Meal Preparation for Post Partum: 2022

Do you love food as much as we do?

Azriel with his favorite: veggies & fruits

If you dream about food, and simply love to think and talk about food as much we do in my home, please keep reading.

I love that I get to share some of the delicious meals that I enjoyed once I was past the ALL-DAY sickness I endured with my pregnancies. I found it hard to keep things down when I was triggered by smell (which was just one of many fun symptoms I experienced in both pregnancies).

Smell is a huge part of preparing to eat. I make a mindful effort to enjoy my food from start to finish. I also consider things that are going to leave enough leftovers for the next day or two.

In my home, we cook from a place of culture: Costa Rican and Dominican with a little Italian flavor added in. I was not necessarily taught to cook anything besides rice, pasta, and always reminded not to burn the meat (I am not the most attentive in the Kitchen). We ate a lot of soups, hearty dishes and salads growing up: deliciously home-made, whole-food meals. I consider myself very blessed. Growing up, learning to cook was not an option but rather a rite of passage for the young Latina woman. I was expected to cook and prepare a meal before, as the saying goes, "estas lista para cacarte" : (translation: "you're ready to get married").

It's been a huge learning curve becoming a wife and mother trying to navigate the expectations that can come with that. I have come to accept and cherish the help I get from my husband. Two self-taught cooks! Who would have thought? As a family we try to eat healthy, whole food meals. My body has probably always been Dairy Intolerant, but I did not start acting like it until a few years ago before my husband and I started making meals together. Feel free to ignore any Dairy Free &/or as I like to call them "veganish" meals if that does not fit your needs. All of these meals take time and planning, but they are an example of the commonly made meals we enjoy making. Also, please know that if cooking takes longer than 30 minutes, I personally try not to commit or get too involved. That being said, all these are 30 minute and under meals, with the exception of using a throw-it-in-the pot and simmer method for soups and chilis.

Alright, enough "boring" intro. Please feel free to follow along:

Food Prep can involve a lot of work, or rather planning to not end up doing a lot of work (especially if you are a lazy cook like I am)... Here is what we have done to plan ahead some our meals:

Part 1: Ingredients

• Baking goods: All-Purpose Flour (AP Flour), King Arthur's Gluten-Free Flour, Almond Flour, Butter, Dairy free & regular good ol'butter, Farm fresh eggs

• Fruits: Apples, Avocados Bananas, Berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries), Dates, Grapes, Mangoes, Olives, Oranges, Papaya, Pineapple, Tomatoes

• Herbs: Basil, Oregano (Dominican for us), Pepper (ground), Thyme

• Staples: Oatmeal, Quinoa, Rice, Tortilla Chips, Tortillas

• Starches: Potatoes (sweet & yellow)

• Vegetables: Asparagus, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Cilantro, Cucumbers, Jalapeños, Lettuce, Limes & Lemons, Mushrooms, Onions (white & purple), Scallions, Spinach, Sweet Peppers

• Legumes: Black Beans, Garbanzo Beans, Lentils, Pinto Beans

• Meat: Beef (chuck roast), Chicken, Pepperoni, Skirt Steak, Sausages, Turkey (preferably grounded)

• Mylks: Almond, Coconut, Cashew & Oat; Dairy Free Yogurt

• Nuts: Almonds, Cashews, Macadamias, Pecans, Walnuts

• Oils: Avocado, Canola, Coconut, Grapeseed, Olive, Vegetable oil

• Superfoods: Chia Seeds, Dark chocolate, Frozen Açaí, Hemp Seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Sesame seeds, Sunflower seeds

• Speciality Items: Agave syrup, Apple Sauce, Almond Butter, Chocolate powder, dough for pizza (sometimes home-made), Ketchup, Maple Syrup, Mayonaise, Peanut Butter, Pretzel Buns, Spicy Sauce of choice

Part 2: Planned Meals

Breakfast | ¡Buen provecho! :

1. Açaí bowls with chopped fruits, nuts, & drizzled with favorite topping(s)

2. Eggs with bacon & optional side of hashed potatoes

3. Fruit bowl with Dairy Free Yogurt & topped with Granola

4. Gallo Pinto (rice with beans)

5. Home-made Banana Nut (veganish style) or Pumpkin Bread (not vegan)

6. Oatmeal: cinnamon apple and walnut oatmeal; overnight oats with berries &/ oatmeal bars

7. Smoothies: use mylk/ juice base of choice: sunrise smoothie: Mango, Oranges, & Papaya; chunky monkey: Chocolate powder, Banana, dates

8. Pancakes (veganish style) with Maple Syrup or butters

9. Potato hash: featuring Veggies & Eggs

10. Tortilla Omelet with Cheese, Spinach, & Thyme

Lunch | Bon Appétit! :

1. Arroz con pollo (Rice with Chicken)

2. BLT on fresh Baked Table Bread

3. Chicken, sautéed Brussell Sprouts (topped with Sesame Seeds) on a bed of Rice

4. Empanadas (fried- Costa Rican style)

5. Fried spicy Cauliflower

6. Green goddess salad

7. Grilled Chicken | Beef Tacos with pico de gallo

8. Lentil & Veggie Soup on a optional bed of Rice

9. Skirt Steak with asparagus on bed of Rice

10. Turkey Chili with Tortilla Chips

Dinner | Buon Appetito! :

1. Home-made nocchi Pasta in Creamy Pesto

2. Home crafted pizza (personal favorite: Basil, Mushrooms, Pepperoni, & Jalapeños)

3. Home- made Foccacia with Veggies, Olives, & Sausages

4. Mediterranean delights: Home-made Pita Bread with Hummus, Olives, and Meat

5. Nachos a la carte: meat, an array of toppings & melted Cheese

6. Olla de Carne (Beef and Veggie Soup)

7. Regular ol'Pasta in Red Sauce, with optional Sausages & Home-made Focaccia

8. Smash Burgers with Pretzel Buns (special sauce: mix of Ketchup, Mayo, & Spicy Sauce)

9. Sopa Negra (Black Bean Soup)

10. Stuffed Peppers with Ground Turkey or Beef

Please comment, suggest, ask questions, &/or send me pictures of your meals. I love food, truly. I will live vicariously through your dishes.