Baby Prep: Eating for Pregnant People | Part 2

I'm here to give you some very good news: You don't have to sacrifice EVERYTHING you love to eat just because you have a bun in the oven.

It always bothered me that Moms-to-be get a list as long as their arm as soon as they conceive, all filled with "don'ts" and "cannots". That just puts a damper on something that's super exciting, and we all know that preggos are already somewhat fragile when it comes to their mood during the course of their pregnancy.

As all food-loving folks probably would, I felt punished by all these restrictions. I knew they were all for the health of the baby, and was totally on board with that, but I thought, "Certainly, there have to be ways to make pregnant eating more fun."

And there are! I've found "hacks" to most of the restrictions and so far haven't felt like I'm missing out all that much.

So here are the things that you'll be told to avoid, and ways to feel like you're still eating like you used to:

Alcoholic beverages

Sorry to tell you this, sister, but there's really no way around this one. You will not be able to continue your wine habit as you did before baby happened... BUT, you have options. Some doctors will tell you that a glass of wine here or there is most likely safe and will not hurt the baby. I've chosen to abstain completely because it's only 9 months, and truthfully, I'd rather consume my "splurge calories" in ice cream form these days.

But if you're craving something to sip on while everyone else is clinking glasses, there are so many fun "mocktail" options you can try that you won't even miss the buzz. {And you definitely won't miss the hangover.} I've been loving homemade flavored lemonades mixed with sparkling water.

Caffeinated beverages {i.e. COFFEE... GASP!}

This was probably one of the hardest things for me because I have a little love affair with my morning cup of coffee, so before I even thought about getting pregnant, I started to wean myself from caffeine so it wouldn't be as rough when it was time to go cold turkey. Decaf and caffeine-free coffees and teas can help ease you into the thought of a hot beverage sans the jolt.

Again, some doctors and books will tell you that a minimal amount of caffeine is still ok throughout pregnancy. I simply switched to decaf {which, by the way, has trace amounts of caffeine, so be aware}, and all has been well with the world. Some women immediately develop an aversion to the taste and smell of coffee at the start of pregnancy, so you may not even want your morning cup. {Hard to imagine, I know!}

All the good cheese {brie, stinky cheeses, etc.}

If you are accustomed to buying your cheese at a fancy cheese store, then you may have to make some changes to your cheese consumption. The problem with these cheeses is the fact that they are often made with unpasteurized milk. However, in the U.S. you have to look pretty hard in most grocery stores for any cheese that is unpasteurized. Most cheeses will be just fine -- just be sure to read labels.

If you can't spend 9 whole months with out imported brie, then know that as long as the cheese is heated until melted and bubbly, the bacteria that it could harbor should be dead and you're welcome to enjoy it.

Cold cuts

Lunch meat can be questionable preggo-fare for several reasons: 1. It can be contaminated with a harmful bacteria called Listeria that can hurt the baby, and 2. It often contains nitrates which aren't good for either of you. But sometimes, you just want a sub or a ham and cheese, so what's a girl to do?

Heat it up. Just like the cheese I mentioned above, the bacteria in deli meats are killed when they're heated until steaming. So make it a pressed sandwich or a hot sub just to be on the safe side. Also, look for nitrate-free brands such Applegate Organic & Natural Meats to ensure that you and the baby aren't getting any chemical preservatives with your lunch.

Raw Shellfish, Raw Fish {Sushi}, Raw or Undercooked Meat

So maybe you can't have oysters on the half shell for a little while, but it doesn't mean you can't enjoy cooked versions of the ocean's treasures. Well-cooked seafood is actually very good for you and filled with nutritious things -- especially those Omega-3-rich fish like salmon. For meats, just make sure that they are cooked all the way through to be safe. {I'm a stickler for this sort of thing anyway. Major meat paranoia.}

 Don't miss out on sushi dates with your hubby or the girls, just change up your order -- California rolls, "Tempura" Rolls, and other cooked versions of sushi are still ok. No sake to wash it down, though. ;)

Raw or undercooked eggs {No more "put an egg on it"?!?}

Well, you've known for a long time that you shouldn't be eating that cookie dough containing raw egg, but you did it anyway and you've most likely survived to tell the tale. Now that you're looking out for 2 of you, it's time to be a little more cautious about what you're consuming.

However, here's a little hack that might make your day: "Pasteurized" eggs such as Safest Choice Eggs do not contain the risk of salmonella! That means you can make yourself a delicious, runny egg and not have to worry about contamination, which is music to my ears. Just make sure that the brand you purchase is, indeed, pasteurized and safe for pregnant folk.

Unwashed fruits and veggies

My thoughts on this are very simple: EW. You should always thoroughly rinse your fruits and veggies! Even organic produce can contain bacteria and other yuckies that cause illness, so just use common sense and enjoy your salads, smoothies and big bowls of fresh fruit and veggies as usual. 

See, ladies? It's really not so bad! I never wanted to be one of those picky, "Oh, I'm pregnant, I can't eat that." kind of people, and I really haven't had too many situations where I've had to be so far. {Except for one time when I was dis-invited from a pairing party that included wine tasting because of my delicate state.. haha.. couldn't believe it, but it happened!}

My mother-in-law always tells me that she never enjoyed food more than when she was pregnant, and I can see why! Some things just taste so much more delightful, and being "choosy" is actually a great opportunity to try some things you've never thought to eat before! So, enjoy every bite of these 9 months and know that soon enough, you'll be back to ahi tuna and triple shot lattes. :)

Here are some other things you can add to your "yes" list during pregnancy!

DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor and don't have a medical background. This is simply advice that helped me personally feel better in the beginning of pregnancy. If you have any questions or doubts, seek guidance from your doctor, of course.

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Now that you know that you can still meet with your girls over coffee, you'll need a little snack to go with your cuppa joe! These "Coffee House Bars" remind me of something you'd find in the bakery case at Starbucks --  minus the guilt.

Made with ground almonds {i.e. almond flour. I just like to make my own.}, these tasty bars are packed with healthy fat, folate and all kinds of good stuff for you and baby! {Or just you if there's no baby to feed. They're delicious for everyone!} They have a hint of coffee flavor from the coffee extract and are just sweet enough from the honey and coconut sugar combo. The semi-sweet chocolate chips melt and create sweet, gooey pockets that make them seem like a bakery treat. {If you're trying to keep things dairy-free, you can buy Enjoy Life non-dairy chocolate chips.}

I promise these will take the focus off of the things you're missing from your "can't eat" list, and they'll top the list of things you can!

Healthy "Coffee House" Squares
Inspired by these bars at Tasty Yummies
Makes 9 squares

2 1/2 cups almond flour {I just grind my own almonds}
1 teaspoon baking soda
A good pinch of salt
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
3 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup melted butter or coconut oil {they will taste more coconutty if you use coconut oil}
2 eggs
1 tablespoon almond milk {or your preference milk}
1 1/2 teaspoons coffee extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips {non-dairy are great if you're trying to keep it dairy free}

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 inch baking ban with foil and lightly grease.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together almond flour, baking soda, salt and coconut sugar. Add honey, melted butter or oil, eggs, almond milk and extracts. Stir together until well combined.

3. Add chocolate chips to batter and stir well. Pour into greased baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center doesn't come out gooey.

Remove from oven and cool for about 10-15  minutes for easier cutting.

{No Bake} Tropical Energy Bites

Let's talk about snacks. {Baby, let's talk about you.and.me. What? You totally thought the same thing.}

What do you reach for when you're feeling snacky? Probably whatever you can get your hungry little hands on, right? Which is not always the healthiest of options, I'm sure. I'm not judging. I'm just sympathizing with the throes of poor hungry decision-making.

I try not to buy unhealthy snacks because, naturally, if they're not around the house, I won't eat them. But the downside of healthy snacking is that it can get sort of expensive.

KIND bars are one of my favorite, throw-it-in-your-purse-and-go snacks. So are Pamela's "Whenever Bars" {though, for the love of Pete, I wish they'd revamp their wrappers & packaging}. When I'm needing salty, I like Blue Diamond Nut Thins {although truthfully they contain a few ingredients I could live without}, which keep me from diving head-first into a bag of Doritos. But those little bitty snacks? They add up big time. Is it just me, or do you find that the healthier the snack, the less they put in the bag and the more they charge for it? Maybe keeping the volume at 75% air is what really keeps it healthy? Who knows.

Anyway, after taking inventory of my pantry {Read: raiding the shelves for something to snack on} last week, I realized that I probably have enough random ingredients in there to make my own healthy snack without spending any extra money. So, of course, I started experimenting.

A little bit of this, a little bit of that... a whir in the food processor and, VOILA!, Tropical Energy Bites.

Made with dried mango, cashews, banana chips and flaked coconut, you can feel confident knowing that there's nothing creepy lurking in your snacks. {Just be careful when purchasing dried fruit and make sure that the ingredient list is up to par -- some of them can get very heavy on the sweetness.} Yes, there's some sugar in these as I just used what we had on hand, but I still consider these better than devouring a row of Oreos. Additionally, it is possible to find dried fruit with no added sugar if you look hard enough {I'd start the search at Whole Foods or another health food store for best results.}

This recipe {which makes a small batch} made 30 bite-sized energy balls that are ideal for tossing into a snack bag and taking for the road, but you could easily double the recipe for a treat that will last a little longer or feed more people.

I'm pretty proud of myself for whipping up something healthy with stuff I already have -- a penny saved is a penny earned, after all. And I'd rather spend my pennies on something cute, like this. :)

{No Bake} Tropical Energy Bites

1/3 cup roasted, unsalted cashews
1/3 cup banana chips
1/4 cup dried mango {unsweetened if possible}
1/4 cup unsweetened dried coconut flakes
3 tablespoons almond butter
2 heaping tablespoons honey

1. Pulse all ingredients in a food processor until mostly ground and combined. A ball should start to form with the mixture.

2. Once ground to desired consistency, scoop out the mixture by the teaspoon-full and roll into bite-sized balls.

3. Refrigerate to harden a bit if desired. Store in an airtight container.

Cherry-Vanilla Granola

I'm about to tell you a really gross {albeit hilarious} story... somehow, I still haven't come to terms with the fact that the word "poop" has no place on a food blog. But, if you can hang in there, I hope there will be a little lesson that you can take away from my tale.

A couple of weeks ago, I witnessed a pure feat of determination that stuck with me long after it was over. And it all started when I took Farley, my lab, to the dog park to play.

Farley has forged friendships with all kinds of dogs in the dog park: A sweet, brindle Pit Bull mix named Stella; a lean, fast-as-lightning Greyhound named Dash; an amorous Black Lab named Lola. And then there's Tyson, a stocky little Boston Terrier with a jaw like a bear trap.

Tyson LOVES chasing balls. Well... to tell you the truth, the "chasing" is just a means to his true passion, walking around with the ball in his mouth and Never.Letting.Go. I'd say he may even be a tad bit obsessed. {I nearly lost a thumb while attempting to take it from him so we could play.}

In the midst of a rousing game of fetch the ball {which usually ends as quickly as it started because once Tyson gets it, there's no getting it back}, said ball landed right smack in a fresh pile of dog poo. Ew.

Tyson's owner, of course, carefully retrieved the tennis ball and placed it atop the bench and away from Tyson, who was already lamenting the loss of the prized object by growling and barking repeatedly at the soiled toy. But Tyson just couldn't come to terms with the fact that he would not be taking his victory lap around the park with that ball.

He defiantly walked over to the bench where the ball sat and stuck his nose through the slats, retreating violently when he caught a whiff of the offending odor. But guess what? That didn't stop him.

His owner and I watched incredulously as, again, he approached the ball. If dogs could pinch their noses, I swear he would have been doing so -- instead, I'm fairly certain he held his breath so he could get close enough. Tyson nudged the ball to the end of the bench where he could reach it more easily. With a swift and deliberate chomp, he retrieved the ball and pranced toward the other dogs, showing off the fruits of his determination.

Except, he only made it just a few steps before the stench {and I'm assuming taste} forced him to spit it out and re-access the situation. He shook his head. Hard, as if to rid himself of the smell that assaulted his sensitive little nose. But failure was simply not an option.

Again, the stubborn dog picked up the filthy ball and proceeded toward the other side of the dog park, dropping it every so often and "shaking it off", leaving us in fits of side-splitting laughter at his refusal to give up. This went on until he made it to the other side, safe from any potential ball thieves.

Eventually, when he noticed that no other dog wanted the ball and that their owners were laughing at him instead of praising his efforts, he shamefully walked himself to the corner and stood there looking sullen -- not sure of whether he should gloat with pride or hide with disgust at what he had just accomplished. His owner assured him that it was ok. No need for "dog shaming" here...this dog already looked so very ashamed.

Despite the somewhat nauseating scene, I held Tyson in high regard for his tenacity. Because let me tell you, there have been days when it's felt like I'm repeatedly attempting to retrieve a poop-covered tennis ball just to prove to myself that I can.

There are times when I choose to hope against all logic, because I want to believe that in the end, it will be worth it. Times when I've subjected myself to mental anguish because I know that I can get through it if I try hard enough. We've all dealt with things like this before.

Tyson reminded me that sometimes you just have to deal with sh*t {I'm sorry, but there's not a more appropriate time to use this kind of language} no matter how disheartening, embarrassing or frustrating. And when I get overwhelmed with the task at hand, I will simply pause, shake my head, and pick up where I left off because -- no matter how bad it stinks at that moment-- victory smells so much sweeter.

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Earlier this week I attempted to make granola bars to take to work as a healthy snack. It didn't work. I didn't want use any sugar, which I think may have contributed to the crumbly results.

Like Tyson, the struggle didn't stop me. I scooped the delicious granola crumbles into a mason jar and I've been enjoying them with a little almond milk or straight up as a snack. Sometimes the things that don't work out quite as you expect turn out to be a happy accident.

This Cherry-Vanilla Granola is what granola-filled dreams are made of. Tart, chewy dried cherries and crunchy slivered almonds are sweetened with a combination of honey and maple syrup infused with fragrant vanilla bean. One of my favorite parts of eating this granola is the vanilla bean-flecked milk that's left over at the end... it's the grown-up version of the thrill you got as a kid when you discovered Cocoa Puffs created its own chocolate milk byproduct. {Not that I wouldn't be just as thrilled if I allowed myself to eat Cocoa Puffs today.}

Whether or not this granola was intentional, it is most definitely a treat.

Cherry-Vanilla Granola

2 1/2 cups rolled oats
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup dried tart cherries
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup honey
1/2 a vanilla bean pod, seeds scraped

1. Prepare a sheet pan or 8x8 inch pan {that's what I originally used when I thought I was making bars} with parchment paper or foil. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, toss together oats, salt, almonds and cherries. In a small pot over medium heat, stir together coconut oil, maple syrup, honey and vanilla bean seeds along with the vanilla pod. Bring to a bubble and allow to simmer on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes.

3. Remove the vanilla bean pod and pour the syrup mixture over the oat mixture, stirring until well-coated. Pour into prepared pan and bake for about 15 minutes until slightly golden and fragrant.

Cool completely and store in an air-tight container.

Coming Clean: Blueberry-Ginger Cobbler Smoothie

Do you know the one thing I have not been able to shake cravings for during this whole Clean Eating adventure?

Ice cream.

The most heavenly combination of my two favorite {naughty} things: sugar and dairy.

I have been so very good and, before my vacation a few weeks ago, I didn't cheat at all. But, tell me... how was I supposed to pass up an ice cream cone from the ever-lauded new phenomenon that is Smitten Ice Cream?

Yeah. That's what I thought.

{P.S. I'll be telling you a little more about our San Francisco/Napa food experiences very soon!}

Anyway, smoothies have sort of become my go-to for staving off ice cream cravings. They're sweet, creamy, and satisfying, but have the added benefit of actually being good for you, too! You can make them out of just about anything you have on hand, and they're super quick to throw together... not to mention, they're highly portable for the days when you've got to eat {or drink} on the run.

I have experimented with a variety of flavor combinations that have been absolutely delicious:

Banana + Almond Butter + Coconut Milk {in the carton}

Orange + Almond Milk + Banana + Greens

Pineapple + Banana + Coconut Milk {in the can}

It's almost hard to make a smoothie that isn't fantastic.

Today I'm sharing a fun concoction inspired by Clean Cuisine, which I've deemed a culinary bible for those trying to get the hang of the anti-inflammatory diet lifestyle.

The Blueberry-Ginger Cobbler Smoothie

Packed with antioxidants from the dark-skinned berries, anti-inflammatory properties from ginger, fiber from oats, omega-3s from walnuts, and rounded off with sweet dates and creamy coconut milk... it packs a pretty healthful punch, not to mention tricks your sweet tooth into thinking it got its way.

The next time you're tempted to dive into a pint of the creamy stuff, give this a try first. It's all the goodness and none of the guilt you're seeking for a cool summer treat!

Blueberry-Ginger Cobbler Smoothie
Adapted from Clean Cuisine

1/4 cup raw rolled oats {you can use gluten free if you prefer}
2 tablespoons walnuts, roughly chopped
2 pitted dates, soaked in warm water to soften
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 handful raw spinach
1 cup coconut milk* or almond milk
1/2 cup ice

1. In a high speed blender, process oats and walnuts until pulverized.

2. Add dates, ginger, blueberries, spinach, coconut milk and ice and blend until smooth.

*I use So Delicious Brand Unsweetened Coconut Milk Beverage, which is different than that coconut milk you will find in a can.