POSTPARTUM FREEZER FOOD PREP

The breakdown:

•Butternut-mushroom bone broth soup
•Italian minestrone three bean soup
•Vegetarian chili with carrots, parsnips, and arugula
•Cooked grass fed ground beef + heart + liver
•Insta pot shredded organic free range chicken
•High protein chocolate chia pudding
•Deep chocolate banana muffins with chocolate chunks and raspberries (feeling like chocolate is going to be an important part of my postpartum. Ha!)
•Apple streusel muffins (these two muffin recipes have already been posted recently to my feed, so I won’t include them here)
•Protein + fiber + fat balls (for a quick and necessary nourishing snack while nursing)

**I tried to be very intentional about the ingredients in each of these to specifically nourish my body the way it will need postpartum + nursing (but they all can obviously be delicious + nutritious meals for the whole family whether or not you’re pregnant!). Lots of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. Mineral rich bone broth. Immuno-modulating mushrooms. And, of course, healthy treats!
**I froze each meal/snack in individual servings so they’re easy to take out the night before and thaw in the fridge.

-RECIPES-

Butternut-mushroom bone broth soup:

In a blender, add:
1 large (about 2 cups) cooked butternut squash flesh (I just stick the whole thing in the oven at 375°F until pierced easily with a fork, then pull it out, let it cool, cut in half and remove the seeds, then scoop out the flesh into your blender)
1 T medicinal mushroom powder from healthforce (this is a mix of about 10 different immuno-modulating mushrooms and it’s totally optional)
2 c organic grass fed bone broth
1/2 t sea salt
1/2 t black pepper
Dash of acv

-blend until smooth. I’ll probably eat with some sheep yogurt for added protein!
Makes 4-5 servings

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Italian minestrone three bean soup:

In a large pot on the stove, heat 3 tablespoons extra-virgin organic avocado oil. Add one chopped onion and sauté a few minutes. Then add:
3 c organic grass fed bone broth
2 c chopped carrots
2 c chopped celery
2 c chopped kohlrabi (or other root veg of choice)
3 c arugula or chopped kale
2 c whole cherry tomatoes
1 t sea salt
1 T fresh rosemary

Bring to a boil, then cover, turn the heat down and cook for one hour on low. Remove from heat and I stirred in six jars of Jovial beans—a mix of kidney, borlotti, and cannellini. I love these beans because they are packaged in glass and soaked + pressure cooked which greatly reduces the properties that can make it difficult for our bodies to digest them. I couldn’t really eat beans before trying these, but beans are sooo nutritious especially for growing tiny humans… so I’m grateful I found a way to consume them without them hurting my stomach!
Makes 8-10 servings

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Vegetarian chili with carrots, parsnips, and arugula:

In a large pot on the stove, heat 3 tablespoons extra-virgin organic avocado oil. Add one chopped onion and sauté a few minutes. Then add:
3 minced garlic cloves
2 c chopped carrots
2 c chopped parsnips
3 c arugula
2 c whole cherry tomatoes
3 c organic grass fed bone broth
2 t sea salt
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
1 t smoked paprika
1 t coriander

Bring to a boil, then cover, turn heat down and cook for one hour on low. Remove from heat and I stirred in six jars of Jovial beans—a mix of kidney, borlotti, and cannellini.
(See note from previous recipe)
I will be enjoying this with plain yogurt, fresh cilantro, green onions, and my favorite healthy tortilla chips!
Makes 8-10 servings

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(for my meats, I just cooked up a bunch of organic + grass fed meats and froze them in individual portions that I can pull out and put in soups/salads etc. when I need extra protein)

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Single serving protein chia pudding:

(I made 4 of these to freeze in individual servings)

In a bowl, mix 3 T chia seeds with 1/2 c milk of choice (I used flax milk). Then whisk in 1/4 c protein powder (I used chocolate Just Ingredients protein powder), dash of cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom, and a few drops of stevia to taste.
Mix well and let sit covered overnight in fridge.
For breakfast the next day, mix it all up one more time and eat with your favorite yogurt, berries, tahini, and cacao nibs. 

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Protein + fiber + fat balls:

In a large food processor add:
2 c organic chocolate protein powder (I used a mix of Just ingredients chocolate and Further Foods chocolate collagen! If chocolate isn’t your thing, vanilla would be delicious too!)
1/2 c raw organic tahini
Few drops of vanilla stevia
2 c unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 c organic brazil nuts
1/2 c chia seeds

-blend/pulse until it all comes together well. Roll into balls and set on a parchment-lined tray. Sprinkle with flaked sea salt and set in freezer or fridge overnight. Store chilled/frozen. 

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