Being a new mom, mom of many or even a mother to older children can be hard and energy depleting. As for being a new mom, this may be the first time in your life that you have felt such fatigue and carried a few extra pounds. This is a common scenario for new moms and all moms alike. Looking after yourself like before your baby arrived is a task in itself on top of the new challenges of having your little one. Although there are no super foods, supplements or magic formula to make up for the lack of sleep, there are some key nutrients and simple nutrient dense foods that can help you recover from birth and keep up with the demands of being a mom. As the old saying goes, you can’t help others if you don’t help yourself first. This totally applies when you are a mom.
Boosting energy and balancing weight go hand in hand. Once you start to feel more balanced throughout the day, you will find that your weight will start to balance out and your energy will go up.
Because moms are so busy, sometimes their attention to diet goes by the wayside and the ‘carbohydrate roller-coaster’ starts. You need things that are fast to eat, grab on the go and will make you feel better FAST! Falling into the trap of coffee, chocolate, sweets, and bread to keep you going is not helping the situation, in fact, it makes things worse.
Also, making meals that are fast, nutrient dense, affordable and delicious can be hard to come by and most times we grab foods that might not be the healthiest choices.
Where do you start?
Look at making one pot meals, and make sure they include many vegetables, a healthy protein and lots of flavor.
Look at making one pot meals, and make sure they include many vegetables, a healthy protein and lots of flavor.
This recipe, one of my family’s favorites, is healthy, yummy and easy.
So what are kelp noodles?
Kelp noodles are a fantastic way to get micro nutrients and minerals into your meal. You will not feel bloated like you might after having pasta noddles and there is no cooking involved. Kelp noodles are pretty easy to find (you can find them online, health food stores and at Asian grocery stores. At only 20 calories per serving, kelp noodles are a low calorie, raw substitute for pasta. Kelp noodles are made from kelp (a brown seaweed), sodium alginate (a salt derived from seaweed), and water. Kelp is an edible seaweed high in nutrients. High in iodine, kelp also contains over 70 minerals, trace elements, enzymes, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and 21 amino acids.
Kelp and other Sea Veggies…
– reduce blood cholesterol
– remove metallic and radioactive elements from the body (great for chemo)
– prevent goiter (enlarged thyroid condition)
– have antibiotic properties
– strengthen bones, teeth and nerve transmission
– help digestion
– soften hard masses in tumors
– used as a beauty aid – helping to maintain glowing, healthy skin and lustrous hair
* may give you super mom powers (not guaranteed)
Not all kelp is raw so you want to make sure that either the package is labeled raw or check with the manufacturer.
Kelp noodles can be used right out of the bag. Just rinse under water, pat dry and incorporate with your favourite sauces or stir fry. They really have no taste so they pick up the flavour of whatever they are mixed with. The texture is mildly crunchy but surprisingly like an al dente pasta.
Kelp Noodle, Chicken & Vegetable Stir Fry
12 ounces Kelp Noodles (small bag)
1 ½ cup of cooked chicken
½ cup onion
½ cup organic frozen corn
½ cup carrots
½ cup red bell pepper
½ cup mushrooms
½ cup broccoli
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
2 Tbsp (or to taste) Wheat Free Organic Tamari
1 Tbsp maple syrup
½ cup vegetable or bone broth or water
small handful of parsley to garnish
Sautee the garlic in the olive oil. Add the vegetables and sautee until cooked. Add the rinsed Kelp Noodles along with the Tamari, maple syrup, and broth and mix. Sautee until the noodles have softened. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Our amazing food blogger is Kimberly Ignas from Appreciating Health, a Holistic Nutritionist with a specialty in pregnancy, postpartum, and family health. She is happiest helping mothers and their little ones live a healthy and vibrant whole food lifestyle!
