Sesame and Parmesan Kale Crisps
Sweet and Salty Munchy Seeds and Nuts
During your pregnancy, especially in the first and third trimesters, it’s quite likely that you will only want to eat little and often. In the first trimester, small meals and snacks will help to regulate your blood-sugar levels and hopefully keep morning sickness at bay. In the third trimester, because baby is taking up so much space in your abdomen, your stomach doesn’t have enough room to accommodate large meals. Heartburn can also make big meals hard to manage in one sitting.
Some women also find that they seem to be permanently hungry during their pregnancy, and it’s easy to be tempted into eating unhealthy snacks like sugary and fatty cakes and biscuits between meals. These will not only cause big sugar peaks and dips, which can lead to you feeling lethargic and sluggish, but your digestion will also suffer from lack of fibre and excess sugar and salt. Although we all need a treat now and then, it’s a good idea to try to make them healthy whenever you can.
The snacks in this chapter are perfectly suited to the little-and-often approach. They are great if you are heading out on a commute and fear that sickness may strike, or have a long day head and need some homemade treats in your handbag. Many of these snacks can be prepared a week or so in advance and kept in the cupboard, so you can feel confident that you are giving your baby much-needed nutrients as well as satisfying your hunger. Of course, these snacks can also be enjoyed before pregnancy, when preparing your body for the possibility of carrying a baby, and also after the birth, when your mealtimes might be a bit erratic and you need to keep tiredness and hunger in check. Rich in vital vitamins and minerals, these recipes are designed to give you a boost of energy and a proper dose of the real ‘good stuff’ to prepare, nourish and recharge you for the days, weeks and months ahead.
While pregnant you may find that you have a constant need to nibble due to that rapidly growing baby, or maybe you feel sick quite a lot of the time and don’t fancy anything big to eat at all. Whichever of those camps you fall into, or if you are somewhere in the middle, this chapter is going to be an important one. Here are some more top snacking tips:
Healthy snacking can help control blood-sugar levels. Snacking on healthy treats will help stabilise your blood sugars and keep you on a level keel, preventing those peaks and crashes.
Morning sickness can hit at any time throughout pregnancy, especially during the first trimester. By avoiding letting yourself get too hungry, you can help prevent those intense periods of sickness.
Try eating a few snacks first thing in the morning, about 15 minutes before getting up. This may help take the edge of the sickness and give you time to get ready before you eat a proper breakfast.
Have a few homemade snacks in your handbag for your journey to work, just in case you get a bout of sickness or pang of hunger on the commute.
Research also suggests that counting while chewing or sucking can help take your mind off feeling sick. Try this with an oat cake or even some peppermint chewing gum.
Stay well hydrated at all times – sometimes hunger is mistaken for thirst.
These are quick to make and are guaranteed to taste much better than any that you might find in a shop. In all honesty, these apple crisps aren’t bursting with goodness, except for being a very good source of vitamin C and fibre, but they are much healthier than any processed snack you might crave, are cheap to prepare and are really delicious for the whole family.
PREP TIME 15 MINUTES • COOK TIME 30 MINUTES • MAKES 4 PORTIONS
4 apples
4 tbsp runny honey
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 Preheat the oven to 160°C and line 2–3 baking trays with parchment. (Do not use the fan setting or else the chips will blow around in the oven.)
2 Slice the apples as thinly as you can, either using a mandolin (being very careful, as the blade is very sharp) or a sharp knife, leaving the skin on. Lay the apple slices on the prepared baking trays, making sure they are not touching.
3 Heat the honey and cinnamon in a small saucepan until very runny. Brush each apple slice with a little of the honey and cinnamon mixture, then bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the trays from the oven, turn over the slices and brush them with the remaining honey. Return to the oven for a further 15 minutes. You may want to switch the trays around to ensure even cooking.
4 Once the apple crisps are slightly golden and firm to the touch, remove them from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack. They can be stored in an airtight container for 2–3 days, ready for instant snacking.
Kale crisps really do satisfy that urge to eat something crunchy and a little salty, which is of course the main reason most of us head for the crisp packet. I can promise you that the second you open your homemade packet at work, your colleagues will flock, both out of curiosity and because they will wish they had made a batch for themselves, so feel free to share the recipe.
Once made into crisps, the kale retains a nice amount of iron and folate, and will also add fibre to your diet.
PREP TIME 10 MINUTES • COOK TIME 15–20 MINUTES • MAKES 4–5 PORTIONS
1 large bunch of curly kale
3–4 tbsp rapeseed oil
2 tsp sesame seeds (black and white)
20g Parmesan cheese, grated
1–2 tsp ground cumin or smoked paprika (optional)
1 Preheat the oven to 140°C and line 2–3 baking trays with parchment. (Do not use the fan setting or else the chips will blow around in the oven.)
2 Prepare the kale by tearing or cutting the curly leaves away from the woody stalks. Cut each leaf into bite-sized pieces, about 5–6cm each.
3 Place the leaves in a bowl and drizzle over the oil, then add the sesame seeds and Parmesan cheese, and mix well. Lay the coated kale on the prepared baking trays, separating the leaves out as much as possible, and sprinkle over the sesame seeds and Parmesan left in the bowl. Ground cumin or smoked paprika also makes a great addition at this stage.
4 Bake in the oven for 15–20 minutes, turning the kale once during cooking and swapping the trays around to ensure even cooking. Once the kale has dried out and gone crispy, remove from the oven and leave to cool completely before storing. I prefer to store the crisps in small portions in sandwich bags, ready to eat as and when. This tasty snack will stay crisp and last for up to 1 week in an airtight container.
I know you can buy oatcakes in the supermarket, but once you have made these, you won’t want to buy them ever again. The beauty of making your own oatcakes is knowing exactly what has gone into them, ensuring you have complete control over what you and your baby are eating. I have chosen fennel seeds and flaxseed to flavour these oatcakes, to aid digestion and boost omega-3 levels.
PREP TIME 15 MINUTES • COOK TIME 25 MINUTES • MAKES 16
225g rolled porridge oats
75g wholemeal flour, plus extra for rolling
2 tbsp milled flaxseed
1½ tsp fennel seeds, crushed or gently chopped
70g cold butter, cut into small cubes, plus extra for greasing
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
80–100ml just-boiled water
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C). Mix the oats with the flour, flaxseed and fennel seeds in a large bowl. Add the butter and, using your fingers, rub into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the bicarbonate of soda and slowly add the hot water. Mix to form a dough – you may not need all the water.
2 Dust your work surface generously with flour and turn out the dough. Lightly knead it into a ball. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to a thickness of ½cm. Using a 5–6cm cutter, cut out as many oatcakes as you can. Reroll the excess and cut out more if there is lots of dough left over.
3 Lightly butter a non-stick baking tray and carefully lift the oatcakes onto it. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes, until golden. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack before storing in an airtight container, ready for serving or snacking as and when you wish. They will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
My handbag is still scattered with the remains of these tasty treats. They are so moreish and really help to keep the sickness at bay during the first trimester. They are also great to have as a little pick-me-up throughout pregnancy and contain lots of the essential vitamins and minerals that you and your baby need. They are also very good after birth and during preconception as a healthy snack. You can buy similar snacks, but it’s so much cheaper to make your own. Fill 5–6 sandwich bags with individual portions and have them ready to go, as and when you need them. Just remember to seal the bag… I didn’t!
PREP TIME 5 MINUTES • COOK TIME 15 MINUTES • MAKES 5 × 100G BAGS
2 free-range egg whites
1½ tbsp runny honey
100g whole almonds
75g macadamia nuts
100g whole walnuts
100g whole pecans
50g pumpkin seeds
25g sesame seeds
50g sunflower seeds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp flaked sea salt
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C) and line a baking tray with parchment.
2 Mix the egg whites with the honey. Pour all the nuts and seeds into a large bowl and pour over the egg white and honey mixture. Stir well, coating all the nuts and seeds, before adding the spices and salt. Mix again.
3 Spoon the mixture evenly onto the prepared baking tray, making sure it is well spread out.
4 Bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes until slightly toasted and well dried out.
5 Leave to cool before storing in labelled sandwich bags.
Carrots are naturally sweet, and therefore so is this bread, which is the perfect snack to have in between meals. A couple of slices of this will see you through to dinnertime while ensuring you are getting lots of fibre, goodness from the seeds and nuts, and a little sugar lift from the sweetness in the carrots and honey.
PREP TIME 15 MINUTES • COOK TIME 45 MINUTES • MAKES 1 LOAF
75ml rapeseed oil, plus extra for greasing
250g spelt flour
100g walnuts
1 tsp caraway seeds
½ tsp mixed spice
2 heaped tsp baking powder
75ml almond milk
100g carrot, peeled and grated
4 tbsp runny honey
pinch of salt
75g sunflower seeds
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C) and grease a 750g non-stick loaf tin.
2 Place the flour, walnuts and caraway seeds in a food processor, and pulse for 2–3 minutes to form a rough powder. Add the remaining ingredients, except the sunflower seeds, and blend until the mixture is well combined. Fold in half the sunflower seeds.
3 Tip into the prepared tin and sprinkle with the remaining sunflower seeds. Bake for 45 minutes until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre of the bread comes out clean.
4 Remove the loaf from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack before storing in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
The ultimate storecupboard snack. I love these with my Avocado and Cumin Dip (here), dipped into Sumac and Tahini Hummus (here), layered with a chunk of cheese and some pickle, or simply on their own. Make a batch for whenever you need a quick snack. (See the photograph here).
PREP TIME 10 MINUTES • COOK TIME 15–20 MINUTES • MAKES 12–14
225g buckwheat flour
225g wholemeal flour
75g sunflower seeds
75g pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp milled flaxseed
2 tbsp sesame seeds
75g pinhead or rolled oats
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp salt
150ml extra virgin rapeseed or olive oil
FOR THE TOPPING
50g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
2 tbsp poppy seeds
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C) and cut 2 pieces of parchment the same size as a large flat baking tray.
2 Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl, then make a well in the centre and add the oil, followed by 120ml cold water. Mix with your fingertips to form a dough. Slowly add up to a further 120ml cold water until the dough is firm but not sticky – you may not need all the water. Form the dough into a ball.
3 Place the ball onto one piece of parchment and lay the second piece on top. Using the heel of your hand, flatten the dough before using a rolling pin to roll it out to the same size as your baking tray. It should be about ½cm thick.
4 Lift the parchment with the rolled dough onto the baking tray, remove the top sheet of parchment and sprinkle over the Parmesan and poppy seeds. Bake for 15–20 minutes until the dough goes hard and golden brown. Turn the tray around halfway through cooking to ensure even cooking.
5 Once cooked, remove the tray from the oven and peel off the parchment from underneath the crispbread. Use a large sharp knife – or snap the crispbread with your hands for a more rustic effect – into your desired shapes and sizes. I like random shapes, some big and some small. Leave to cool on a wire rack before storing in an airtight container or sandwich bags for up to 1 week.
This dip is multi-functional – it’s great on its own, served with crispy snacks and crudités, but it will also work in the Ultimate Chicken and Avocado Burger (see here), spooned into Blackened Fish with Guacamole and Black-eyed Bean Tacos (see here), or with anything that needs a little greenery and something moist. (See the photograph here.)
PREP TIME 10 MINUTES • MAKES 4 PORTIONS
1 large ripe avocado
1 tsp ground cumin, plus extra to serve
15g fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
zest and juice of 2 limes
2–3 tbsp extra virgin rapeseed oil, olive oil or avocado oil, plus extra to serve
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Cut the avocado in half and remove the stone. Scoop the flesh into a food processor along with all the other ingredients. Blend until completely smooth and season with a little salt and pepper.
2 Pour into a small airtight container and cover with a sheet of cling film to prevent it oxidising before placing on the lid, ready to eat as and when you wish. The dip with keep for 2–3 days in the fridge if stored correctly.
3 If serving in a bowl, sprinkle the top with a little more cumin and a drizzle of oil before serving.
The hazelnuts in this vibrant dip not only add a natural creaminess but also a lovely dose of vitamin E, great for healthy skin and reducing the risk of developing stretch marks. (See the photograph here.)
PREP TIME 10 MINUTES • MAKES 1 LARGE TUB
300g cooked, unpickled beetroot
100g hazelnuts, skins on, toasted
zest of 1 large orange
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp natural yogurt
3 tbsp extra virgin rapeseed, olive oil or flaxseed oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Blitz all the ingredients in a large blender or food processor until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, and serve, or place in a sealed airtight container and eat as and when you wish. This dip will keep for 2–3 days in the fridge.
Tahini is the sesame seed paste that gives hummus its distinctive flavour. I like to use a lot of it here. Not only does it enhance the taste, but it also contains vitamin E, calcium and folate. Vitamin E is great for supple skin, helping prevent stretch marks. Calcium is needed for healthy bones and folate will help with fatigue. (See the photograph here.)
PREP TIME 10 MINUTES • MAKES 1 LARGE TUB
1 × 400g tin chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1–2 garlic cloves, peeled and grated
2 tbsp tahini paste
zest and juice of 1 lemon
6 tbsp extra virgin rapeseed or olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
3 tsp sumac, plus extra to sprinkle
pinch of ground cumin
salt
1 Place all the ingredients with a pinch of salt in a blender and blitz to form a smooth paste. This will take about 3 minutes. Once blended, taste for seasoning; you may feel it needs a little more lemon. If you think it should be a little looser, add a little more oil and blend again.
2 Transfer the hummus to an airtight container, sprinkle with a little more sumac and a drizzle of oil, and store in the fridge until you fancy a snack – it will keep for 2–3 days.
Nut butters are extremely easy to make. You can, of course, buy them in supermarkets or health-food shops, but I find that I quite regularly have half a bag of nuts in my cupboard and as they tend to go off quite quickly, I make them into nut butter, which I can then spread on toast or breakfast loaf in the morning, or stir through my porridge. Nut butters are also great added to homemade pesto and stirred through pasta.
Nuts are a key part of our diets, especially while pregnant, as they are rich in essential fats and nutrients.
PREP TIME 10 MINUTES • MAKES 300G
300g raw almonds, cashews, hazelnuts or Brazil nuts
1 tbsp runny honey
Blend the nuts in a food processor for 2 minutes, then scrape down the sides and add the honey. Blend in 2-minute bursts until completely smooth. This will take about 10 minutes. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and use within 3–4 days.
