Tag: winter dinner

Recipes

BEEF AND ROASTED EGGPLANT STEW

Alasen Zarndt

This hearty stew makes a perfect dinner for postpartum recovery. It’s packed with the veggies your body needs and gives you a good amount or iron from the beef and chickpeas. This is a great one to send to a friend or relative who wants to bring you a meal! Bonus: it also  freezes well, so you can prepare a double batch and save half for later.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 lb (450 g) lean  ground beef
• 2 medium eggplants, cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 cups (330g) cherry tomatoes
• 14oz. (400g) can chopped tomatoes
• 14oz. (400g) can chickpeas, drained
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 tbsp. tomato puree
• 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp. mixed herbs
• handful parsley, chopped

Instructions:

Pre-heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Place the cut eggplant into a baking dish and drizzle with 1 tbsp. olive oil and season with salt. Cook in the oven for 40 minutes until soft.

In the meantime, heat the remaining 1 tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown  the ground beef.

Add the onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5-6 minutes until soft—then add in the mixed herbs, tomato puree, and cook for another 2 minutes.

Next, add in the chopped tomatoes, vinegar, chickpeas, and cherry tomatoes. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and continue simmering until the eggplant is ready.

Once the eggplant is soft, add into the tomato sauce and mix well. Serve with rice and chopped parsley.

   

Recipes

CURRIED CAULIFLOWER SOUP

Alasen Zarndt

This warming soup is a perfect postpartum recovery recipe; send this page to a friend or relative when they ask you what they can bring you! Flavorful and hearty, it gives you a ton of nutrients needed for recovery. It also makes an excellent soup for fueling your day while breastfeeding or in general.

Ingredients:

• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 cauliflower head
• 2 tsp. fennel seeds
• 1 cup. (190g) red lentils, dry
• 3 tbsp. yellow curry paste
* salt and pepper
* 2 tbsp. olive oil

Instructions:

Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Separate the cauliflower head into small florets. Drizzle ¼ of the cauliflower with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and season with 1 teaspoon of the fennel seeds and salt and pepper. Place in a roasting dish and set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot, adding the chopped onion and the remaining 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds. Cook for 3-4 minutes until onion has softened. Add in the remaining cauliflower and lentils to the pan. Stir in the curry paste and add in 1 litre of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 25 minutes, until cauliflower is tender and lentils are cooked.

In the meantime, place the roasting dish with cauliflower into the oven and roast for 20 minutes, until browned.

Once soup is cooked blitz it with a hand blender until smooth and creamy. To serve, divide the soup between bowls and top with the roasted cauliflower.

   

Recipes

Mushroom Soup

Alasen Zarndt

Mushrooms, what?

That’s right. This soup is delicious and a great source of Vitamin D – making it a good choice for the winter. You can batch make this and freeze so you have easy lunches or dinner on a day when things get hectic.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1/2 leek, chopped
• 5 1/3 cups (500g) mushrooms, sliced
• 1 small carrot, chopped
• 1 small parsnip, chopped
• 1 small potato, peeled, cubed
• 2 ½ cups (600ml) vegetable stock
• scant ½ cup (100ml) cream fraiche

Instructions:

In a large pot heat the oil, and sauté the chopped onion and sliced leek for about 3 mins.

Next, add washed and sliced mushrooms and fry for another 10 minutes stirring now and then. Add the carrot, parsnip and potato. Mix well and cook for 3-4 mins. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour in the hot vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Simmer, covered for about 15 mins. until the vegetables are soft.

Mix with a hand blender until smooth, add cream at the end and serve.

   

Recipes

Leek and Pea Soup with Basil

Alasen Zarndt

When optimizing postpartum recovery, don’t miss out on this soup. This fresh and delicious soup is perfect for anytime of year. It’s another great option to batch make in advance and freeze for when you have a busy week ahead.

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. coconut oil
• 3 ¼ cups (400g) leek, chopped
• 4 cups (1L) water
• 2 vegetable stock cubes
• 3 cups (450g) garden peas
• ½ cup (15g) fresh basil, chopped
• 1 ¼ cup (150g) light feta, crumbled

Instructions:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the leek for 2 minutes. Add the water and the stock cubes. Bring to the boil and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Add in the garden peas and cook for another 2 minutes. Put three-quarters of the basil into the soup, turn off the heat and puree with a hand blender until smooth.

Divide the soup over 4 bowls and sprinkle with the crumbled cheese and the rest of the basil to serve. Season with freshly ground pepper.

   

Recipes

Broccoli and Ginger Soup

Alasen Zarndt

This soup recipe is a perfect way to get enough veggies into your meal. It is one of my favorite recipes for postpartum recovery, since you can make it in advance and freeze for when you are ready. For an added boost, you can add collagen protein to your bowl!

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. coconut oil
• 7 oz. (200g) leeks, chopped
• 2 tbsp. ginger, chopped
• 2 broccoli heads, florets
• 1 large potato, peeled, chopped
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. sesame oil
• 6 cups (3 litres) stock
• 6 tbsp. natural yogurt (or dairy free option)
• 6 tsp. sunflower seeds

Instructions:

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook for around 5-6 minutes, until leeks are softened.

Add in the ginger, broccoli florets, chopped potato, turmeric, salt, sesame oil and stock.

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 mins until the vegetables are soft.

Blend until creamy and smooth with a hand blender, then season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Serve topped with yogurt and sunflower seeds.

The soup can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.