Yes, it can be stressful to figure out what the heck you should eat to support a healthy conception, pregnancy and postpartum transition, but I’m here to help you alleviate some of that burden by offering up somesimple recipe ideasthat taste good, make you feel even better, AND can help your baby thrive!
Enter in this fertility-boosting + healthy pregnancy & postpartum-supporting cherry chia pudding parfait, which is seasonal, super easy to make, loaded with nutrients and tastes like dessert.
Because let’s be real, whether you’re trying to get pregnant, in the midst of first-trimester nausea, or a new nursing/STARVING mom, ain’t nobody got time for super complex recipes or nutrient-dense foods you’ll probably just throw up because the nausea is real.
Not only do I recommend this recipe to clients, but I relied on it myself throughout my own pregnancy journey. While everyone’s tastes and cravings are totally different, if you were inclined to sweet things (me!) and basically want to eat ALL the summer fruit (me!me!) then I think you’ll be a fan of this recipe.
And if you’re not anywhere in the realm of conception, pregnancy, or postpartum, you can still enjoy this easy breakfast/dessert/snack idea as a healthy and delicious way to balance blood sugar, reduce cravings and increase your intake of health-boosting nutrients.
See below for the details on these fertility-boosting ingredients as well as the recipe. If you love it don’t forget to share with any potential or new mamas in your life that could use a little feel-good boost.
FERTILITY-BOOSTING INGREDIENTS
+ Coconut
Healthy, quality fat (particularly saturated fat) contributes to healthy levels of cholesterol, and cholesterol is necessary to make sex hormones (estrogen, testosterone and progesterone). Consuming quality fat helps to balance hormones and improve fertility and conception odds, as well as to help your babies brains fully develop.
+ Chia Seeds
These nutrient-dense seeds pack a huge healthy conception, pregnancy + postpartum punch. They’re rich in omega-3 fatty acids (which help to support a healthy thyroid), fiber (helps to eliminate excess estrogen that can throw your progesterone out of balance) and antioxidants (help to neutralize disease-causing free radicals that can place a toxic load on your liver and damage thyroid-function).
They also have the awesome ability to absorb liquid and create a gel-like substance, which works well as a yogurt bowl or pudding replacement.
+ Organic Cherries
Cherries are abundant in powerful antioxidants, primarily anthocyanins, which have more of an anti-inflammatory effect than aspirin (pro-tip: try some tart cherry juice next time you have a headache!) They’re also rich in vitamin-C, which helps increase progesterone production, ensuring your uterine-lining is thick enough for a healthy implantation.
Cherries are also loaded in potassium, which is particularly beneficial during pregnancy as this mineral helps to keep your fluid and chemical balance while your blood volume expands.
Lastly, cherries contain high levels of phytochemicals including melatonin, a hormone made by the pineal gland that helps to control sleep and wake cycles and increase deep, restorative sleep. Lack of sleep can lead to a variety of health issues including increased insulin resistance and hormonal imbalances.
BOTTOMLINE —
Our bodies are made up of trillions of cells. These cells are constantly dividing and making new cells daily, and the food we eat is majorly responsible for the quality of these cells. This is amazing because it means we have a lot more control over our health then what we’re lead to believe, as well as the genetic code of a future baby.
To make the chia seed pudding base, whisk together coconut milk, vanilla, almond butter, maple syrup and sea salt together in a bowl until well combined (along with any other flavor add-in’s you want to use). Once combined, stir in the chia seeds, until everything is well mixed.
Keep bowl in the fridge to chill and harden. This will take a minimum of 2 hours but for best results do so overnight.
While your chia is gelling, add your pitted cherries, coconut sugar and cinnamon sticks to a stovetop pot and heat on high until bubbling. Once bubbling, turn down to simmer for 10-20 minutes until thickened (should be a compote/almost jam-like consistency).
Remove the cinnamon sticks and set aside to cool.
When ready to eat, scoop out ¼-½ cup of chia mixture, dollop with cherry compote and add desired toppings.
[…] + Fertility-Boosting Cherry Chia Pudding Parfait […]