Lunch for You and the Little One During Pregnancy

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Lunch for You and the Little One
These delicious and healthy lunches can be prepared ahead of time so you can bring them with you to work. Of course, you can always eat them on the spot when you're home to cook or someone's cooking for you.

Berry Special Spinach Salad

You will need:
6 ounces fresh spinach, washed, dried and chopped or torn
1 cup strawberries, sliced
1 cup blueberries
1 small red onion, sliced or chopped
4 Tbsp vinegar (your favorite variety)
4 tsp honey
2 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. In a small mixing bowl, prepare dressing. Combine vinegar, honey, mustard, salt and pepper. Beat with a fork until mixed well.

2. In a large bowl, toss spinach and berries together.

3. Drizzle dressing over salad.

4. Enjoy!

Serves six.

If you're taking this to work or on an outing, store the dressing in a separate container.

Serve alone or with grilled chicken for a heartier meal. Delicious and nutritious!

Mushroom Barley Soup

You will need:
¼ cup barley
½ pound mushrooms (your favorite variety), sliced
½ cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup beef or vegetable broth, homemade or canned (low sodium is best)
2 cups water
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
black pepper (optional)
¼ tsp salt

Directions:
1. Cook barley in broth in a large saucepan until tender, then add water and salt.

2. Meanwhile, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil.

3. Once onions appear transparent, add mushrooms to pan and continue to sauté until mushrooms are browned and tender.

4. Add sautéed ingredients to barley and stock in saucepan.

5. Simmer for twenty minutes.

Serves four. Serve alone or with whole grain bread and salad for a heartier meal. You can also add carrots and diced potatoes to this recipe if you desire.

Lentil Soup

You will need:
1 cups dry lentils
1 cups diced tomatoes (fresh or canned)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
½ large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 cups water
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp whole wheat flour
Salt to taste

Directions:
1. Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil in a large saucepan.

2. Stir in flour; allow flour mixture to cook one minute.

3. Add tomatoes, lentils, carrots, salt and water to saucepan.

4. Cover and allow to simmer over low heat for two hours.

5. Enjoy!

Serves six. The desired thickness of lentil soup changes from person to person. If after trying the above recipe, you find that you would prefer a different thickness, play around with the recipe changing the liquid levels. Less water makes a thick lentil stew, more water (or even some canned broth) makes a soupier dish. Lentils reheat beautifully.

Veggie Pasta Salad

You will need:
½ lb. uncooked pasta (small shells, elbows, rigatoni)
1 large tomato, diced
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup chopped green beans
½ small red onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
Fresh basil, to taste
1 can beans (kidney, black or chick peas), rinsed and drained
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 Tbsp vinegar (your favorite variety)
2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Boil pasta according to directions on package. Drain and rinse with cold water.

2. Meanwhile, steam broccoli and green beans to desired tenderness. Drain.

3. In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, steamed broccoli and green beans, tomatoes, beans, and onions. Stir.

4. In a smaller bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar and salt and pepper. Mix well with a fork. Drizzle over pasta salad. Toss.

5. Top dressed pasta salad with basil and parmesan cheese.

Serves six.

This is great for a light lunch, or served as a side dish for a larger lunch or dinner. Bring lunch for your co-workers, the other moms at the playground, or send some with your husband and older children for their lunches.