If you feel called to make any of these for Gwen, they are super nourishing to new moms. Also equally appreciated is produce, frozen breakfast burritos, or easy to eat/reheat foods.
Here are the Recipes:
BEEF BONE BROTH
THIS IS A WONDERFULLY EARTHY and warming food that requires zero finesse to make. Just handling the ingredients—roughly chopped vegetables, meaty bones that are briefly roasted to boost the flavor, and a dash of vinegar to pull minerals into the liquid—feels primal and earthy. And a mug of broth might just be the perfect food as you shush your little one to sleep; it will keep you going for a couple of hours as its goodness seeps right into your bones.
Makes 2 quarts (2 L) or 6–8 servings
4 pounds (1.8 kg) beef bones (short ribs, marrow, neck, joints, whatever you can get)
1 white or yellow onion, halved
2-inch (5-cm) knob of fresh ginger, unpeeled, halved
2 leeks, white parts only, roughly chopped
3 large carrots, unpeeled, sliced into thick rounds
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon whole cloves (optional)
½ teaspoon star anise (optional)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Place the bones in a large roasting pan (or, if it’s ovenproof, in the stockpot that you’ll use to cook them on the stove). To save time, add the onions and ginger with the bones so they begin caramelizing as well. (This will give the broth a rich flavor.) Roast for about 30 minutes, or until the bones are brown and crackly and juice has started to collect on the bottom of the pan.
If you used a roasting pan, let the bones cool slightly, then transfer them to a stockpot. Or if you’re using the same pot, add 3 quarts (2.8 L) water, or enough to cover the bones with the roasted onion and ginger by about 1 inch (2.5 cm). Add the leeks, carrots, vinegar, and, if using, the cloves and star anise.
Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off any foam that rises to the top, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 to 4 hours, covered, checking every so often to skim off any additional foam. The broth is done when it delivers an appealing earthy flavor.
Remove from the heat, strain, and season with salt and pepper to taste, reserving the bones to make more broth later or immediately add more water and boil the bones again. Drink warm or pour into glass mason jars and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. (Remember this homemade broth can be used as a component in other recipes—soups, stews, congees—over the next several days.) Or, fill glass mason jars (see this page), zip-tight plastic bags, or muffin tins (for convenient individual servings) and freeze up to 3 months.
SHIITAKE IMMUNE-BOOST BROTH
WITH A NEWBORN NEEDING ALL your attention and care, it’s more important than ever to protect yourself from colds and keep your immune system strong. This meat-free broth benefits from the immune-boosting power of mushrooms—long revered in Chinese medicine as a powerful medicinal food. Rich in B vitamins and minerals, they seduce the senses with a smoky flavor. Shiitake broth can go head to head with beef broth in taste. With its satisfying, savory tang, it’s like the Portobello burger to a carnivore’s hamburger.
Makes 2 quarts (2 L) or 6–8 servings
1 white or yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 leeks, green parts discarded, white part roughly chopped into coin shapes
2 tablespoons olive oil or a cooking oil like avocado or coconut oil or grass-fed butter
Sea salt
2 cups (85 g) fresh shiitake mushrooms, or 1 cup (35 g) dried
½ cup (20 g) dried reishi mushrooms (optional)
1 cup (60 g) cremini or white button mushrooms
2 strips kombu (helps with digestion and flavor)
2 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
4 medium tomatoes, halved, with seeds is fine
3 whole cloves garlic, peeled
1-inch (2.5-cm) knob of fresh turmeric, unpeeled, halved
2 cups (140 g) roughly chopped green cabbage
1 loosely packed cup (50 g) roughly chopped parsley
2 tablespoons lemon zest
In a medium pot over medium heat, brown the onions and leeks in the oil with a pinch of sea salt to help the browning.
Quickly rinse the shiitake, reishi (if using), and cremini mushrooms and kombu under running water. Add all the mushrooms, kombu, carrots, tomatoes, garlic, and turmeric to the pot, along with 3 quarts (2.8 L) water, or enough water to cover the veggies by at least 1 inch (2.5 cm). Cook for 1 hour over medium-low heat, covered. During the last 20 minutes, add the cabbage, parsley, and lemon zest.
Season the broth to taste with salt. Remove from heat and strain.
Store in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze in zip-tight plastic bags or glass mason jars (see this page) for up to 3 months.
QUINOA, LENTILS & GREENS SOUP
SOME TRADITIONAL POSTPARTUM SOUPS ARE elaborate concoctions requiring many steps and rare ingredients. This soup is the opposite: a super-simple meal made from basic pantry ingredients that’s impossible to get wrong. The spices and flavorings can be intensified as you like. Adding nutritional yeast will give you a boost of B vitamins plus the addictive savory taste known as “umami.”
Serves 8
¾ cup (85 g) peeled and roughly chopped white or yellow onion
3 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil
Sea salt
2 quarts (2 L) homemade broth (see this page) or use store-bought
2 tablespoons ground cumin
4 medium carrots, peeled, quartered, and cut into small cubes
2 cups (400 g) green lentils
1½ cups (255 g) quinoa
3 cups (195 g) roughly chopped curly kale (stems included)
1 tablespoon soy sauce, tamari, or Bragg Liquid Aminos
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
In a medium pot over medium heat, sauté the onions in the oil with a pinch of salt until they brown on the edges and are tender.
Add the broth, cumin, carrots, and lentils, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, 30 to 40 minutes, or until the carrots and lentils have begun to soften.
Add the quinoa and kale, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for another 15 minutes, covered, until the quinoa is cooked and the kale is tender.
Remove from heat, season with the soy sauce and the nutritional yeast, if using, and stir in a pinch of salt, or season to taste.
Serve warm. Store leftovers in a glass storage container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. This soup also freezes well for up to 3 months, portioned into zip-tight plastic bags or glass mason jars
CHICKEN, RED DATES & GINGER SOUP
THIS TWIST ON A CLASSIC “first food” for mom may sound strange. Dried fruit in chicken soup, you ask? But go with it: Chinese red dates—also known as jujubes, available at Chinese markets or online—plus ruby-colored goji berries is a time-tested combo used to boost circulation and enhance inner warmth. Your eyes will delight at the look of these little gems in your soup bowl. Your taste buds will love the subtle touch of sweetness against the savory chicken. I recommend making every effort to use Chinese red dates, which bestow amazing postpartum health benefits, as they are not difficult to find online or in local Asian markets. Medjool dates are okay in a pinch but they do not have the same medicinal effects.
Serves 6–8
2–2½ pounds (1–1.2 kg) whole chicken or parts, organic or free-range preferred
½ of a white or yellow onion, peeled
2-inch (5-cm) knob of fresh ginger, unpeeled, halved
3 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
5 Chinese red dates (see “Pantry Resources,” this page)
3 tablespoons dried goji berries (see “Pantry Resources,” this page)
Sea salt
Rinse the chicken under cold water, place in a medium stockpot, and add enough cold water to just cover the chicken. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, uncovered.
Once boiling, add the onion and ginger to the pot. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 40 minutes, covered. Every so often, remove the lid to skim any foam off the top and discard.
Remove from heat, and with the help of tongs, remove the chicken and set it aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, remove the cooked meat from the carcass and shred it. Return the rest of the carcass to the pot. Add 1–2 cups of the shredded meat (reserving the rest for another use), along with the carrots and red dates, and simmer over low heat, uncovered, for 1 hour. Set a timer to go off in the last 15 minutes, and stir in the goji berries. Season with a pinch or two of salt, or more, to taste.
Drink this soup throughout the day, keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze in zip-tight plastic bags or glass mason jars (see this page) for up to 3 months.
MISO & BURDOCK SOUP
DRINKING THIS SOUP WHEN COCOONED in your little nest will feel like getting a hug from Mother Nature. Combine burdock root, mushrooms, seaweed, and salty miso paste in a pot, and you get a fortifying balance of land and sea. Fresh burdock root is famed for its purifying and immune-boosting effects and can be found at health food stores and Asian markets.
Serves 6
1-inch (2.5-cm) knob of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
1 cup (60 g) matchsticks of fresh unpeeled burdock (if fresh is not available, you can use ½ cup (about 80 g) dried burdock)
1 cup (115 g) cubes of unpeeled daikon
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into cubes
2 whole green onions, white ends cut off and discarded
1 cup (70 g) sliced white or (60 g) cremini mushrooms
1 strip of kombu (helps with digestion and flavor)
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons organic miso of choice
In a medium stockpot, bring 7 cups (1.7 L) water to a rolling boil. Add the ginger, burdock, daikon, carrots, green onions, mushrooms, kombu, and sesame oil, reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 40 minutes. Remove from heat.
Spoon out some of the hot broth into a small bowl, stir in the miso paste, and let it dissolve.
When the rest of the broth has cooled a bit and the steam has subsided, after about 5 minutes, stir the miso broth back into the pot.
This is a great soup to drink throughout the day as needed. Pour the desired amount of soup into a smaller pot and reheat it on the lowest setting, without letting it come to a boil (that will destroy the enzymes in the miso). Soup can be stored in the fridge up to 5 days.
CREAMY KABOCHA & RED LENTIL SOUP
ORANGE IS A COLOR OF celebration, ritual, and happiness—a shade that instantly lifts the spirits. This pureed soup is so easy to make from ingredients stocked in your pantry, and it’s a great one to ask a visitor to whip up for you. The slightly sweet taste and grounding properties of kabocha squash are especially comforting on days when you might feel teary or blue, and a generous amount of lubricating oil helps to remedy inner dryness and wind, soothing the nerves further. Combine this soup with the Oxtail Stew (this page) for a wonderfully rich and satisfying concoction.
Serves 8
3 tablespoons sesame oil or coconut oil
½ of a white or yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
½ of a shallot, roughly chopped
1 medium kabocha squash, peeled and cut into small cubes (6 cups/690 g), or substitute acorn or butternut squash
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 quarts (2 L) vegetable broth (Shiitake Immune-Boost Broth, this page, or store-bought)
2 cups (380 g) red lentils
2 teaspoons soy sauce, tamari, or Bragg Liquid Aminos, or to taste
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
Warm the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and shallot and lightly brown them, stirring with a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes. Add the squash, cumin, and curry powder and lightly sauté with the onions, about 5 minutes more.
Reduce heat to medium-low, add the broth, and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and cook for 40 minutes. Add the lentils and continue to cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the lentils and squash are tender.
Let the soup cool slightly, then transfer it to a blender in batches and puree until creamy, if you like, or stop when some of the squash is still chunky. (Or use a hand blender to blend the soup in the pot.) Season with the soy sauce and nutritional yeast, if using, to taste.
Drink throughout the day. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze in zip-tight plastic bags or glass mason jars (see this page) for up to 3 months.
SEASONAL GREENS SOUP
IT’S HARD FOR ANYONE TO get their daily serving of fortifying greens, let alone a new mom! And since you’re avoiding cold raw salads (per the Five Insights of the First Forty Days; see number 2, warmth, this page), it may seem doubly tough to get your greens on—but there are definitely quick and warming options available. This soup helps to address that conundrum. By simmering and liquefying lots of leaves at once, you can consume a gardenful of greens in one brightly colored and very easily digestible bowl. Quinoa boosts the soup by adding texture, protein, and a pop of contrasting color. Seasonal Greens Soup has an essential role in the new mom’s repertoire.
Serves 6–8
3 leeks, white parts only, cut crosswise into thin slices
½ cup (55 g) peeled and roughly chopped white or yellow onion
3 medium parsnips, peeled and roughly chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil
2 quarts (2 L) vegetable broth (Shiitake Immune-Boost Broth, this page, or store-bought)
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup (170 g) quinoa
3 loosely packed cups (90 g) fresh organic spinach
1 loosely packed cup (30 g) chopped chard
2 tablespoons soy sauce, tamari, or Bragg Liquid Aminos, or to taste
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
In a large pot over medium-high heat, sauté the leeks, onions, and parsnips in the oil until lightly browned. Add the broth, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and let it simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the parsnips are soft.
Meanwhile, in a small pot, bring 2 cups (480 ml) water and the salt to a gentle boil. Add the quinoa, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, or until the quinoa is fluffy and tender and has unfurled (opened) slightly.
When the soup has finished cooking, remove it from the heat to cool down a bit. Working in batches, transfer the warm soup to a blender, along with the fresh spinach and chard, and blend until everything is incorporated into a vibrant green puree (or use a hand blender).
Return the puree to the pot, stir in the quinoa, and season with the soy sauce and the nutritional yeast, if using.Warm up the soup over low heat before serving. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze in zip-tight plastic bags or glass mason jars (see this page) for up to 3 months.
SEAWEED SOUP
IN KOREA, IT’S TRADITIONAL TO feed a mother miyeokguk, or seaweed soup, up to three times a day after she gives birth, because seaweed helps to promote lactation, support the hormones, and calm the nervous system. It makes sense that eating sea vegetables would help in an emotionally charged time. On an energetic level, seaweed reminds us that everything is tidal and constantly changing. It invites us to surrender to the waves and let feelings wash over us. Use any kind of seaweed you like and sip the soup straight up, or doctor it up with beef, rice, and eggs to make a more substantial bowl.
Serves 6–8
½ of a white or yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons sesame oil
4 ounces (115 g) beef sirloin, cubed (omit for a vegetarian version), or add 1 cup dried anchovies
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 quarts (2 L) water or broth of your choice
2 cups (30 g) dried seaweed (dulse, wakame, hijiki, arame, or kelp), rinsed to remove any residual bits of rocks or shells
6 shiitake mushrooms, dried or fresh
1 tablespoon soy sauce, tamari, or Bragg Liquid Aminos, or to taste
For a heartier stew, add one or all of the following:
1 pound (455 g) organic beef or pork stew meat
½ cup (about 120 g) leftover cooked grains (such as millet or rice)
2 large pasture-raised eggs
In a medium pot over medium heat, sauté the onions in the oil until lightly browned. Add the beef sirloin, garlic, and salt. Stir and cook the meat until it turns a light brown.
Add the water or broth, seaweed, and mushrooms, along with the stew meat and/or leftover rice, if you want a heartier stew. Reduce the heat to low and let everything simmer, covered, for 40 minutes. If you’re adding the eggs, beat them in a small bowl and, about 5 minutes before the soup is done, pour them into the soup, swirling them with a fork or whisking in a clockwise direction as they cook.
Eat warm. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze in zip-tight plastic bags or glass mason jars (see this page) for up to 3 months.
C-RECOVERY VEGETABLE STEW
THE BEAUTY OF THIS VEGETABLE stew is the creative freedom it offers. You can add whatever fresh produce you have to this basic recipe because it will lovingly embrace almost any combination of vegetables. You can eat it many times in a row without tiring of it, and throw in proteins like cooked chicken or sausage if your body desires them. And it’s a great meal to ask visiting friends or your partner to help with. Anyone can chop carrots or wash and slice leeks under your gentle guidance, as you sway side to side with baby. I particularly love it for moms who’ve given birth by cesarean section, because it is so gentle on the digestion and contains some nurturing and lubricating saturated fats. If you are scheduled for a C-section, make this soup ahead of time and freeze it.
Serves 6–8
3 tablespoons ghee or grass-fed butter
1 white or yellow onion, roughly chopped
2 leeks, white parts only, thinly sliced
Sea salt
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into cubes
3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
4 medium tomatoes, cut into cubes, keeping as much juice as possible to add to stew
2 cups (140 g) loosely packed mushrooms, quartered
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 cinnamon sticks
1 cup (120 g) raw cashews
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 thin slice of ginger (about the length of your pinkie finger)
1 dried bay leaf
6 cups (1.4 L) vegetable broth or water
1½ cups (300 g) millet
1 cup (240 ml) canned coconut milk
1 large handful of green beans
Juice of half a lemon
Heat the ghee or butter in a medium pot over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the onions and leeks with a pinch of salt, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are golden brown and are tender, about 10 minutes.
Add the carrots, potatoes, tomatoes and their juices, mushrooms, cumin, cinnamon sticks, cashews, coriander seeds, turmeric, ginger, and bay leaf to the pot, along with the broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 15 minutes, uncovered. Add the millet, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes, covered. Stir in the coconut milk and green beans and cook for another 10 minutes over low heat, covered.
Remove from heat and season with the lemon juice and salt, to taste.
Serve hot or store in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze in zip-tight plastic bags or glass mason jars for up to 3 months.
WHITE RICE CONGEE
CONGEE IS PRESCRIBED ANY TIME that spleen chi—the energy that propels digestion and production of blood—needs to be replenished. It is a food of rebirth; its simplicity and clean taste feel so comforting in a weary or recovering body. One cup (210 g) of sticky rice (also called glutinous rice) is the secret to its nurturing texture—though if that grain is hard to find, use 3½ cups (665 g) white jasmine rice instead. Congee loves water, so if you sense it is getting too dried out, add another cup of water to the pot, stir, and continue to cook.
Serves 4–6 (plenty to store and use for days)
1½ cups (285 g) white jasmine rice
½ cup (105 g) white sticky rice
There are a few different methods for making congee (like a choose-your-own-congee-adventure book). Start each option by rinsing the rice several times in water, covering the rice with water, then swirling it around, then draining and repeating several times until the water runs clear when you drain it.
Option 1. Cook the rice in a rice cooker, as per instructions, so you end up with 4 to 4½ cups (780 to 875 g) cooked rice. The cooked rice will then go into a pot with 1 quart (960 ml) water. Over medium heat, bring to a boil then lower heat and cook for 45 minutes, covered, stirring often, checking to make sure the water level is always at least ½ inch (12 mm) above the rice level. Cook until the rice opens and softens. (If I remember to do it the night before, I like to soak my rice overnight, covered in water, before cooking it.)
Option 2. Another way to cook congee is on the stovetop. In a medium pot, bring the uncooked rice with 1 quart (960 ml) water, or enough water to cover the rice by 1½ inches (4 cm), to a boil over high heat. When it comes to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes, until the grains soften and open. You’ll want to stir often and keep checking and adding water if it’s been absorbed. Adding the sticky rice gives it an extra-full texture.
It’s ready to eat hot. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze in 3-cup (585-g) portions in 1-quart (960-ml) zip-tight plastic bags for up to 3 months.
VARIATION: Chicken Ginger Congee
To create a really flavorful congee and as a great way to use up leftovers, you can use 1 quart (960 ml) Chicken, Red Dates & Ginger Soup (this page), or just 2 cups (480 ml) of the soup plus 2 cups (480 ml) water, in place of the 1 quart (960 ml) water in the basic White Rice Congee.
VARIATION: Sweet Rice Congee with Black Sesame Seed Paste
For a sweet treat, scoop 2 cups (390 g) of hot White Rice Congee into a bowl. Sprinkle with brown sugar or drizzle in some raw honey along with ground cinnamon, raisins, or, for a more decadent flourish, dried figs. You could also crack an egg or two into the congee while it’s still cooking and swirl it in for a custardy effect that also adds protein. With or without the egg, I definitely recommend spooning in the Homemade Black Sesame Paste (see next column). Black sesame supports kidney energy—essential for reproductive health—and the paste is like a sweet, dark tahini.
BASIL & BEEF STRIPS CONGEE
ONE NIGHT I SERVED A mom-friend a bowl of congee with leftover grilled Thai beef salad from dinner the night before. The combination of tender meat, fragrant basil, and creamy rice was so delicious, it spawned this fusion dish, which benefits from the herb’s immune-boosting, anti-inflammatory, and magnesium-rich properties. It will be especially loved by hungry menfolk in your home who may be craving a good steak.
Serves 4-6
For the brown rice congee:
1 cup (190 g) short-grain brown rice
½ cup (100 g) white rice
½ cup (105 g) white sticky rice
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup (110 g) thinly sliced white or yellow onion
Pinch of sea salt
1 fresh chili pepper, seeds removed, minced (optional, if you want some heat)
1 tablespoon granulated cane or coconut sugar
½ cup (120 ml) soy sauce, tamari, or Bragg Liquid Aminos
1 pound (455 g) beef (cut of your choice), cut into thin strips, any length you like
½ cup (20 g) roughly chopped fresh basil leaves
Squeeze of fresh lime juice
To make the brown rice congee: In a medium pot, combine the short-grain brown rice, white rice, and sticky rice. Rinse it several times in water to get rid of excess starch, covering the rice with water, then swirling it around, then draining and repeating several times until the water runs clear when you drain it.
Add 3 cups (720 ml) water to the pot and bring to a gentle boil over medium-low heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the rice opens and softens, keeping the pot half covered. Watch to make sure it does not boil over, stirring occasionally and checking to make sure the water level is always at least ½ inch (12 mm) above the rice level. This will take a minimum of 1 hour.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic, onion, salt, and chili pepper, if using, and cook over medium heat for 5minutes, stirring frequently (and watching carefully) to make sure the garlic does not burn. Cook until the onions are soft but remove from the heat if they begin to get brown.
Once the oil is flavored with the garlic and chili pepper, you can add the sugar, soy sauce, and then the beef strips for a flash-fry, cooking over medium heat until the beef is to your liking. (I tend to like mine a little pink inside and tender.) Add the basil leaves and let it all simmer together over low heat for another 5 to 7 minutes, uncovered. This gives you a lovely sauce to pour over your congee. Finish with the squeeze of lime juice.
Turn off the heat and serve warm. Leftovers will keep for several days in the fridge.
OATS & CHIA CONGEE
THIS VERSION OF CONGEE REQUIRES no translation: It’s oat porridge with a twist. Everyone in the family can dig in—oats deliver excellent nutrition and energy and fortify mom’s lactation. Chia adds an extra protein kick. To make it extra easy to digest and to cut a few minutes off the cooking time, soak the oats in water for a few hours, or overnight, with a little squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of salt.
Serves 6
2 cups (180 g) rolled oats
1½ cup (235 g) steel-cut oats
1-inch (2.5-cm) knob of fresh ginger, peeled and halved
Pinch of sea salt
¼ cup (40 g) chia seeds
½ cup (50 g) quinoa flakes (optional; add another ½ cup/120 ml water if using)
For the toppings:
1 cup (240 ml) milk (or cream, coconut milk, or nut milk of your choice)
2 tablespoons coconut oil or butter
¼ cup (60 ml) maple syrup, or to taste
Fresh or frozen fruit or berries, for serving (optional)
Chopped almonds or other nuts, for serving (optional)
In a medium pot, bring 4½ cups (1 L) water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the rolled and steel-cut oats, the ginger, and salt. Reduce the heat to medium and let cook—three-quarters of the way covered—for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for another 15 minutes; add more water if needed, keeping an eye on the pot so it doesn’t boil over. Add the chia seeds and quinoa flakes, if using, during the last 15 minutes of cooking, stirring occasionally so the seeds and flakes separate and incorporate into the mixture. Once the grains are soft and creamy, and most of the liquid is absorbed, remove from heat.
When you are ready to eat, serve warm with the milk, coconut oil or butter, maple syrup to taste, plus fresh fruit and almonds, if you like.
Portion-freezing option: After the congee is cooked (and the chia seeds and quinoa have been added), let it cool on the stovetop. Spray muffin tins with cooking spray. Portion the congee into ½ cup (115 g) servings in the cups of the muffin tin. Flash-freeze for 4 to 5 hours, or until firm. Twist or tap out each serving and place them in large zip-tight plastic bags. When you are ready to eat, add one or two to a saucepan with some milk or water and reheat over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, uncovered.
mother’s bowls
When life as you knew it before has changed irrevocably and everything is suddenly new—your body, your family, and this sweet little person in your arms—you won’t care about eating the same thing on repeat if it’s healthy, tasty, and fresh. Just a few minor variations will keep it interesting. That’s the thinking behind my Mother’s Bowls. They let you rotate through a few components—protein, greens, whole grains, or root vegetables—and mix and match them as you see fit. It’s a postpartum survival strategy; your rations are lined up for the mission ahead and when you open the fridge door, you’ll emit a joyful cry, “Thank God! There’s something to eat!”
These bowls were inspired by an experience I had while getting lost in the back streets of Tokyo. Confused and disoriented, I stumbled into a restaurant looking for help. Soon, I was serving myself lunch. At this eatery, the cooks—a team of women—put out a Japanese smorgasbord of earthy, hearty foods, simply and deliciously cooked, and let patrons create their own servings in big, wooden bowls. In Eastern cultures, root vegetables are seen as grounding, and sweet, earthy tastes of well-prepared grains can be grounding and comforting, too. My custom-made serving of squash, vegetables, homemade tofu, and seaweed left me utterly calmed and strengthened, as if I’d been picked up and given a hug. It was only as I left the restaurant that I saw the name: Mothers! How fitting.
What follows is a system for ensuring that you and your immediate family eat well on very busy days. Make one or two things from each food group in advance—or have a helper prep them—then store in glass containers in the fridge for three days at a time. When you’re hungry, scoop out a combo of three or more things using grains or root vegetables as a solid base on which to place your proteins and lighter vegetables. Then, warm it up a little (or let it get up to room temperature, at least), adorn with toppings, and add drizzles of raw oils as you see fit.
Let your eyes guide your hand. The fun part of throwing a bowl together is that it can be a little art piece. Splash some purple or crimson on your greens in the form of sauerkraut or kimchi and make patterns of seaweed shreds or even popcorn. Notice how the parts come together: The invigorating sourness of the kraut or splash of vinegar against the earthy sweetness of the squash, and the crunch of seeds against rich and smooth avocado is not only fun, it’s an exercise in balancing flavors, textures, and colors in one dish—a time-honored wellness practice said to balance the body and mind. To get you started, I include my favorite bowl combinations that take inspiration from points around the globe. I’m sure you’ll soon come up with many more.
Turn to one of these bowls on a day that you feel scattered or jittery, anxious or irritated. The sustaining power of protein, the rooting effect of root vegetables, the brain-calming effect of fats are grounding. This meal will help you stand in your role as the pillar of the family, baby in your arms and your feet on terra firma.
Group 1: GRAINS
(if you don’t eat grains, use root vegetables instead)
• Rice (brown, black, red, purple, wild, sticky, white, jasmine, basmati)
• Quinoa
• Millet
• Amaranth
• Barley
• Buckwheat
• Polenta (cooked from scratch, or you can buy logs of precooked polenta)
• Oats (steel-cut, rolled, quick)
• Wheat berries or bulgur
• Couscous or Israeli couscous (larger pearls)
• Pasta (fresh, frozen, dried. . . whatever is convenient; think noodles, spaghetti, gnocchi, ramen; if you aren’t eating gluten, you can find buckwheat, corn, spelt, quinoa, bean, even sweet potato pasta)
Group 2: PROTEINS
• Eggs (scrambled, poached, hard-boiled, over-easy, fried)
• Chicken (poached, roasted, cut up, pan-fried)
• Pork (shredded, pulled, bacon)
• Beef (ground, stew pieces, strips of cooked steak/flank, oxtail pieces)
• Bison (ground is most often how you see it)
• Lamb (ground or strips of cooked flank)
• Fish (cooked, pickled, smoked); shellfish like scallops, crabs, shrimp, mussels; things in a tin or can that are easy to add to anything like sardines, mackerel, herring; breaded and pan-fried tiny fish like smelt or larger fillets like halibut or salmon or bass)
• Legumes (green lentils, adzuki beans, cannellini beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans)
Meatballs (from any ground meat)
• Roasted (carrots, parsnips, fingerling potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, winter squash, onions, beets)
• Pan-fried (Swiss chard, kale, bok choy, spinach, caramelized onions, leeks, shallots, red and green cabbage)
• Steamed (carrots, celery, string beans, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower)
• Grated (carrots, parsnips, celery root)
• Mashed (yams, sweet potatoes, winter squash, celery root, parsnips)
Group 4: TOPPINGS
• Avocado
• Soy sauce, tamari, Bragg Liquid Aminos, or coconut aminos (they are delicious and soy free!)
• Nutritional yeast
• Sesame seeds
• Flaxseeds
• Hemp seeds
• Sunflower seeds
• Nuts (almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, pistachios, peanuts, macadamia, pine nuts, walnuts; raw or dry roasted—try to avoid oil roasted and heavily salted)
• Oils (flax, avocado, coconut, walnut, sesame)
• Melted butter (grass-fed)
• Olives (green, black)
• Herbs and spices (chili powder, a dash of cayenne, minced basil leaves, sea salt, fresh ground pepper, paprika, minced dill, et cetera)
Here are some combinations I like:
#1 ASIAN BOWL
IN A MEDIUM FRYING PAN, over medium-low heat, combine the following and heat until warm:
Leftover congee (whatever type you have)
Fresh greens (arugula, chard, kale, spinach)
Pan-fried or oven-baked bacon or sausage pieces
Chili powder (optional)
Season with the chili powder if you want some extra heat and if that matches the leftover congee you’re using. Transfer to a bowl and eat warm.
#2 HEARTY AUTUMN BOWL
IN A SINGLE-SERVING BOWL, combine the following:
Roasted winter squash or sweet potatoes
Kale or any dark leafy green vegetable of a hearty nature sautéed in butter
Pan-fried bacon strips
Top with a drizzle of maple syrup and a handful of toasted pumpkin seeds. Eat warm.
#3 SCANDINAVIAN BOWL
IN A SERVING BOWL, LAYER the following ingredients:
Cooked wild rice
A few canned or jarred herring, mackerel, or sardines
A halved or chopped-up hard-boiled egg
A spoonful or two of mayo
Boiled new potatoes (optional)
Pickles and paprika (optional)
This Nordic-inspired meal can be eaten cold or the rice can be warmed with the oily fish in a frying pan, then transferred to the bowl.
#4 ITALIAN BOWL
IN A MEDIUM BOWL, ADD the following for a warming, comforting pasta bowl:
Cooked noodles of your choice, either with gluten or gluten-free (rice, bean, corn, or buckwheat noodles are all great options); warmed pasta sauce (add mushrooms and onions and arugula or chard for a heartier sauce)
Meatballs (easy to make; just combine the ground meat of your choice with an egg or two and any other herbs or spices you like, such as basil or cumin, and season with salt and pepper, then cook)
#5 FRENCH BOWL
IN A BOWL LAYER THESE together:
Leftover (or freshly cooked) risotto
Pieces of whole roasted fish (or pan-fried fish fillet)
Onion pieces sautéed in some butter until deep golden and very flavorful
1 squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Slices of a yummy French cheese (which will melt over the warmed risotto and fish) and sourdough baguette pieces (quick “croutons,” optional)
#6 MEXICAN BOWL
IN A BOWL LAYER THESE:
Leftover or freshly cooked beans (any kind you want)
Shredded lettuce
Grated cheese (optional)
Leftover ground meat (any kind—beef, lamb, chicken, bison) or cook some up quickly in a pan until browned
Salsa
Avocado slices
For an extra layer and added crunch, feel free to add organic corn chips, and eat with your hands like nachos.
#7 INDIAN (CURRY) BOWL
IN A BOWL LAYER THE following:
Basmati rice or leftover cooked lentils
Curry powder or curry sauce (available in the international section of grocery stores)
Stir-fried or steamed vegetables and sliced ginger (carrots, peppers, broccoli, mushrooms, peas)
Toasted peanuts or cashews
GINGER FRIED RICE
IF A CHINESE ELDER WERE to visit you immediately after birth, this is likely the offering they’d bring. Light and warming, its star ingredient is ginger, to boost blood circulation and balance excess “wind” in the body after birth. Ginger Fried Rice travels well; it can be brought to you in containers and eaten at room temperature if there’s no option to reheat. This is the dish that anyone can make for mom and that your other kids will enjoy as well. (Truth be told, it has a fun hint of Chinese takeout, just without any bad ingredients.) Weeks after baby comes, when everyone’s found their groove, it will still be a go-to meal for mom that she can easily make herself.
Serves 2
2 cups (410 g) cooked white rice (leftover rice will work best here) or you can make it fresh (see directions next column)
3 tablespoons sesame oil, plus more as needed (see Tips, next column)
3 pieces of 2-inch (5 cm) bacon slices (optional)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 slice of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
2 large pasture-raised eggs, beaten with a pinch of sea salt
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
If making rice from scratch specifically for this dish: In a medium pot, wash and rinse 1 cup (185 g) white rice (any kind, short or long grain or jasmine, et cetera), several times until the cloudy water runs clear. Add 1 cup (240 ml) water with a pinch of sea salt and bring to a rapid boil over high heat. Add the rinsed rice, reduce heat, and cook, covered, until the rice is fluffy and the water is absorbed. A rice cooker will simplify the process significantly.
Using 2 cups of this rice, or leftover rice, proceed to fried rice directions: Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat, add bacon (if using), garlic, and fresh ginger, and cook until tender and fragrant. Add the cooked rice to the pan and spread it out evenly, making a thick layer, and cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pour the beaten eggs into the rice and continue to stir frequently, until the eggs are cooked, about 5 minutes. Add the green onions and cook for another 2 minutes, uncovered, until the rice is golden in color and the eggs and onions are cooked. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve warm.
