Superslaw for your healthy pregnancy diet | FittaMamma recipes (2024)

New Ambassador Jill Greenwood runs Kettlebell Warriors in Cheshire, using a strength based approach to pregnancy and postnatal fitness based primarily around kettlebells.

She’s also the author of ‘Superslaw’ a recipe book packed with nutritious recipes whizzed and chopped in a food processor.

Whilst not specifically for expectant Mums, these nutrient-rich veg-based recipes are ideal meals for pregnant women, easy to prepare, boosting your energy and just what you need to help you recover after your pregnancy exercise session. Enjoy a choice of Jill’s favourite pregnancy-friendly recipes…

Go-Go Greens

Japanese mustard spinach (komatsuna) is similar to (standard) spinach with a slightly less bitter taste. If you can’t find this easily, just add in a little extra spinach or even a few handfuls of kale. Spinach is a great source of folic acidwhich isessential to include in your healthy pregnancy diet as it can help prevent neural tube birth defects such as spina bifida.Go-Go Greens provides an awesome green base for many other meals. Recipe makes four large portions.

Ingredients:

• 150g spinach
• 1 large handful of basil
• 200g Japanese mustard spinach
  (if not easily available, increase the amount ofstandard spinach instead)
• 1 bag (150g) of sugar snap peas
• 12 stalks of celery
• 12 radishes, topped and tailed
• 16 small green olives
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 3–4 tablespoons olive oil
• Himalayan pink sea salt

Method:

1. Place the central chopping attachment into the main bowl of the food processor and add in the spinach, basil and mustard spinach. Pulse until chopped. This will take seconds and will quickly become very fine. Tip into a waiting bowl.
2. Add the sugar snap peas and celery into the food processor and repeat until chopped more coarsely. Add to the mix.
3. You can chop the radishes and olives by hand into very small pieces or add to the food processor to chop, then mix in with the other vegetables.
4. Place the vinegars, olive oil and sea salt into a jam jar. Place the lid on and shake vigorously. Pour over the slaw and mix well.

Jill’s tip to morph your slaw into a simple supper:
Whisk leftover slaw with 3 eggs and a handful of crumbled feta cheese. Fry in a shallow based pan in a little oil until cooked through. Place under a medium grill for a few minutes until golden brown.

Hummus Slaw

Readily available (or follow the FittaMamma recipe to make your own) hummus is a great standby food for pregnant women – it’s an easy way to add some protein and good fats to dishes. The pungent flavour of cumin works well with tahini and chickpeas. In the Middle Ages, cumin seed was thought to enhance love and fidelity, so it is said to have been carried by wedding guests as a sign of luck.Recipe makes 4 large portions

Ingredients:

• 1 broccoli, cut into quarters
• 2 courgettes
• 6 olives (black or purple)
• 3 carrots
• 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons hummus
• 4 tablespoons cider vinegar
• . teaspoon ground cumin
• Sea salt

Method:

1. Place the central chopping attachment into the bowl of the processor.
2. Place the broccoli in the bowl and replace the lid. Pulse until thickly chopped, then tip into a waiting bowl.
3. Add the courgettes and olives and pulse until small chunky pieces before adding to the broccoli in the bowl.
4. Next, change your chopping tool to the flat ‘chopper’ blade. If you prefer, you can chop by hand, grater or a spiralizer for a lovely ribbon effect. Feed the carrots into the opening at the top while turning the food processor on until thinly sliced. Add to the mix.
5. Put the mustard, olive oil, hummus and vinegar into an empty jam jar. Place the lid on and shake vigorously. This will be a thick consistency – if you need to thin it, add a little more vinegar.
6. Pour over the slaw and mix well. Sprinkle with the cumin and sea salt.

Jill’s tip to morph your slaw to add extra protein to this pregnancy-friendly dish:

1. Pan-fry cubed chicken pieces for 5–7 minutes, or skewer the meat and grill for 8 minutes.
2. Pile the slaw and chicken on to a flat bread.
3. Top with natural yoghurt and a sprinkle of cumin.