My ‘eat like I’m pregnant’ moment at The Seward Cafe. Hasbrowns Supreme, a Righteous Pancake, and a Tahini Almond Cookie, all while basking in the sunshine on their patio. I barely dented the pancake, lol.
I’ve become a devotee of Bobs Red Mill Gluten Free Pancake Mix. It seems like no matter what I do to tweak the recipe, they come out perfect every time. My secret is to add 1 tablespoon ground chia and 1 tablespoon melted earth balance to every 1 1/2 c dry mix. Then, I mix in whatever fruits or nuts my heart desires- chopped small- and add enough almond milk to make a smooth, slightly thin batter. I let it rest for 5 minutes, check the consistency, and start cooking. I ignore the suggested liquid amount on the bag- when it’s thick, the cakes get dense and never cook all the way through. These little short stacks were stuffed with bananas, cinnamon, and ginger, and were topped with white fig jam.
Falafel! I always use Mark Bittmans recipe- essentially you soak chickpeas overnight and then grind them down with tahini, parsley, cilantro, garlic, cumin, and coriander. A generous sprinkling of salt in the batter is crucial.
Tacos, of course!
Spaghetti with Chickpeas and Spinach. I’m adding greens and legumes to just about everything I eat to ensure I have good iron and protein levels. I started with 2 cans of sauce, onions, garlic, and seasonings, and added 2 cups of chickpeas to it. Once it came up to a bubble, I added 1 1/2 cups of packed, finely chopped spinach to it, and continued to simmer the sauce until the spinach was tender.
Tofu Benedict with Spinach. I’ve made this before, and its so, so good! The vegan hollandaise sauce is really rich, so I added extra lemon to it this time.
Tempeh Chimichurri from The Post Punk Kitchen. The chimichurri sauce was so fresh and savory I found myself scraping the bowl over tacos days later. I served them with cachapas, black beans, and kale from Terry Hope Romero’s book Viva Vegan.
All of this has made for a very happy vegan baby belly.
