Creating a postpartum meal plan

One thing that I often spend time talking about with my clients in our final prenatal appointments is the benefits of having a postpartum plan.  The days following birth should be filled with snuggles, bonding, and joy, not worry about feeding your family.  For this reason I often encourage new clients to come up with a postpartum meal plan- while they are still pregnant!

One tried and true tip to help facilitate this is to create freezer meals.  Often times friends and family are happy to come over and spend a day cooking to help fill your freezer. Another idea is to double meals that you are already cooking- just freeze the extra! I’ve surveyed our doula clients and scoured the internet and put together a list of some of the best, and healthiest, freezer meals I could find.

Turkey Chili with Sweet Potato and Black Beans

Recipe courtesy of Thriving Home Blog

This recipe is a double whammy! Not only is it a freezer meal but it’s also made in the slow cooker. When I was pregnant with my now 17(!) month old, I was the queen of crock pot meals.  Seriously.  What’s easier than throwing ingredients into a crock pot and coming home to a delicious, and healthy, meal.  My advice is to double the recipe, eat half for dinner tonight, and throw the rest in the freezer for later. Any honestly, what’s better than chili? My favorite part is the toppings. I love throwing some shredded cheddar cheese and diced avocado on top, but sour cream (or greek yogurt) and some cilantro would be delicious as well!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3 cups peeled and diced sweet potatoes
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon jalapeño pepper, minced
• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• ½ tablespoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 (15 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, liquid and all
• 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 can (15 ounce) cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
• Optional toppings: diced avocado, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, shredded cheddar, diced onions, salsa, thinly sliced green onion, etc.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large pan over medium to medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and sauté diced sweet potatoes for about 5 minutes, until just softened. Season lightly with salt and pepper while sautéing. Add sweet potato mixture to slow cooker insert.
2. Turn up heat to medium-high. In same pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sauté the onions, jalapeño pepper, garlic and ground turkey, stirring and breaking up the meat. Cook until meat is cooked through (no longer pink) and onions softened, about 4-5 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper while sautéing. Drain off any grease.
3. Add meat mixture and remaining ingredients (chili powder through black beans) to the slow cooker insert, stirring until well combined.
4. Slow cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.
5. Taste and adjust salt and pepper amounts. Add hot sauce to increase heat at the end, if desired. Serve topped with your favorite chili toppings (diced avocado, plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, shredded cheddar, diced onions, etc.).

NOTES
Freezer Meal Instructions:
To freeze:
Cook according to directions. Let fully cool. Freeze in air tight, freezable container or zip top bag.
To Prepare:
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm gently on the stove top, in slow cooker on LOW, or in the microwave until warmed through.

Mediterranean Quinoa Burgers

Recipe courtesy of Well Plated

I’ve been a vegetarian for almost 2 years now and one of the hardest things to give up was hamburgers.  Or so I thought.  Enter the quinoa burger.  Easy, healthy, delicious and so much better than frozen veggie franken-burgers.  This particular one hits all of those notes, and even better, is made almost entirely in a food processor (or blender.) No chickpea mashing required.  I oftentimes eat this burger on its own, without a bun, with a big side salad and some roasted veggies.  Best. Freezer Meal. Ever.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE BURGERS

• 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, millet, farro or similar grain
• 1/4 cup chopped sundried tomatoes (not olive oil packed)
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, plus additional for serving
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
• Olive oil, for cooking the burgers
• Whole wheat buns, for serving

INGREDIENTS FOR THE TOMATO OLIVE TOPPING

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, diced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar or lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the quinoa in a medium saucepan with 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, then cover the pan and let cook for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand 5 minutes. Uncover, fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork, and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, place the sundried tomatoes in a small bowl and cover with very hot water. Let stand for at least 5 minutes to rehydrate, drain, and set aside.
3. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the quinoa, chickpeas, oats, garlic, salt, oregano, and pepper. Process until the mixture is nicely ground and blended. Add the egg, then pulse a few times until the egg is combined with the chickpea mixture (it should look like thick, chunky hummus). Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl, then gently fold in the drained sundried tomatoes, feta, parsley, and basil. Form the burgers into 6 patties. If not ready to cook immediately, place the patties in the refrigerator.
4. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the topping ingredients: cherry tomatoes, olives, parsley, basil, and vinegar. If desired, toast the buns in a toaster oven, a lightly oiled skillet, or in an oven preheated to 400 degrees F. Watch carefully so that they do not burn.
5. When ready to cook the quinoa burgers, heat a large skillet over medium. Drizzle generously with olive oil, then cook the veggie burger patties on each side, until both sides are browned and the patties are cooked through, about 8 minutes total. Be careful as the oil may splatter. Serve on toasted buns, topped with the tomato olive mixture and additional feta cheese as desired.

Cooked leftover chickpea burgers will keep well wrapped in the refrigerator for up to three days. Uncooked patties can be tightly wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for two days or frozen for two months. Let thaw in the refrigerator prior to cooking.

Unstuffed Pepper Soup

Recipe courtesy of Stockpiling Moms
Another slow cooker freezer meal! You’re welcome.  But seriously, it doesn’t get easier (or more delicious) than this.  The bonus is that this meal is also Whole30 friendly. Getting my toddler to eat much of anything other than cheese sticks these days is kind of a struggle. Except for soup.  She loves soup, especially this soup.  I’m not sure if it’s the spices, or all of the wonderful veggies, but she devours it! So go forth and make, eat, and freeze this soup.  It’s toddler-approved, after all.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup onion, diced
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
1 orange pepper, seeded and diced
1 yellow pepper, seeded and diced
2 fresh garlic cloves, crushed
Diced tomatoes (1, 15 oz can) or 2 (10 oz cans rotel)
1 can tomato sauce (8 oz) – no sugar added
2 TBSP coconut aminos
2 tsp dried Italian Seasoning
1 lb ground beef or Italian sausage (if using sausage be sure no sugar added)
2 cup water or beef broth

​INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients except broth into a ziploc bag.

2. Freeze

3. When ready to prepare thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

4. Dump into a slow cooker and add broth or water and cook on low for 6-8 hours on low.

Sunday Night Stew

Recipe courtesy of The Pioneer Woman

The recipe is from The Pioneer Woman aka my girl Ree.  We’re friends, she just doesn’t know it yet. One of my favorite things about her (aside from everything) is her ability to continually provide wonderful home-cooked meals to her friends and family.  I need to get on her level.  But in all seriousness, who doesn’t love a stew.  You can serve this over mashed potatoes,  brown rice, or just by itself.  It’s honestly delicious any way you serve it.

INGREDIENTS

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Butter
2 pounds Beef Stew Meat (chuck Roast Cut Into Chunks)
Salt And Pepper
1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
4 ounces, weight Tomato Paste
4 cups Low Sodium Beef Stock Or Broth, More If Needed For Thinning
Several Dashes Worcestershire
1/2 teaspoon Sugar
4 whole Carrots, Peeled And Diced
2 whole Turnips, Peeled And Diced
2 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Parsley
​
INSTRUCTIONS
Salt and pepper stew meat. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add butter, and as soon as it melts, brown half the stew meat until the outside gets nice and brown, about 2 minutes. (Turn it as it browns.) Remove the meat from the pot with a slotted spoon and put it on a plate. Add the rest of the meat to the pot and brown it, too. Remove it to the same plate. Set the meat aside.

Add the onion and garlic to the pot, stirring it to coat it in all the brown bits in the bottom of the pot. Cook for two minutes, then add the tomato paste to the pot. Stir it into the onions and let it cook for two more minutes.

Pour in the beef stock, stirring constantly. Add the Worcestershire and sugar. Add the beef back to the pot, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours.

After 1 1/2 to 2 hours, add the diced turnips and carrots to the pot. Stir to combine, put the lid back on the pot, and let it simmer for another 30 minutes. The sauce should be very thick, but if it seems overly so, splash in some beef broth until it thins it up enough. Feel free to add beef broth as needed!

When the carrots and turnips are tender, stir in minced parsley. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve piping hot in a bowl with mashed potatoes, letting the juice run all over everything. Sprinkle with extra minced parsley at the end.

NOTES
Freezer Meal Instructions. Cook according to directions. Let fully cool. Freeze in air tight, freezable container or ziptop bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm gently on the stove top, in slow cooker on LOW, or in the microwave until warmed through.

Hawaiian Chicken

Recipe courtesy of New Leaf Wellness

You guys.  Hawaiian. Chicken.  And it’s gluten free. Need I say more? This one is honestly so simple and so very tasty.  It’s perfect for snuggling up on the couch with your family and watching a fun movie.  Comfort food at its best.

INGREDIENTS

• 1lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 fresh pineapple, stalk, skin, and core removed and fruit cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons low sodium gluten free soy sauce ( or sub for coconut aminos)

PREP

1. Label your freezer bag.
2. To your freezer bag, add pineapple, brown sugar, soy sauce, and chicken breasts. (Add the chicken breasts to the bag last, so they’re the first ingredient poured into your slow cooker.)
3. Remove as much air from the freezer bag as possible, seal, and lay flat in your freezer.

COOK

1. The night before cooking, move frozen bag to your refrigerator to thaw.
2. The morning of cooking, pour contents of freezer bag into your slow cooker and cook on “low” setting for 3-6 hours, or until chicken is cooked through and tender.

Serve with broccoli and brown rice. So there you have it. 5 simple, healthy, and yummy meals to prepare you for a blissful postpartum.  I would love to hear your thoughts if you’ve made any of these dishes.

What was your favorite meal postpartum? I’d love to hear from you!