What’s better than a colorful, nutrient-dense salad to kick off your summer?
This salad is jam-packed with antioxidants, fiber, and protein. It is vegetarian & vegan if you remove the goat cheese. Also, remove the goat cheese if you are currently pregnant or are unsure if you are pregnant or not. This dish is a perfect example of a salad that will keep you FULL and not leave your stomach grumbling within the next hour.
KALE is a superstar green for many reasons. One is that it is high in Vitamin K, a nutrient that is important for growth, development, and maintenance of bones. While Vitamin K deficiency is rare, some medications can interfere with it (check with your doctor). Kale is also a great source of Calcium for those that do not consume dairy ( 2 cups = 160 mg Ca).
Ingredients:
Makes 4 servings
- 1 bunch kale (around 6 cups)
- 1 cup quinoa, cooked
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 avocado
- 1/2 cup goat cheese (optional, remover for vegan)
- 1/2 cup almond slivers
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
Dressing:
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil¼ cup lemon juice1 tablespoon honey1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon salt & a pinch of black pepper
Directions:
Cook quinoa. Wash kale and blueberries.
Chop kale and massage with lemon juice.
Massaging kale for a few minutes helps it to be less rigid and not as bitter.
Whisk together dressing ingredients. Combine salad items and enjoy! Great by itself or with some whole wheat crackers or whole wheat toast.
Nutrients:
Fiber: 11 g
Protein: 13 g
Iron: 4 g
Calcium: 241 mg
Potassium: 879 mg
Vitamin A: 834 mcg
Folate: 97 mcg
(calculations with goat cheese &
without dressing)
![Research was recently published putting the recommendations on caffeine intake during pregnancy from ACOG and WHO to the test.
Should the 200-300 mg of caffeine "safety net" during pregnancy be changed to complete avoidance??
I spent a semester in college doing this same research and revisited the research recently.
Coffee, tea, soda, and chocolate are all extremely popular worldwide, some more popular in certain countries which is why we DO have thousands of studies on caffeine use during pregnancy. It would actually take years to sift through all the data, truly, it's quite nuts! For every study that says there is an association there is one that says there is no association.
As I went through the recent published study and other similar meta-analysis's these are the notes I took:
- High amounts of caffeine do increase the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes such as miscarriage, low birth weight, small for gestational age, and stillbirth
- The 1st trimester is the most vulnerable time, but is usually coupled with nausea which typically reducing caffeine consumption, if not, the avoidance of caffeine during this time may be wise
- The half-life of caffeine increases in the 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy meaning it takes longer to clear from your “system”
- Caffeine avoidance may be wise for those who are already considered "high-risk" during pregnancy
- We still can’t determine causation, i.e. caffeine intake causes low birth weight, stillbirth, miscarriage, etc.
- Conclusive data in rats suggests the human equivalent of 7 cups of coffee per day causes low birth weight
[continued in the comments]](https://www.theprenatalnutritionist.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)