Its a great miracle to have a baby growing inside of you.  Women need to be taken care of during this time.  Proper nutrition and rest is required for the baby's development.  Pregnancy and lactation are special for every women.  Its a celebration of womanhood.  So here are some recipes which is beneficiary for both the pregnant and the lactating mother. 

We have tried to give you a vegetarian version of all the recipes from around the world.  Now is the time you should not hesitate to ask for help and this is our way of helping you all out there.  Do let us know if you want anymore recipes the healthier way and we will try to get them for you.

Now is not the time to diet.  Eat well.  During lactation you will feel hungry more often and the more you feed the baby, the easier it is for you to lose weight.  Don't worry if you do gain weight during the 1st few months after delivery.  It will all melt away once the baby starts to move. 

Some of the herbs and vegetables like Garlic, Opo(Dhoodhi), cumin, par boiled rice porridge, oats are all know to help with lactation.  Start having diet rich with all these ingredients from the 3rd trimester to help with lactation.  Immediately after delivery, avoid potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, urud dal etc. for a few days.  Let the baby get used to your diet slowly.  Whatever you eat the baby eats too so think before you eat.  Within 3 months or so you can start all your regular diet.  In south India, we follow a special diet called 'Pathiya Chappadu'.  Each and every house hold have their own version.  But most of the foods would be common.  Like 'Marundhu rasam', made with all the medicinal herbs with the combination of garlic, ghee fried berry condiments, neem flowers etc which are all known to heal the mother's body from inside out and also to help with the baby's digestion.

We at Kamakshi's kitchen are happy to inform you that we sell the special diet powders and condiments and take orders for making post-partum diets (pathiya sapadu) too.  So email us with details and we will be happy to help you.

info@kamakshiskitchen.com   or   kamakshiskitchen@gmail.com

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Nutritious Kichdi: (One pot dish)
1 Cup old basmati rice
1/2 cup split yellow moong dal
2 tblsp oil or Clarified butter
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp Asafoetida
1 finely chopped Thai chili
2 cloves
2 bay leaves
1 large onion finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic crushed
1 tsp grated ginger
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 cup diced carrots
1/4 cup Peas 
1/4 cup cauliflower florets
1 large tomato finely chopped
1/2 tsp garam masala

1/4 tsp crushed black pepper
1/2 cup chopped Cilantro
5 Curry leaves
salt to taste
5 cups of water

I am letting you know the easier way.  Since during pregnancy, one won't have so much of patience to do an elaborate version.  This can be made faster in a pressure cooker.  If this too seems to be a long procedure, just add all the ingredients together and cook it!  All the steps below are just to enhance the flavor. 

1. Wash the rice and dal and put them in the vessel you want to put in the pressure cooker or directly.  Whichever way you prefer.
2. Take a saute pan.  Add oil, once warm add all the whole spices and saute them for a few min. in a med. flame.
3. Then add tumeric, garlic, ginger and onions.  Saute them for a few min. then add the rest of the vegetables and saute them with a little bit of salt.
4. Transfer the mixture to the rice and dal and pour water and add salt after tasting the water.
5. Pressure cook it or leave it on the stove in low heat until its all mushy and well done.
6. You can have it as it is, with your choice of Indian pickles or with just plain yogurt.

Cumin Pepper  tamarind soup or Rasam:

Ingredients

Thuvar dal (red gram dhal)-2 tsp(cooked in 1 cup water)
Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp
Black Pepper- 1/2 tsp
B.pepper powder- a pinch
Red chilli- 2
Tamarind paste 1/2 t.spoon
Turmeric-1/4 tsp
Curry leaves-5
Water -3 cups
Ghee 1/2 tsp
Jaggery or brown sugar-1/4 tsp.
Asafoetida powder-1/4 tsp
Tomatoes-2 med.(cut into small pieces)
Mustard seeds-1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
 
Method:
1. Soak thuvar dal in hot water for 10min. 
2. Add a pinch of turmeric and cumin seeds and pressure cook until soft  Use a whisk to make into a smooth consistency and keep it aside.
3. Dry roast cumin seeds, b.pepper and grind it by adding a little bit of water along with R.chilies and 2 curry leaves and keep it aside.
4. Take a sauce pan, add water and mix the tamarind paste, turmeric, salt, jaggery or brown sugar and asafoetida and bring it to a boil.  Then add the cut tomatoes.
5. Let this boil for  few minutes, and then after about 5 min.add the ground mixture and let it simmer for another 5 min.
6. Lower the heat and add the dal mixture.
7. For garnishing:  Take a butter pan, add ghee, once warm add mustard seeds.  Once it starts to splutter add cumin seeds and sprinkle some crushed pepper powder and add curry leaves. 

Dhoodhi subji w Punjabi wadi (V)

2 Punjabi Wadis- Broken into small pieces
3 cups- Dhoodhi or Opo squash*- Peeled and chopped into medium sized cubes
1 big Onion- diced small
3 big Tomatoes-Washed and ground
1/2 tsp- Ginger paste
2 tsp- Garlic finely chopped or paste
1 cup- Chopped cilantro
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Garam masala
2 Green chilis-Finely chopped
A pinch of sugar
2 Tblsp- Olive oil
1 tsp- Cumin
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp-Turmeric

1. Heat a med. sized saute pan.  Add oil, once warm add Cumin seeds, bay leaf and the broken wadis.
2.  Fry it until it starts to brown.  Then add the Turmeric, chopped green chillis then the chopped onions.
3. Add the ginger garlic paste and a pinch of salt and saute well.  Then add the chopped Dhoodhi.
4. Add the garam masala and saute well until the dhoodhi becomes soft. Add the chopped cilantro and saute well.
5. Now add the ground tomatoes, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 min or until its cooked well.
6.  Add a pinch of sugar, mix well and check for seasoning.
7.  This dish can be had with plain rice, pulav or with rotis.

Note: Wadi*- dried spicy lentil balls with a lot of spices.  You might need to use mortar pestle to break them or a hammer will the job too!
Dhoodhi or Sorakkai or Lauki or bottle gaurd or Opo squash are the various names given to this vegetable depending on where you reside.  Dhoodhi is very good for lactation.

Urud dal Laddus:

These laddus are usually taken during the 8th month of pregnancy and its known to help with the strengthening of the spinal cord.

2 cups Urad dal (Roasted until golden in color)
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Clarified Butter
A pinch of Saffron
A pinch of Cardamom powder

1.In a heavy bottomed pan roast the urad dal on medium low heat by stirring continuously. The dal will start to change in color.
2. Once it turns into golden color, remove it from heat and let it cool for a while. Grind the roasted urad dal along with sugar into a coarse powder to a sand like consistency.
3. Add the Cardamom powder and the pinch of Saffron. Transfer the mixture into a pan and add melted clarified butter. On low heat blend together melted butter and the urad dal mixture.. Remove from heat and make small balls. 

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Foods to Avoid:

• Unpasteurized milks
• Soft, ripened cheeses (varieties such as Brie, Camembert, and similar blue veined varieties)
• Ice-cream from soft whip machines (wrapped or block ice-cream is fine)
• Patés - all types
• Raw and undercooked eggs (thoroughly cook eggs until both the white and yolk are solid)
• Liver and liver products
• Mayonnaise (homemade)
• Shark, marlin and swordfish should be avoided and tuna restricted to two medium cans or one fresh steak per week. This follows concerns about mercury in these fish and also applies to women who are breast feeding or intending to become pregnant.

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General Food tips for all, health for all

#1 Leafy greens
Medical experts call them one of nature's miracle foods. Leafy greens like Swiss chard and kale are high in nutrients like folate and vitamins A and C that can lower your risk of cancer. Just one cup of dark, leafy greens a day could also prevent diabetes and high blood pressure.
 
#2 Nuts
Many nutritionists recommend nuts like almonds, cashews and walnuts because they're high in natural fiber. Fiber slows your digestive process, keeping hunger and unhealthy mid-afternoon snacks at bay. Goodbye vending machine runs!
 
#3 Onions
Studies show that consuming onions on a regular basis may reduce symptoms of asthma and the risk of developing stomach cancer. Add them to soups and stir-fry, and just remember -- the stronger the onion, the greater the health benefit.
 
#4 Whole grains
Refined grains, like white rice and pasta, have lost 90% of their nutritional value through the refining process. As if that weren't reason enough to choose whole grains like brown rice, quinoa and whole oats, a recent study showed that a diet rich in whole grains actually flattens your belly by reducing fat storage in your lower abdominal region.
 
#5 Yogurt
Making yogurt part of your daily eating routine can improve your digestion -- if you're buying the right stuff. Check that the label lists "active cultures" to make sure you're getting healthy probiotics, and pick a yogurt rich in vitamin D to prevent osteoporosis.  

This rasam is especially good during the 1st trimester as many women experience nausea and vomiting.  Tart soup like this and once with tamarind suffices the craving for something sour and lemon helps with the nausea.

Lemon Rasam or Soup
Thuvar Dhal (red gram dhal)
 - 5 tblsp. pressure cooked till soft and whipped
Dry roast and Crush coarsely: items 1-3

1. Cumin seeds - 2 tsp (1&1/2 to powder and the other 1/2 for garnishing)
2. Black pepper- 3/4 tsp
3. Curry leaves - 1 1/2 tbl sp.(reserve 1 or to garnish)
4. 1 slit Thai chili
5. Chopped Cilantro 
6. Lemon - 1 big or 2 small
7. Turmeric- a pinch
8. Water - 2 1/2 cups
9. Powdered asafoetida - a pinch
10. Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp
11. Olive oil- 1tsp
salt, sugar - to taste

Mash the cooked dhal to a smooth consistency. Slit green chillies lengthwise. Add all the ingredients( except lemon) together and allow it to boil for a few minutes. Switch off the stove and squeeze the lemon. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Heat a tsp of oil in a small pan and add little mustard, once it splutters add cumin seeds, asafoetida and the curry leaves and pour on top of rasam.  Close with a lid and keep aside for few minutes.

Kosumbari (Tempered Salad) (V)

1 cup- Moong dal which had been soaked for 1hr
2- Green chilies
1/2 cup- Finely chopped Cilantro
1-Finely diced English cucumber, (Washed well and cut w/ skin)
1 cup- Finely chopped carrots
1 Tblsp-Lemon juice
Mustard seeds - 2 tsps.
A pinch-Asafoetida (hing)
2- Curry leaves
Salt to taste, less is better.
1 tsp- Olive Oil for tempering

1.  Soak moong dal for one hour.  Drain the water from the moong dal and keep it aside.
2.  Peel carrots and chop them.  Cucumbers can be diced small with the skin on. Mix the chopped veggies in the salad bowl along with desired amount of salt and let it rest. Chop the green chilies and keep it aside.
3.  Meanwhile, heat a small pan with oil, once warm add the mustard seeds, once it starts to splutter add the chopped green chilies and curry leaves and a pinch of hing.
4.  Add the mixture to the salad mix, then add the lemon juice, stir well and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Note:  You can make this salad using srpouted Moong dal too.  Make the sporuts at home or if you want to buy from a grocery store, make sure the spouts are really fresh.  DO NOT BUY if the bag looks like a balloon.  It shows that its not fresh and its unsafe to eat.  Safe way is to sprout it yourself. 

Sprouting instructions will be coming soon.

Dry fruits milkshake

8 Dates
4 Fresh Figs (if dried soak it along with the Almonds)
5 Almonds (Peel off skins if you prefer once it is soaked)
5 Pistachios
2 Cashew
5 Currants
1 cup warm (or) cold milk (or) 1 scoop of your favorite flavored ice cream
1 Banana small
1 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tsp Honey
A pinch of Cardamom (or) 1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence
Hot water for soaking

1. Soak the dates, almonds, cashews, pistachios and the currants in hot water for about 1 hour. 2. Blend all the above ingredients into a smooth paste warm milk. If you want to have it cold add cold milk or ice cream.

Note: You can make this recipe using more dry fruit varieties or reducing them according to your preference.  Its your preference.  Having warm foods is better for digestion but for people who have nausea having it cold might help a bit.

Mendhaya keerai masala kootu (V)

1 cup-Moong dal, washed and pressure cooked with a pinch or Turmeric
2 bunches-Fenugreek leaves (Mendhaya Keerai or Methi leaves)
5 -Garlic Cloves, chopped
5- Green chilis
2- Red chili, broken
1- Onion, chopped
1 tsp-Tamarind paste mixed in warm water.
1/4 tsp- Turmeric
Green Chilli - 1
1 cup- Chopped Cilantro
A pinch of Jaggery
Salt to taste
3 Tblsp-Olive oil
A pinch of Methi or Fenugreek seeds
A pinch of Asafoetida
1/4 tsp- Garam Masala
3- Curry leaves
1 tsp- Cumin seeds

1) Pressure cook the Moong dal.  Once cool, whip it along with some warm water to make it your desired consistency and keep it aside.
2) Clean Fenugreek leaves thoroughly, drain well and chop them and keep it aside.
3) Take a heavy bottomed big saute pan.  Add aoil and once warm add methi seeds, once it starts to turn brown add mustard seeds, curry leaves, Red chilis, cumin seeds, then the garlic and green chilis.  After a few sec. add the turmeric and chopped onions.
4) Saute well adding a pinch of salt and Garam masala. Now add the chopped Methi leaves and hing.  Fry well.
5) Add warm water, tamarind paste, salt and jaggery let it cook for 10min.
6) Now, add the mixed dal and add chopped cilantro.  Check for seasoning and let it cook well for 10 min.
7) Can be had with any kind of rice or with rotis.

Note:  This recipe can be made with any type of greens, if you are using collard greens, pressure cook it in a different container other than the dal.

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Make sure your diet is rich with nutritious fruits and vegetables:

Here are some of the rich anti-oxidant filled fruits you don't want to miss out in your diet:

Prunes, Raisins, Blueberries, Blackberries, Strawberries, Raspberries, Plums, Oranges, Red grapes,Cherries,.Dates, Pomegranate etc...

The veggie list goes like this:

Kale, Spinach, Brussels sprouts, Alfalfa sprouts, Broccoli, Beets, Red bell peppers, Onions, Corn, Eggplant...etc.
 

Foods to avoid for a healthy pregnancy:

1. Junk Foods

2. Caffeine

3. Alcohol

4. Trans Fat

5. Artificial and Refined Sweetener

6. Commercial Fried Foods

7. Food Additives

8. Fabricated Soy (like fake meats and protein powders) and soy products of all kinds