Often I find families get stuck in a breakfast rut eating the same things day in and day out. Store bought cereal and granola can be very high in sugar, and other ingredients such as preservatives which whenever possible are best to avoid. Store bought cereal and granola are also really expensive. 

This is a quick and easy homemade granola recipe that everyone will approve of. This recipe makes a lot which is great because you can make it when you have more time and then the whole family can enjoy it the rest of the week. Be sure to choose gluten free oats and vanilla if you want this to be a gluten free granola. This recipe was inspired by one from 'Babycakes covers the classics'. 



4 cups       Gluten Free Oats
3/4 tsp      Salt
1 Tbsp      Cinnamon
1 tsp         Ground ginger
1 1/2 cups Unsweetened coconut, shredded
1/2 cup      Pecans
1/2 cup      Cashews
1/2 cup      Dried Cranberries
1/2 cup      Currants
1/2 cup      Hemp seeds
1 Tbsp       Vanilla
1/2 cup      Coconut oil, melted
1/3 cup      Agave

1. Combine oats, salt, cinnamon, ginger, coconut, pecans, cashews, cranberries, currants, and hemp seeds. 
2. Add the vanilla, coconut oil, and agave and mix together until oat mixture is coated. 
3. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
4. Spread oat mixture onto cookie sheets.
5. Bake in 325F oven for 15 minutes. Stir. Continue baking for another 15 minutes until golden. 


Looking for more ways to get out of a breakfast rut? Contact Jill Nurture The Future's Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com 

A vegan diet is safe during both pregnancy and breastfeeding if it’s properly planned.

The key is balance. A well balanced diet – vegetarian, vegan or anything else – ensures you get the nutrients you need.

Nutrition is so important when you are providing all the nutritional needs for your baby. The key thing is to make sure your meals are balanced and provide the nutrition required to keep you and your baby as healthy as possible.

Often pregnancy prompts women to make healthy shifts in their eating habits. It’s also a great time for partners to start eating better. Adding a baby to the family means parents become their child’s role model, so having nine months to begin making changes can be a big help and create lasting effects.

Different stages of pregnancy require different nutrients.

During the first trimester of pregnancy you don’t need extra calories. Good nutrients to focus on are protein and iron. Pregnancy basically doubles your blood volume. All this extra blood means it’s important to get enough iron and protein.

You will need extra calories in the second and third trimester, and when breastfeeding. However, those extra calories don’t add up to a lot of food – only 300 to 400 calories a day. Don’t think of it as eating for two, but rather for the health of two!

During their second and third trimester many women eat four or five smaller meals a day instead of three large ones. This tends to work nicely with consuming those extra calories needed during these stages. But don’t choose convenience foods. Eating less packaged and processed foods and emphasizing whole foods is always the best choice.

Vegans and vegetarians especially need more iron during pregnancy. Some nutrients are also required in increased amounts. These are as follows, including some examples:

·      Carotenoids: yam, spinach, carrot, apricot, broccoli, and cantaloupe.

·      Folate: dried beans, avocado, lentils, sunflower seeds, peanuts, broccoli, asparagus, okra, spinach, Brussels                             sprouts, papaya.

·      Niacin (Vitmain B3): tempeh, portabello mushroom, pumpkin/squash seeds, peanuts, beans, lentils, green                                                     vegetables, and potato.

·      Pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5): avocado, kale, broccoli, mushroom, beans and lentils.

·      Riboflavin (Vitamin B2): tempeh, nuts, and green vegetables.

·      Thiamin (Vitamin B1): oats, wheat germ, and sunflower seeds.

·      Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): nuts, lentils, potatoes, banana, chickpeas, yams, avocado, kale, and sunflower seeds.

·      Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin): foods fortified with B12 including red star nutritional yeast, milk alternatives, veggie                                                     meats, and breakfast cereal.

·      Vitamin C: kiwi, pineapple, bell peppers, cauliflower, and kale.

·      Iodine: seaweed and iodine fortified salt (it is mandatory in Canada but optional in the UK and US).

·      Iron: spinach, swiss chard, dried beans and peas, lentils, pumpkin seeds, cashews, pinenuts, and hazelnuts.

·      Magnesium: lentils, dried beans, brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin/squash seeds.

·      Zinc: dried beans and peas, lentils, pumpkin/squash seeds, cashews, peanuts, quinoa, tahini, and mushrooms.

 
Note that you don’t need extra calcium and vitamins D and K. However, it is important to be getting good sources of these in your diet.

Although food is the best source of the nutrients you need, it’s not always possible to get enough. So I recommend a prenatal multivitamin. Vegan prenatal multivitamins are available.

It’s a good idea for all pregnant women, not just vegans, to take these prenatal multivitamins. And I stress again that a balanced vegan diet during pregnancy can be a very healthy way to keep both mom and baby as healthy as possible.

I will have more advice on how to ensure you get specific nutrients for a vegan pregnancy in part two of this series.


If you have questions about how to eat a vegan diet in pregnancy or to make sure you are getting the nutrients you need talk to Jill, Nurture The Future’s Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com 

*This article was originally found on The Birthing Site. For a list of references, contact the email above.

I like using beans in general for kids when they are first learning to eat solids. Beans are foods that really take some practiced grasper-pincher skills to pick up and get into their mouths.

If you want to adjust the texture for your baby it is quite easy to fork mash beans slightly. Depending on your child you may not even need to do this, or at least not do it for very long.

When the baby tried black beans he seemed to really enjoy them. He acted as if, with the effort it took to get them off his tray and into his mouth, that he was rewarded with a prize.

Canned beans are ok to use, however, I would really recommend buying “no salt added” beans. I would recommend not choosing canned beans that are in any kind of sauce. These sauces contain many ingredients that your baby does not need. Canned beans can be eaten cold or warmed, it depends how you are having them for your family meal.

In addition, it is important to rinse beans so that they are rinsing clean water. The soap-like bubbles that appear in beans are an enzyme that produces gas when we eat them. Rinsing the beans clean can be very helpful in minimizing the amount of gas produced from eating them.

It is also ok to use dried beans, be sure to soak them before cooking and also be sure to dump out the water you used to soak them in, again this will help remove some of the gas producing enzyme.

Beans are a food that I love to use when travelling. Take a can opener with you and you have an inexpensive protein source available that needs minimum preparation. Like I mentioned before, just rinse the beans until the water runs clear. 

Do you have questions about feeding your baby? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future's Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com 

6-7 Potatoes (with peel)

3 Tbsp Butter or margarine or coconut oil, melted

3 Tbsp Potato starch/flour

1 tsp Herbamare

2 tsp Cumin

1 tsp Black Pepper

1 tsp Paprika

1 Tbsp Chili powder

1 tsp Curry powder

​1/4 cup. Nutritional Yeast

1/2 Onion, diced

3 Cloves garlic, diced

1 Green Bell Pepper, diced

2 cups Milk or Almond Milk, warmed

1/2 cup Cheese or cheese alternative (soy, rice, almond) (optional)



1. Preheat oven to 375F. Wash potatoes and slice thinly.

2. Spread 1/3 of potato slices in 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.

3. Place melted butter, margarine or coconut oil in bowl, blend in potato starch/flour and onion, garlic, green pepper, curry powder, chili powder, cumin, black pepper and herbamare.

4. Gradually add hot milk or almond milk stirring constantly.

5. Sprinkle potatoes with 1/3 of sauce.

6. Cover with another layer of potatoes and 1/3 of sauce.

7. Place remaining potatoes on top and cover with remaining sauce.

8. Sprinkle with paprika and cheese or cheese alternative if using.

9. Bake uncovered for 1 hour or until done and potatoes/cheese are lightly browned.



Looking for more gluten free and vegan recipes? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future's Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com