Pregnancy diet is all about combining nutrition-packed foods with palatable choices for optimal well-being of moms-to-be and the unborn child. Pregnancy is a crucial phase that requires careful planning of meals rich in essential nutrients that support overall growth and development of the baby. However, it happens many a time, that expecting mothers may crave for delicious and comforting foods during this time. Taste and nutrition can easily come together with some planning and very little effort. Green leafy vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, omega-3 fatty acids, citrus fruits are some of the diet elements that can nourish the body and keep pregnancy complications at bay. If having plain veggies, roti and rice seem a bit boring and unimaginative, you can note down these creative and healthy recipes during pregnancy. (Also read: Can taking paracetamol during pregnancy affect your kid's language skills? What a study says)

Vyuhitha Motupalli, Executive Nutritionist, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Bengaluru, Electronic City Unit shares three tasty and healthy recipes for to-be-mommies.

1. Protein-packed spinach avocado omelette

Ingredients

Eggs - 2-3

Baby spinach - 1/2 cup of washed and chopped

Avocado - 1/2 cup finely chopped/grated

Pepper – as per taste

Salt – as per taste

Olive Oil - 2 tbs

Roasted black sesame seeds - 1/2 tsp

Roasted walnuts finely chopped -1 tbs

Parsley – few finely chopped

Method

• Add a little oil to the pan and add the spinach. Sauté it and add a bit of salt; keep it aside.
• Beat the eggs along with salt and pepper as per taste, then add sautéed spinach and mix well.
• Oil the pan and once it is hot, pour the egg mixture. Cook well on both the sides and add the chopped or grated avocado. Thereafter, sprinkle the roasted sesame seeds along with walnuts on top and fold the omelette. Let it cook for just a few minutes on both the sides.
• Plate it out and garnish with Parsley. Enjoy protein-packed iron-rich breakfast, as it is, or have it along with multigrain bread toast for a healthy start to your day.

2. Chia Pom-Cran Delight

Ingredients

Coconut water - 1/2 cup

Pomegranate juice - 1/2 cup

Cranberry juice - 1/2 cup

Soaked Chia seed - 2 tbs

Honey – to adjust the taste

Mint - 4-5 leaves to serve

Method

• Mix all the mentioned ingredients together in a tall glass.
• Add chia seeds, and a bit of honey as per the desired sweetness. Serve with mint leaves on top. Enjoy refreshing and nutritious Vitamin C, Omega 3 FFA and iron-rich drink.

3. ABC Soup (Almond Broken Wheat Chicken)

Ingredients

Chicken (lean) broth - 2 cups

Chopped veggies - 1 cup (beans, potato carrots, peas, sweet corn)

Cooked broken wheat - 1/2 cup

Chopped ginger and garlic - 1/2 tsp

Chopped almonds and walnuts - 2 tbs

Almond butter - 1 tbs

Spices and herbs as per choice

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

• In a pot, gently warm chicken broth with spices.
• Add chopped veggies and pre-cooked broken wheat.
• Add ginger, garlic, salt, and pepper. Simmer until veggies are cooked.
• Take a small bowl and add the almond butter. Pour a ladleful of the hot broth from the pot and mix well until the almond butter is consistent and smooth.
• Pour the nut mixture back to the main soup pot and keep stirring well until it combines. Simmer the soup for an additional 5-10 minutes to allow the flavours to meld well. Once done, serve hot, and sprinkle chopped nuts on it.
• Relish the protein-packed chicken almond soup for the dinner.