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I am one year postpartum this month (crazy!!) so I wanted to take time to reflect on the nutrients and meals that I emphasized during and before my pregnancy. 

Before pregnancy, I focused on certain nutrients that would make a difference in conceiving and these nutrients also happened to also be important during pregnancy.  During pregnancy, not only did my iron needs increase but so did my calorie requirements, protein requirements, folate, omega 3 and choline.

These nutrients can all be adequately obtained through a plant-based diet – this post shows you how.

To ensure all of my nutrient bases were covered, I supplemented with Megafood Baby & Me 2. It’s important that folate is present in its active form for best absorption (aka not folic acid). Look for a prenatal that contains folate in a highly bioavailable form (5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) so your body has to do less work converting it into a usable form. In Megafood Baby & Me 2, folate is found in the 5-MTHF form. It also covers 100% of your pregnancy iron requirements.

Top Plant-Based Folate (need 600 mcg during pregnancy)
Spinach – 131 mcg (1/2 cup boiled)
Asparagus – 134 mcg (1/2 cup cooked)
Lentils  – 105 mcg (1/2 cup)
Pasta (fortified grain) – 150 mcg (100 g)
Avocado – 60 mcg (1/2 cup)

Top Plant-Based Iron Sources (need 27 mg during pregnancy)
Lentils – 6.5 mg (1 cup)
Tempeh – 6 mg (9 oz)
Tofu – 4 mg (9 oz)
Black Beans – 5 mg (1 cup)
Edamame – 3.5 mg (1 cup)

Top Plant-Bsaed Omega 3 Sources (need 500 mg during pregnancy)
Flax – 4.5 ALA per 2 tbsp
Chia Seeds – 5 g ALA per 2 tbsp
Hemp hearts – 2 g ALA per 2 tbsp
Walnuts – 2.5 g ALA per 1 oz Top Plant-Based Choline Sources (need 425 mg during pregnancy)
Roasted Soybeans – 107 (1/2 cup)
Tofu – 106 (100 g)
Edamame – 100 mg ( 1 cup)

Resistant starch is one of the most underrated nutrients that bring a whole bunch of benefit- but most of us don’t get enough of it daily!

Resistant starch which is a type of carbohydrate that acts like a fibre, brings a ton of significant
health benefits including:

• Better blood sugar management – resistant starch doesn’t break down into glucose,
  resulting in lower blood sugar levels and improved insulin sensitivity.
• Improved digestion – because it is fermented in the large intestine, it acts as a prebiotic,
  encouraging beneficial bacteria growth. It is effective for preventing constipation and
  reducing the risk of colon cancer.
• Improved satiety and potentially improved weight management – it promotes a feeling
  of fullness, which can lead to lower calorie intake.
• Heart health – studies indicate that resistant starch can lower total and LDL cholesterol
  levels, potentially decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  Where do you find resistant starch?
  
  Resistant starch is found in certain foods, but especially certain foods that have cooked and
  cooled, such as potatoes, barley and pasta. Most people only get about 3-5 g of resistant
  starch/day but research shows benefits around 15-30 g/day.
  Save this post for the graphic on resistant starch content!
  One of my favourite ways to include it is in fingerling potatoes from Gwillimdale Farms.
  They are so versatile and delicious – they have a waxy texture and nutty, buttery flavour.
  They are ideal for higher heat cooking methods that highlight their firm structure and
  perfect for roasting whole or haved. I enjoyed them in a potato salad, roasted and smashed
  into nachos and diced into a breakfast hash. The options are endless!
  
  Sources of resistant starch:

• Potato (1 medium cooked then cooled) 3-5 g
• Barley (1 cup cooked then cooled) 2-4 g
• Lentils (1 cup cooked) 3-5 g
• Chickpeas (1 cup cooked) 4-5 g
• Black Beans (1 cup cooked) 4-5 g
• Oats (1/2 cup dry) 2-4 g
• Rice (1/2 cup dry) 2-3 g
• Peas (1 cup cooked) 2-4 g
• Banana (1 unripe) 2-4 g

Grab the meal plan below to find out how you can add resistant starch to your diet – featuring fingerling potatoes from Gwillimdale farms!

If you find meal prepping daunting, have a family with different taste preferences, you prefer variety throughout the week or just want to simplify your meal prep routine, then this one’s for you!

Follow my simple meal prepping formula of ‘3-4 PVC’

All you need to do is have 3-4 proteins, carbohydrates and veggies prepared at the start of the week. With these, you can put together endless meal combinations throughout the week.

Try to choose variety within these categories. For example, have some raw and some cooked veggies. Have grains and starchy veg. The more variety the better!

Simple assemble your meals as the week goes on. This way, it feels fresh, you get the pick a combo that you’re preferring that day and ingredients can simply be substituted in and out for different taste preferences in your household!

Recipes below!

High blood pressure, or hypertension is often known as the silent killer. Did you know that nearly 8 million Canadians are affected by hypertension?

May 17 th is world hypertension day and it’s a reminder to know your numbers and take simple steps to protect your heart. Let’s start with looking at how you can meal prep in a way to reduce your risk of hypertension. Steps to meal prep to reduce risk of hypertension:

User lower sodium seasonings. Consuming too much sodium may increase blood pressure as it promoted the body to retain water and puts pressure on blood vessel walls. In this meal prep I’m featuring Herbamare sea salt, which is a prepared with 1/3 less sodium than standard sea salt. It has less sodium because it’s made with a blend of 12 different garden herbs and iodine rich kelp to enhance the flavour of any dish. You can grab it on amazon or avogel.ca ! (AD)

Increase potassium intake as potassium helps to counter sodium’s effects. Some foods rich in potassium include potatoes, legumes, bananas, avocados, leafy greens. If you have kidney disease, or take medication to lower blood pressure, you may need to limit the amount of potassium you eat. Speak to your health care provider before you make changes to the way you eat.

Increase fibre intake – a high fibre diet supports blood vessel health and weight management. Legumes, oats, barley, flax and chia are great fibre boosters.

Increase unsaturated fats. Replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats may help blood pressure and hearth health. Go for olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds and fish.

Increase legumes – a recent study indicates consuming roughly 170 g of legumes daily may significantly reduce risk of hypertension.

Maintain adequate calcium & magnesium – these nutrients support vascular function.
Good sources include dairy or alternatives, tofu, beans and leafy greens

In 2026, I hope we’ve shed the dietary fat phobia that we all had in the 90s and early 2000’s – right? Dietary fat has many important roles in the body – including protecting vital organs, absorbing fat soluble vitamins, supporting cell growth, brain development and hormone production.

I do have to remind you that the type of fat you eat matters. The two most beneficial types of fats are listed below. 

Polyunsaturated fat Omega 3s are a nutrition powerhouse. They help reduce inflammation, which is connected to conditions like heart disease and arthritis, support brain health, heart health, pregnancy etc. ALA is the plant form of omega 3s.

Monounsaturated fats can help to improve cholesterol profile, support heart health and help with blood sugar control.

Where do we find these fats? Save this post for the list in the graphic and below! 

Omega 3-Rich Foods:
– Flaxseeds: 4.5 g ALA per 2 tbsp
-Chia Seeds: 5 g ALA per 2 tbsp
-Hemp Seeds: 2 g ALA per 2 tbsp
-Walnuts: 2.5 g ALA per 1 oz
-Algae Oil: 1-2 g/softgel
-Edamame: 0.5 g ALA per 1 cup

Monounsaturated Rich Foods:
-Olive Oil: 10 g per 1 tbsp
-Avocado Oil: 10 g per 1 tbsp
-Avocado: 10 g per 1
-Almonds: 12 g per 1 oz
-Seeds: 7 g per 1 oz
-Nut butter: 9 g per 1 tbsp

With Jack eating three meals a day now, I am simply modifying my meals to make them work for him instead of cooking separate meals. We have busy days so all of these meals are made in 20 mins or less and provide important nutrients – with the help of California strawberries! @castrawberries 

Not only are strawberries Jack’s favourite fruit but they are versatile and nourishing as well. Just one cup of strawberries has 95% of the daily value of vitamin C for the day! California strawberries are delicious, versatile, and perfect to eat on their own or as an addition to any recipe (even for lunch or dinner). A bonus is that California strawberries are available across Canada even when local strawberries aren’t.  
 
Below is how I modified meals for Jack and why each of these recipes work for us! Don’t forget to grab some California strawberries at your local grocery store and check out californiastrawberries.com for more recipes. #californiastrawberries 

Breakfast: Strawberry Yogurt Bowl. I made Jack and I nearly identical bowls, his was a smaller portion however. The California strawberries are a great fibre boost in this yogurt bowl to start our day.  

 
Lunch: Strawberry Feta & Avocado Toast. Jack just didn’t receive the raw onions (hard to chew) and feta cheese (higher in sodium). I love a quick and easy lunch like this one because we are often on the go in the middle of the day and this lunch is very portable for both of us! 

 
Snack: Strawberry Spinach Chickpea Muffins. These are perfect for on the go! The strawberries add some vitamin C, which helps to absorb the iron in these muffins. Iron intake is so important for Jack right now!  
 
Dinner: Strawberry Tofu Bowl. Jack didn’t receive the raw veggies in the bowl and instead I put quinoa, California strawberries and tofu on his plate. I added some hemp hearts to the California strawberries for an iron and protein boost as well.  

Find California strawberries at your local grocery store. For more recipes and information, visit californiastrawberries.com.