I am a sort of, kind of, semi superstitious person. I will not panic over a broken mirror or a black cat. I do refuse to call my unborn daughter by the name we have chosen for her. Doug calls my belly by her name all the time and it freaks me out a little bit. This may seem strange since I have fully finished her nursery, stocked closet and all but to each her own right?

One superstition I have grown more attached to recently is that full moons can bring about labor. I have heard stories from friends, nurses, and my own doctors about babies being born on full moons. Some say it has to do with a change in air pressure, tide and gravitational pull. Some say it is more primal than that. Either way tonight is a full moon so we shall see if baby girl decides to make a slightly early arrival!

As my pregnancy draws to a close I have been trying to really focus on preparing myself for labor and delivery. I have been resting as much as I possibly can and eating for strength and energy. Recently I have become very dependent on healthy snacks. The bigger my baby gets, the less room I have to fit big meals. Eating for two? Forget about it! My stomach and the rest of my digestive system is so squished that eating a full meal is nearly impossible.

These protein bites or Pronut Holes (protein doughnut- get it?) as Doug named them are the perfect pregnancy nibble. I keep a batch of them in the fridge and grab one or two whenever I need a little pick me up or protein infusion. I definitely plan on having some on hand to eat during early labor, whenever that may be!

Pronut Holes

• 1 cup Sun Warrior Vanilla Protein Powder or other vegan protein powder
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/2 cup almond milk, coconut water or water
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp vanilla
• stevia to taste

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Add more liquid if needed to get a thick dough to form.
3. Roll into small balls.
4. Allow to set in fridge.

In most respects I am as much of a New Yorker as they come. I was born and raised on the island of Manhattan and do not plan to leave anytime soon. We might move someday if we decide to give baby girl a sibling and need more space but that would not be for several years. Even then, the farthest we would go is Brooklyn. As a NYC “lifer” I have been taking taxis practically since birth. I always know which route I want to take depending on the time of day and never, ever let the driver decide.  I still catch myself calling Manhattan “The City,” which I realize is a little closed-minded but old habits die hard!

Despite all of my native New Yorky-ness there is one quality I possess that in very un New York. I hate brunch! While most of my fellow New Yorkers look forward to long heavy meals on a saturday or sunday afternoon I have never been able to get into it. I don’t like eating allot during the day as I find it slows me down and makes me feel sluggish. I am not a fan of eggs, pancakes and other typical brunch fair. Nothing sounds worse to me than drinking Mimosas and Bloody Marys at noon and being hung over by 2pm!

My dislike of brunch aside, friends are family are always asking me for some healthy ideas to serve at their own brunches. While my first instinct would be to suggest a variety of green juice, I realize this is not what most people are looking for!

A healthy granola bar is a great idea for any breakfast or brunch gathering. Your guests can create their own bowls based on their personal tastes and desires. Similar to a Chia Pudding Bar it guarantees everyone gets what they want.

Granola Bar

• One or two types of natural, sugar free, gluten free granola. Besides my own homemade variety I like Hail Merry Grawnola and Purely Elizabeth 
• A few non-dairy milk options such as OMilk Almond and Cashew Milk 
• A variety of fresh fruits such as blueberries and raspberries
• A variety of dried fruit
• Some “fun” topping such as dried coconut or dark chocolate chips

1. Set out all of the supplies in various bowls and let your guests go to town! Much better than booze, pancakes and eggs if you ask me!

Have a great weekend! Mine includes my evening, cocktail party baby shower (as I said- not a brunch fan) and finishing up our nursery!

Despite my best efforts my fridge is not always perfectly stocked. Ideally, I try to always have a good supply of greens, raw veggies, fruit and staples such as lemon juice and almond butter on hand. In reality a busy week and no time to get to Whole Foods sometimes leaves my fridge lacking. This has been happening a bit more recently. As I get bigger and more tired a trip to the store sometimes feels like just too much to handle. Putting my feet up and reading is much more appealing! There are many days when I peek inside, ready for a snack, only to find random fruits and vegetables such as one avocado, a red pepper, some pomegranate seeds and a bit of lemon juice. Not quite the perfect lineup for my favorite Pomegranate Guacamole. Well, as they (who they are I don’t know) say necessity is the mother of invention. When an eight month pregnant lady wants a healthy snack, sometimes she just has to invent one!

This Spicy Sweet Express Guacamole is super fast to make and cannot be messed up. If you don’t have pomegranate seeds you could add some other diced fruit such as pineapple or just omit the fruit altogether. If you are not a spice junky like me feel free to leave out the hot sauce. It will still taste just as good! Hey, even just an avocado mashed up with lemon juice and sea salt is a delicious and incredibly good for you snack! Recently I have been enjoying this guacamole inside of red pepper halves but it also works great as a dip for carrots, celery, romaine leaves or any other other raw vegetable you may have on hand. After all this is snacking and should not be taken too seriously!

 

Spicy Sweet Express Guacamole

• 1 medium avocado
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (pineapple or other sweet fruit would also work well)
• 2 T fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp sirarcha or other favorite hot sauce ( some brands of sirarcha contain fish sauce, make sure to read the ingredient list before purchasing to get a vegan version)
• sea salt to taste
• liquid stevia to taste

1. In a small bowl mash together the avocado, lemon juice, sirarcha, sea salt and liquid stevia until smooth.
2. Gently fold in the pomegranate seeds.
3. Adjust seasoning to taste.
4. Serve inside red pepper halves or as a dip for raw vegetables.

Unlike my husband who cannot go to sleep without a cup, I have never been a big tea drinker. Save a few Alice in Wonderland themed birthday parties growing up my tea consumption has been limited. I find that by the time I drink all of the water and green juice I need to in a day there is little time left for other beverages such as tea.

Early into my pregnancy my friend and acupuncturist  asked me if I had started drinking “the tea” yet. I promptly asked “what tea”? She then gave me a recipe that contained a lot of loose herbs I didn’t know how to source. The recipe went into my purse and that was that. A few weeks later she asked me again about the tea and I confessed that I had not even looked at the recipe! After some urging and explanation on her part I agreed to make this special tea and drink it for the rest of my pregnancy and during the time that I am nursing.

This Pregnancy Nourishment Tea is actually quite easy to make. I ordered all of the bulk loose herbs from Mountain Rose Herbs for about $20. All you have to do is mix all the herbs in the right proportions in a big jar or other sealed container and then you can brew your tea as you want it. I like to make a jar full at a time as that makes enough to last two days or so. You could certainly brew your tea by the cupful as well if that is easier for you. Drinking this tea everyday during your pregnancy and post-partum will help with uterine toning (essential for labor), balance your nutrient levels, and aid in milk supply once it is time for that. Plus, as I am learning a cup of tea can be a great bedtime ritual. Especially for those of us that have a hard time shutting down at the end of the day!

Pregnancy Tea

• 2 parts Red Raspberry Leaf
• 2 parts Nettle
• 1 part Oatstraw
• 1/2 part Alfalfa
• 1/2 part Rose Hips
• 1/4 Red Clover
• 1/4 part Spearmint Leaf

1. Place 1/4 cup of mixture in a sealable 1 quart jar ( I use a Ball Jar).
2. Fill jar with boiling water.
3. Steep for 30 mins.
4. Store jar in fridge and drink 1-2 cups per day.

 

I love to have a bite (or several) of something sweet at the end of the night. I am not one for cakes, cookies, candy, and ice cream but somehow my evening does not seem complete without a little dark chocolate or one of my own healthy dessert creations. While I have had no major cravings during my pregnancy, my desire for sweet treats has certainly not gone away.

While pregnant I have been focusing extra hard on eating as much nutrient dense, plant based food as possible. Growing a person is hard work and she and I both need the best nutrition we can get. The general full feeling I walk around with everyday thanks to my little passenger sometimes makes it hard to eat food in any significant volume, so I try and make every single bite count- even dessert. Recently I have switched out my dark chocolate and other healthy yet not nutritionally necessary desserts for sweet bites that serve a purpose! Since healthy fats and protein are even more important than usual during pregnancy, I have been trying to load up on them whenever I can in the form of nuts, nut butters, avocados etc. These Cookie Dough Bites are a recent creation that fit the bill of a sweet treat combined with a nutrient dense bite. I can reach for a few after dinner knowing they are not only satisfying my sweet tooth but are helping my baby as well!! I like to make a double batch and keep them on hand in the freezer so they are always at the ready. Yum!

Cookies Dough Bites

Pomegranates are a sexy fruit. The juicy red arils (seeds), the way they exploded in your mouth, the sweet tart taste. Mmmm. No other fruit seems more suited to Valentine’s Day than pomegranates. However sexy, they can also be a messy pain to open if not done properly! No one likes red stained hands, cutting boards and countertops!

No need to avoid this antioxidant packed beauty food for fear of ruining your manicure! Check out this video to learn how to quickly and cleanly de-seed a pomegranate to seduce your loved one in Valentine’s Day perfect recipes such as Pomegranate Guacamole, Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Clusters, Cauliflower and Pomegranate Tabbouleh, and this Valentine’s Salad!

I love Thai food. In college there was a Thai restaurant near my school that my friends and I would frequent for birthdays, girl’s nights and various other special occasions. If you ever lived in Boston I am sure you know about Brown Sugar! Being a very busy college student going out to restaurants was not something that happened that frequently, but when it did we almost always went out for Thai. Sadly I have yet to find a Thai restaurant in NYC that satisfies my cravings. There are the not so scenic take out and delivery spots, and some very high end ones but I have yet to find a Thai restaurant I would actually want to sit down and eat in!

Even if I did have a local Thai spot I don’t think I could see myself ordering greasy Pad Thai anymore. All those heavy noodles… no thank you! To satisfy my craving for my old college favorite I created a lighter, healthier version of classic Pad Thai. This dish uses zucchini noodles in place of the typical greasy ones which make it oh so much better on the digestion!

Zucchini Noodle Pad Thai

• 2 medium zucchini
• 1/2 red pepper sliced thin
• 1/2 cup bean sprouts
• 1/2 cup tahini
• 1 cup water
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 T nama shoyu or tamari
• juice of 2 limes
• 10 drops stevia

1. Using a julienne, vegetable peeler or spiralizer peel the zucchini into “noodles” and set aside.
2. Blend tahini, water, garlic, nama shoyu, lime juice and stevia until smooth.
3. Toss zucchini noodles, pepper, and sprouts with sauce until evenly coated.

It’s no secret that I love OMilk. I use their Almond Milk every day in my smoothies, sauces and sometimes to make a cup of hot chocolate! While the classic Almond Milk is amazingly useful, I also love their special seasonal flavors. Available only by home delivery, a bottle of specialty flavored OMilk in my fridge is a real treat. Yesterday, I was thrilled to find out they are bringing back their Chai Cashew Milk! I personally love chai spices, and paired with cashew milk it is a delicious, creamy treat (even better when served hot!).

Last year, when I first discovered the OMilk Chai Cashew Milk, I created this Chai Chia Pudding to serve at a party we hosted together. This could not be an easier to make, truly delicious, good for you dessert! Don’t have a party coming up? Feel free to make a bowl and enjoy it yourself as this pudding keeps well in the fridge for about three days!

OMilk Chai Chia Pudding

• 1 cup OMilk Chai Cashew Milk
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• cinnamon
• dried coconut

1. In a medium bowl pour the cashew milk over the chia seeds and stir.
2. Allow chia pudding to sit in refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour stirring occasionally until it thickens and the chia seeds absorb all of the liquid.
3. Serve the pudding in individual bowls or ramekins topped with a sprinkling of coconut and cinnamon!

Somehow the lovely, almost spring like weather we were experiencing this weekend morphed into frigid cold overnight. Thank goodness I finally bit the bullet and bought a super warm maternity parka over the weekend. Zipping my current coat over anything more than a tank top has started to become difficult! Everyone keeps promising me I will turn into a furnace and be nice and toasty while pregnant but so far I am just as cold as always! With a trip to Colorado coming up in February and several months of NYC winter ahead I could no longer scrape by without buying something specifically made for my growing belly. The funny thing I discovered in my search for maternity outerwear is that there are not a lot of super warm options. Tons of capes, pea coats and trenches but surprisingly few garments designed to actually endure winter! Guess every other pregnant lady on the planet besides me becomes naturally warm and toasty?

Apart from cozy, warm coats there are a few other things that help get me through the most bitter of winter cold. I drinks lots of tea, take hot showers right after working out to eliminate sweat induced chills, and eat more cooked comforting foods and less salads and raw foods.

A favorite warming dish I have been making recently are these Sweet Potato Noodles with Creamy Butternut Sage Sauce. They have all the coziness of a bowl of pasta minus the gluten, grains and not-so cozy bloating feeling that comes with! Sweet potato noodles are a great alternative to pasta; they are hearty and filling without being starchy. Both the noodles and the sauce for this dish can be made in advance and stored in the fridge separately until you are ready to eat!

Sweet Potato Noodles with Creamy Butternut Sage Sauce

Comfort food. Everyone has their own version. Some people love a big, hot bowl of pasta. Some crave soup. Some can only feel comforted by the cinnamon toast their mom made them as a child. For me, comfort food is anything warm with an Asian flavor profile. Growing up in Manhattan on Chinese food I have fond memories of my family gathered around white takeout containers of sesame noodles, moo shoo something or other, and various other greasy, heavy foods. Despite being an incredibly clean eater now, sometimes I still crave the comfort food of my youth.

Recently I have been too tired (pregnant) at the end of the day to make elaborate multi course meals. This Cauliflower Fried Rice is the perfect quick, satisfying dinner for me. I make the cauliflower rice in large batches and chop the vegetable in advance to save me time at night when I am worn out. When it’s time for dinner all I have to do is toss it all together and let it steam! My own, much healthier version of Chinese takeout in less than 15 minutes!

Cauliflower “Fried Rice”

• 1 head of cauliflower
• ½ cup broccoli florets
• ½ cup diced celery
• 1/2 cup diced carrots
• ½ cup diced pineapple
• 2 scallions thinly sliced
• 1/4 c nama shoyu
• 2 T sesame oil

1. Chop cauliflower into small florets and process in food processor until “rice like” consistency is achieved. This should only take a few seconds.
2. Combine cauliflower “rice” with remaining ingredients and allow to sit for 15-30 minutes for flavor to develop.
3. Place rice mixture in a steamer basket over boiling water and lightly steam until the rice is warm.