15 healthy recipes for pregnancy

Between managing a healthy weight gain, dealing with crazy cravings, and trying to keep up with your normal busy schedule, eating well during pregnancy can be a challenge. But loading up on nutritious food is one of the best things you can do for you and your baby.

Get inspired with these delicious recipes, which are easy enough to tackle on a weeknight and will satisfy your most powerful pregnancy hunger. These meals are packed with protein, nutrients, and other benefits for you and your baby.

There are plenty of reasons to love dark, leafy greens. Here's a big one, especially early in your pregnancy: Kale is an excellent source of folate. This B vitamin – known as folic acid in supplement form – helps prevent birth defects of the brain and spine in the first trimester and supports your baby's growth throughout pregnancy.

Beyond folate, kale is a superfood with vitamins and nutrients that tackle common pregnancy woes, including fiber (to stave off hunger and constipation) and iron (to help prevent anemia). This healthy pregnancy meal incorporates almonds for crunch and heart-healthy unsaturated fat plus chewy dried figs for antioxidants and natural sweetness.

Kale salad with dried fruit & toasted almonds

Protein is a major cellular building block, supporting your baby's growth throughout pregnancy. Get a healthy dose from eggs, which offer about 12 grams of protein per serving of this frittata (about a fifth of your daily requirement). Another plus: Eggs are one of the best dietary sources of choline, which is crucial for early brain development.

A splash of milk and feta cheese supply calcium to this pregnancy recipe, which strengthens your and your baby's bones and teeth. Swiss chard adds a touch more calcium, plus vitamin C to boost your immune system.

Frittata with chard, red onion & feta

Get the health benefits of eggs (protein, choline, and more) in this healthy pregnancy meal. It also has eggplant and tomatoes – both excellent sources of potassium, which helps to maintain healthy blood pressure. In fact, research suggests that including more potassium-rich fruits and veggies in your diet is an important part of an overall healthy-living strategy to reduce the risk of preeclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy).

What's more, tomatoes are a good source of vitamin C, which not only boosts your immune system but helps your body to better absorb iron from plant foods like leafy greens. That's especially important during pregnancy, since your body needs iron to produce blood to supply your baby.

Ratatouille with baked eggs

Experts at the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommend eating two to three servings (about 8 to 12 ounces) a week of low-mercury fish during pregnancy. Fatty fish like salmon is a top pick, since it's an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids to support your baby's brain development.

Protein-rich lentils make this dish ultra-nutritious. This potent little legume serves up fiber (to keep you regular), folate (to protect against birth defects), potassium (to support healthy blood pressure) and iron (to help prevent iron-deficiency anemia).

Pan-seared salmon with lentils & leeks

Maxed out on salmon and tuna? Cod and other white fish can help you to reach the two to three servings of low-mercury fish recommended per week during pregnancy. While cod isn't as packed with brain-boosting omega 3 fatty acids as other types of fish, it does boast 17 grams of lean protein in a 3-ounce, 71-calorie serving.

A variety of veggies make this pregnancy recipe a nutritional powerhouse. Asparagus is an excellent source of folate – right up there with spinach – to help prevent birth defects of the brain and nervous system. And artichokes are packed with potassium for healthy blood pressure and fiber to help fight constipation.

Steamed cod with spring veggies

Chicken just might be your pregnancy protein of choice – for good reason. Served skinless, chicken breast is full of low-fat protein, at around 32 grams in a 3.5 ounce serving. It's also one of the best animal sources of potassium, to maintain healthy blood pressure, and iron, to support the extra oxygen-rich red blood cells you produce during pregnancy.

To spice things up, this pregnancy pesto recipe uses pumpkin seeds in place of the usual pine nuts or walnuts. Pumpkin seeds are one of the most potent natural sources of magnesium, which helps with blood sugar control and nerve functioning. If pregnancy is messing with your sleep, there is even some evidence that magnesium may help by regulating neurotransmitters that control sleep.

Grilled chicken with pumpkin-seed pesto

Shrimp are on the FDA's list of best low-mercury seafood to hit your two to three recommended servings per week during pregnancy. In a 3-ounce serving, shrimp offers 24 grams of protein plus plenty of blood-pressure promoting potassium.

Served on top of quinoa, this pregnancy recipe offers an extra dose of protein – a building block of every one of your baby's cells. In fact, quinoa is one of few plant sources of complete protein (meaning it contains all nine amino acids the body requires to build cells). A whole grain that's technically a seed, quinoa is another good source of (potentially) sleep-promoting magnesium as well as folate to help prevent neural tube defects in your baby.

Quinoa with shrimp, tomato & avocado

Chicken soup is an undeniable comfort food, and the farro in this healthy pregnancy recipe gives it a pleasantly nutty flavor. A traditional Italian grain, farro pairs perfectly with Italian-style cannellini beans, which are another nutrient-packed source of protein, fiber, and iron.

Shitake mushrooms make this pregnancy recipe extra good for you (and they create that savory, rich umami flavor). Those that are treated with UV lamps are a source of vitamin D (it will usually be noted on the package) to support immune and bone health.

Mushrooms are also a prebiotic, meaning they feed the healthy bacteria in your gut to boost your overall microbiome (the many essential microorganisms that impact your health and even your mood).

Chicken soup with farro & shiitake mushrooms

Besides being an excellent source of protein (at 22 grams in a 3-ounce serving) pork is an outstanding source of zinc. This essential mineral supports a baby's growth and development during pregnancy as well as your immune system, which is more susceptible to certain infections now that you're pregnant.

And while you're probably most familiar with the health benefits of whole grains like brown rice or whole wheat, barley is similarly a great source of fiber, to keep your digestive system moving, and magnesium, to potentially promote better sleep. This healthy pregnancy meal incorporates chickpeas for another dose of fiber, as well as folate (for healthy brain development) and plant protein (to build your baby's cells). Dried apricots and currants add a flash of sweet flavor plus nutrients and disease-fighting antioxidants.

Grilled pork tenderloin with barley & dried apricots

Beans, the magical fruit – and a fantastic vegetarian source of baby-building nutrients including folate, potassium, zinc, and iron. Their combination of fiber and protein also work together to help stave off pregnancy cravings.

This pregnancy recipe gets extra nutrition cred for the addition of sweet potatoes, which give you sustainable, fiber-rich energy to enhance the satisfaction factor. Like other orange fruits and veggies, sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C, which helps you to absorb the plant-based iron in beans while helping to build your baby's bones and muscles and support your immune system. Avocadoes are another superfood that serves up even more folate and fiber plus delicious unsaturated fat.

Black bean & sweet potato tacos with avocado

Looking to spice up mealtime? Curry, a spice blend with turmeric, chili peppers, and more, is loaded with antioxidants and health benefits for you and your baby. Research suggests that these spices may lower blood sugar, which is beneficial at any stage of life – but especially when you're pregnant.

And if you enjoy the flavor of curry, it's good to eat more of it now: Doing so may help encourage an adventurous eater later. Studies show that amniotic fluid is flavored with the foods in a mom's diet. Babies are introduced to these flavors during pregnancy every time they practice swallowing a mouthful of amniotic fluid. As they grow, they may be more likely to accept (and enjoy!) flavors they became familiar with in the womb. Try this recipe for a helping of nutrient-packed sweet potatoes, peppers, spinach, and chicken.

Yellow curry with chicken, spinach & butternut squash

It's possible to have a healthy vegetarian pregnancy with a little extra planning. Vegetarians and vegans need to focus on certain pregnancy-essential nutrients and vitamins that aren't always found in plant-based foods, including protein, iron, and calcium – all of which are found in tofu and other soy foods.

Even if you're not vegetarian, adding more plant-based meals to your diet has health benefits for you and your baby. Some research suggests that kids of moms who ate lots of plants during pregnancy are more likely to eat these healthy foods themselves many years later. This recipe bumps up the health factor with broccoli, snap peas, and brown rice.

Tofu, broccoli & sugar snap stir-fry

Fajitas are tasty way to add more iron-rich red meat and veggies to your diet. This recipe incorporates flank steak, a leaner cut with fewer calories and saturated fat as well as more protein than other red meats. It's grilled – a healthier cooking method that locks in a satisfying smoky flavor.

This pregnancy recipe includes a variety of other nutritious foods. Bell peppers are loaded with vitamin C, with helps with the absorption of iron to reduce the risk of anemia (which is more common during pregnancy). Nutrient-packed avocados are a great source of filling unsaturated fats, potassium, folate, magnesium, choline, and more. And whole-grain tortillas give you energy with a dose of constipation-fighting fiber.

Steak fajitas with peppers & onions

While it's perfectly healthy to reach for the whole-grain noodles throughout your pregnancy, incorporating veggie-based pasta into your routine helps satisfy pasta cravings and work in more veggies. In addition to whole-wheat pasta, this recipe uses sliced zucchini, an excellent source of vitamin A (as beta carotene) to support your baby's eye development.

A nut-based sauce gets bonus points for being both savory and nutrient-packed. It uses tahini (a sauce made from sesame seeds) and peanut butter, which both offer a dose of filling monounsaturated fats and fiber along with antioxidant-rich vitamin E.

Zucchini noodles with sesame sauce

It might not seem like a single vegetable could make a satisfying main dish, but roasted cauliflower deserves consideration in place of the usual steak or chicken. You may be surprised to find that its chewy texture compares to meat, and it's excellent at absorbing other flavors. This pregnancy recipe pairs it with a zesty Greek yogurt sauce for delicious Mediterranean flare.

Even better, cauliflower is a nutritional winner. It's an excellent source of vitamin C, to reinforce your immune system and help your body absorb iron to reduce the risk of anemia. It's also packed with choline, which supports your baby's brain development, along with folate, which helps prevent birth defects of the brain and spinal cord.

Roasted cauliflower steaks with herbed yogurt

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