Super Salads

Full of wholesome fruits and vegetables, these salads contain vital nutrients your pregnant body needs, including calcium, folate, iron and protein.

Veggie Ricotta Bowl
Nutrient spotlight: calcium
One serving provides almost half your daily requirement (1,000 mg).

Serves 4
PREP TIME: 20 minutes
COOK TIME: 6 minutes
    12     cups mâche (also called lamb’s lettuce; or use spinach or mixed spring greens)
    1/2     cup fresh basil leaves
    1/3     cup buttermilk
    1/3     cup reduced-fat sour cream
    2     tablespoons rice vinegar
    3     teaspoons garlic oil, divided
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    2     medium zucchini, trimmed and thinly sliced
    1     large yellow pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
    2     cups petite peas
    1     cup skim ricotta cheese
    1/4     cup sliced almonds, toasted

Place mâche in a large bowl. Combine basil, buttermilk, sour cream, vinegar and 1 teaspoon of garlic oil in a food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Pour half of dressing over mâche; gently toss to mix.
Heat remaining 2 teaspoons of garlic oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add zucchini and yellow pepper slices. Sauté for 6 minutes, or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat peas. Arrange a portion of mâche in four shallow bowls. Spoon a portion of warm zucchini-pepper mixture on one side of greens and a portion of peas on other side. Place 1/4 cup ricotta in center. Drizzle salads with remaining dressing; top with toasted almonds.

Nutritional information per serving (3 cups salad and 1/4 cup ricotta): 279 calories, 36% fat (11 g), 36% carbohydrate (25 g), 28% protein (20 g), 9 mg fiber, 3 mg iron, 483 mg calcium, 182 mcg folate.

Pork & Spinach Salad
Nutrient spotlight: iron
One serving provides about 1/5 of your daily requirement (27 mg).

Serves 4
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 16 minutes
    1     pound pork tenderloin, fat trimmed
    2     teaspoons olive oil
    1     teaspoon ground cumin
    1     teaspoon ground coriander
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    1/2     cup whole-wheat couscous
    6     whole dried figs, chopped
    1     cup red grapes, cut in half
    2     ounces aged pasteurized goat cheese, crumbled
    1/4     cup honey
    1/3     cup balsamic vinegar
    12     cups spinach leaves, washed