits to keep the vitamin-packed skin.

Motherhood Tips