Sneaking in my veggies (and fruits)!

BShreeve

Hey fabulous ladies,

I have struggled with eating veggies and fruits during pregnancy. (Total opposite of how I normally am.) nothing sounds more gross than a bag of baby carrots or a salad. I was drinking some Odwalla drinks for a while in an effort to compensate, until I saw much sugar are in those things! Of course Im on a prenatal but want to take in as many naturally occurring nutrients as possible. Any ideas from you ladies to make fruits or veggies more palatable?

LiveNLove44

Fruits should be pretty easy if you freeze them and throw them in the blender (in moderation) with some water and protein powder for a smoothie. I'd recommend looking up some recipes so you don't over do the fruit since the naturally occurring sugar in fruit can overwhelm you just like those drinks you mentioned. As for vegetables, you can also find some good smoothie recipes that include vegetables; the easiest one to include that alters the taste the least is spinach. Two of my favorite morning smoothies:

1. one half of a frozen banana, 1T of PB, 8 oz. of water (BLEND) then add 1 scoop of chocolate protein powder and blend on a "stir" setting to avoid making the shake too frothy. YUM!

2. one half of a frozen banana, .5 cup of strawberries, 4 oz. of orange juice, 4 oz. of water (BLEND) then add 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder and blend on "stir" setting just as you would with the other one.

Both of these will be different in their carb/fat/protein profile, but they offer a nice variety of flavor. If you want to include more beneficial fruits (higher in nutrients), you can focus on berry-based smoothies. I'd recommend using a frozen berry mix, water, and vanilla protein powder. I had my protein powder approved by my OB, so make sure you check in with her/him prior to using one.

I hope that helps!

jkelly41

I too drink an OB approved health shake that has tons of great nutrients and vitamins.  I love fruits and veggies too- I usually cook my veggies in some olive or coconut oil with some seasonings and garlic.  Would something like that appeal to you?

BShreeve

This is all super helpful. Thanks!

jkelly41

I actually discovered that I love brussel sprouts thanks to olive oil and garlic!  

KNSATX

I use my vitamix and magic bullet blenders every day- it's the best way to hide goodies and get more out of your meals. I usually don't like adding kale to green smoothies, but adding cilantro, peanut butter, and a pinch of cocoa mask the bitterness. I also use almond milk & add flax oil, if not freshly ground flax & chia, since I'm not taking a supplement with DHA.

The same goes for dinner- my favorite soup has been potato leek, with extra celery thrown in, too. Once it's all sautéed, throw it in the blender with vegetable stock. Leeks are high in folate, and I've heard complex carbs (in potatoes) might help with morning sickness.

APendola

I loved mac and cheese when I was pregnant.  You can make homemade mac and cheese with pureed veggies in the sauce.  Pumpkin or butternut squash blends nicely.  I also through in frozen peas or sliced zucchini.