Healthy Mum, Happy Baby: How to Feed Yourself When You're Breastfeeding Your Baby

Sample Recipes

AJ’s Whole Wheat Mac ’n’ Cheese

Start to finish time: 50 minutes
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes, largely unattended

Yes, you could just make the boxed variety of mac ’n’ cheese, but this homemade version is a cut above in taste and nutrition. And making it doesn’t take much more effort. Make big batches and freeze in dinner-sized portions so you have a quick, easy meal available.

2 cups whole wheat macaroni
3 tsp butter
1 medium onion, diced
1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups 2% milk
2 cups grated Cheddar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 slices of whole wheat bread
2 tbsp Parmesan (optional)

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook macaroni for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender but firm; drain well and return to pot.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9- x 13-inch casserole dish.
In a large saucepan, melt 2 tsp of the butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté about 4 minutes, or until softened. Sprinkle flour over onion and cook, stirring for 30 seconds, or until flour is lightly browned. Whisk in milk. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and add the Cheddar and mustard, and stir until smooth.
Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce, stirring to combine. Spoon the mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
Place bread in the bowl of a food processor, and process until fine crumbs.
In a small saucepan melt the remaining 1 tsp of butter and add it to the bread crumbs along with the Parmesan if using. Toss mixture together and sprinkle over macaroni.
Bake uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes. (For the batches you’re going to freeze, skip this step, and just thaw and cook before serving.)

Makes 4 servings.

Make ahead: This recipe doubles well. Prepare it through Step 7, then store tightly wrapped in the fridge for up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Variations: If you have some leftover ham, add 1 cup of diced ham, along with the Cheddar in Step 4. You can also add 1 cup of frozen peas along with the Cheddar in Step 4.

http://www.randomhouse.ca/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780679314455&ref=externallink_genex_happymum

Excerpted from Healthy Mum, Happy Baby by Annemarie Tempelman-Kluit Copyright © 2007 by Annemarie Tempelman-Kluit. Excerpted by permission of Random House Canada, a division of Random House of Canada Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Chicken and Black Bean Quesadillas

Start to finish time: 30 minutes
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Baking these quesadillas rather than frying them will require less of your undivided attention. Serve them with Guacamole or chopped avocado, chopped tomatoes, and sour cream or yogurt. If you have any left over, have them for lunch the next day. Just reheat them in foil or in the microwave so the tortilla doesn’t get too crunchy.

2 1/2 cups shredded chicken*
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 large onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
2 whole wheat tortillas

* Use leftover chicken or precooked rotisserie chicken.

Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a large bowl, combine chicken, black beans, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 1/4 tsp cumin.
In a small frying pan over medium heat, saute onion with remaining 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 1/4 tsp cumin for about 6 minutes, or until golden. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant. Add to chicken mixture along with cheese, and toss until well combined.
Spread about 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture onto half of each tortilla, fold over and place on 9 x 13-inch nonstick baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until heated through. Flip quesadillas halfway through baking.