Pregnancy Recipes - Weeks 0-8
These recipes are ideal if you want to become pregnant. They will help
maximise your fertility and the give the baby the best start in life.
If you are already pregnant, the recipes will help give you the nutrients
you and your baby need.
The recipes are taken from The Complete Pregnancy cookbook by Fiona Wilcock published
by Carroll & Brown Ltd.
Broccoli and mint soup
This soup has a wonderful fresh mint flavour, and is an easy soup to
make and freeze. Broccoli is packed with vitamins and nutrients, so make
this one of your regular stand-bys.
Serves 4-6
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30-35
minutes
 A good source of:
beta carotene, calcium, folate, iron and Vitamin C
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped
750 g broccoli, roughly chopped
750 ml skimmed or semi-skimmed milk
250 ml water
1 vegetable stock cube
5 large fresh mint leaves
salt and black pepper, to taste
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion over a low heat for
5 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook for a further 3-5 minutes.
Pour in the milk and water, crumble in the stock cube and add the mint
leaves. Bring slowly to simmering point, stirring all the time and then
cover and simmer for about 20-25 minutes or until the onion and broccoli
are soft.
Remove from the heat, and transfer to a blender or food processor. Whizz
until smooth. Pour into a clean saucepan, gently reheat and season to
taste. Serve with croutons of your choice sprinkled over.
Polenta croutons
Cut ready-made polenta into 1cm cubes, and fry in 1-2 tablespoons of hot
rapeseed oil until lightly browned. Drain on kitchen paper and season
with black pepper and dried herbs.
Tuna and fennel lasagne
A fish lasagne with a difference - the fennel adds a light but distinctive
aniseed flavour. You could substitute celery and 1/2 teaspoon of crushed
fennel seeds if you cannot find fresh fennel. Serve with some crusty bread
and ripe cherry tomatoes for a simple meal.
Serves 2-3
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30-35 minutes
 Good
source of:
Fibre, protein, calcium, vitamin B2
3 bay leaves
3 small leeks, halved
1/2 fennel bulb, sliced
500 ml skimmed milk
25 g sunflower margarine
25 g plain flour
200 g can tuna in brine or spring water, drained
6 sheets dried lasagne
25 g Cheddar cheese, grated
salt and black pepper, to taste
oil or butter, for greasing
Preheat the oven to gas mark 4, 180°C. Place the bay leaves, leeks and
fennel in a small non-stick saucepan, pour over the milk and heat very
gently for 10 minutes. Remove the leeks and fennel and discard the bay
leaves.
Pour the milk into a jug. Melt the margarine in the rinsed-out saucepan
and over a gentle heat stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually
add the warm milk, stirring continuously. Bring to the boil and allow
to thicken. Season to taste.
Grease an ovenproof dish, about 15 x 22 cm. Place half the fennel and
leek mixture in the base of the dish, and fork half the tuna on top. Place
half the lasagne on top, and pour over half of the sauce.
Repeat the layer of vegetables, tuna and pasta, pouring the remaining
sauce over the top. Sprinkle over the grated cheese and bake for 35-40
minutes or until the top is bubbling and brown and the pasta cooked through.
Tip If you use fresh pasta it will only take 20-25 minutes to cook.
Try some delicious Mocktails - alcohol-free
cocktails for mums-to-be!
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