11 Healthy Vegetarian Recipes During Pregnancy

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Exploring new vegetarian recipes during pregnancy is a good way to stay healthy and nourished. Vegetables provide several important minerals and vitamins required for your baby’s healthy growth and development.

However, having vegetables, in the same way, every day may make your meals monotonous. Therefore, to eat various vegetables, you can make different interesting recipes.

We bring you a list of healthy vegetarian recipes that are delicious and easy to prepare.

Top 11 Vegetarian Pregnancy Recipes

Take your pick from these ten vegetarian recipes for pregnancy. To be extra cautious, we recommend you speak to your doctor about the ingredients first.

1. Sprouts Open Sandwich:

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You Need:

• ¼ cup sprouts
• 1 yellow, red, or green capsicum
• 1tbsp olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 tomato slices
• Few black olives
• Dried oregano, to taste
• Salt, to taste
• ¼ cup mozzarella cheese (grated)

For the marinade, mix the following:

• 1tsp vinegar
• 1tsp olive oil
• ½ tsp powdered sugar
• Salt, to taste

How To:

1. Preheat the oven to 392°F (200°C).
2. Pierce the capsicum with a fork, brush with olive oil, and roast on a grill. Let it cool. Wash in cold water and remove the skin, stem, and seeds. Cut into thin slices.
3. Mix the capsicum with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Divide into equal portions.
4. Mix all the ingredients mentioned under marinade mix in a bowl to make a smooth spread.
5. Spread marinade onto the slices. Place the capsicum mix on top and layer with tomato slices, sprouts, and black olives. Sprinkle over the oregano, pepper, and salt.
6. Sprinkle cheese and put the bread slices into the oven to bake until cheese begins bubbling.
7. Serve warm with a cup of fresh lemonade or a cup of milk.

Trivia

Vegetarian diets are fiber-rich, and high in vitamins and minerals, and contain low amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol (1).

Aloo Methi And Tofu Paratha:

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You Need:

For stuffing:

• Soya flour dough
• 2 boiled potatoes
• ¼ cup chopped methi leaves
• ¼ cup crumbled tofu
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp dried mango powder
• 1 chopped green chilies
• Salt, to taste

Additionally:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tbsp soy oil

How To:

1. Mix the ingredients for the stuffing in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Take some dough and roll it between your palms to make a small ball. Roll out the ball into a small circle with evenly thin edges.
3. Place the stuffing in the center of the circle and fold the edges inwards to close the circle.
4. Flatten and roll again to make a circle. Cook in soy oil on a skillet on both sides till it turns golden brown.

3. Bajra And Moong Dal Khichdi:

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You Need:

• 1 cup bajra (soaked overnight and drained)
• ¼ cup yellow moong dal
• 1tsp ghee
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 3 cups water
• Asafetida, a pinch
• Salt, to taste

How To:

1. Pressure-cook the bajra and moong dal in salted water.
2. Heat the ghee in a pan and add the cumin seeds. Once they crackle, add the asafetida and turmeric powder. Add this over the khichdi, mix, and cook on a low flame for a few minutes

4. Split Urad Dal With Spinach:

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You Need:

• 1 cup split urad dal
• ½ cup chopped spinach
• ½ tsp minced garlic
• ½ tsp finely chopped ginger
• ½ cup chopped tomato
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1 finely chopped green chili
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 2½ cups water
• Salt, to taste

For tempering:

• 1tsp oil
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• Asafetida, a pinch

How To:

1. Wash the dal and pressure cook with water, turmeric powder, ginger, garlic, green chili, and tomato. Once cool, mash well.
2. Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. Once they crackle, add the asafetida and red chili powder. Add the cooked dal and spinach. Add more water if required.
3. Cook till the spinach is soft and blends with dal. These vegetarian pregnancy recipes are easy to make.

5. Mixed Beans And Vegetable Soup:

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You Need:

• 1 cup mixed beans of your choice
• ½ cup grated carrots
• ½ cup diced beetroot, pumpkin, zucchini, capsicum
• ¼ cup chopped onions
• ¼ cup pureed tomatoes
• 1tbsp oil
• ½ tsp garlic
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• ¼ tsp dried oregano
• 3-5 chopped mint leaves
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• Salt and pepper, to taste

How To:

1. Heat the oil in a pan and add onions, carrots, beetroot, capsicum, and garlic. Cook till the onions are translucent.
2. Add chili powder, coriander, cumin, and oregano. Mix well and cook for about two to three minutes.
3. Next, add the tomatoes and salt. Cook for a minute and add stock, pumpkin, zucchini, and beans.
4. Let the mixture boil. Then reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer on low heat till vegetables turn tender. Add pepper and salt. Garnish with mint leaves. These vegetarian recipes for pregnant women are a healthy option.

6. Vegetable And Dal Idli:

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You Need:

• 1 cup green and yellow lentil
• 1 cup boiled and mashed green peas
• 1 cup chopped onion
• ¼ cup methi leaves
• ¼ cup coriander leaves
• ¼ cup grated carrot and coconut
• 2-3 green chilies
• Salt, to taste
• Oil

How To:

1. Wash and soak dals for at least three to four hours. Drain and grind to a smooth batter. Add water if required.
2. Pour the paste into a bowl and add all the ingredients to it. Add water to adjust the batter’s consistency.
3. Grease idli molds with oil and fill them with two to three spoonfuls of the batter. Steam till done.

7. Dalia Pulao:

Image: Shutterstock

You Need:

• 1 cup dalia (washed)
• 1 cup chopped spinach, carrots, French beans, onion, green chilies
• ¼ cup green peas
• 2-3 cloves (minced)
• 1 Bay leaf
• Black pepper, to taste
• 1 half-inch cinnamon stick
• 1tsp cumin seeds
• Salt, to taste
• Oil

How To:

1. Heat the oil in a pan and add the bay leaf, cumin seeds, pepper, cinnamon, and cloves.
2. Add the chopped vegetables and peas and cook. Add the dalia and mix well.
3. Add salt and cook dalia on medium heat till it’s done.

8. Radish Greens:

Image: Shutterstock

You Need:

• 1 cup chopped radish with shredded leaves
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• ¼ tsp dried mango powder
• Sugar, to taste
• A pinch of asafetida
• Salt, to taste
• Oil

How To:

1. Sprinkle some salt on the radish and set aside for ten minutes. Drain once it leaves the water.
2. Heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When they crackle, add the cumin seeds and asafetida and cook. Add the red chili powder and turmeric powder. Add the radish and shredded leaves. Cook.
3. Sprinkle on some water. Cover and cook till the radish is tender. Sprinkle it with salt, sugar, and dried mango powder.

Quick tip

You can also try veg tacos, mushroom stir-fry, veggie burgers, and Thai lettuce cups.

9. Baked Sweet Potato With Beans And Cheese:

Image: Shutterstock

You Need:

• 2 sweet potatoes
• 1 cup canned black beans, low-sodium
• ½ cup grated cheese
• Salt and pepper, to taste

How To:

1. Pierce the potatoes using a fork. Bake in the oven at 400°F (204°C) for about 45 minutes. Set aside.
2. Heat the black beans in a pan.
3. Slice the potatoes lengthwise. Add the beans and sprinkle cheese on top.

10. Baked Stuffed Tomatoes:

Image: Shutterstock

You Need:

• 2-3 ripe tomatoes
• 2 cups crumbled paneer
• 1 cup boiled vegetables of your choice (chopped)
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 1 green chili
• Oil
• Salt, to taste

How To:

1. Remove the top of the tomatoes and scoop out the center. Set aside the scooped portion.
2. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Add the green chilies and cook some more.
3. Add the boiled vegetables, paneer, salt, and the scooped-out portion of tomatoes and cook.
4. Stuff the tomatoes with this mix. Bake in a preheated oven at 392°F (200°C) for 20 minutes.

11. Spinach and Feta Filo Pie

Image: Shutterstock

You Need :

• 500g spinach
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 large onion (finely chopped)
• 2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
• 200g pasteurized feta cheese (crumbled)
• 4 tbsp pine nuts (toasted)
• 3 large eggs (beaten)
• Salt, pepper and oregano for seasoning
• 4 to 6 filo pastry sheets

How To:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Wilt the spinach in a pan over medium heat. Allow to cool and squeeze out water
3. In a bowl, mix spinach, feta, pine nuts, and eggs
4. Melt butter in a frying pan and add chopped onion. Cook until soft (about five minutes)
5. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.
6. Remove from the heat, add to the spinach mix, and season with salt, black pepper, and oregano.
7. Place it into the base of a 1-liter baking dish
8. Brush the filo pastry sheets with melted butter and lay them over the spinach mixture (scrunch lightly).
9. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden.

Infographic: Healthy And Tasty Vegetarian Dishes To Include In Your Pregnancy Diet

Pregnant women need to ensure that they are taking a balanced diet with adequate intake of minerals such as iron and calcium. A vegetarian diet can provide all the necessary nutrients for the baby’s healthy growth. Read through this infographic to discover some tasty and healthy vegetarian dishes.

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team

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Dr. Elizabeth RobertsPhD, MSc, BSc, SRD

Dr. Elizabeth Roberts, a registered dietitian based in Somerset, UK, with 22 years of experience. She was raised mostly abroad and lived her early life in Norway, Greece and Germany. It was experiencing different eating cultures and behaviors that sparked her interest in food and nutrition.

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Swati PatwalM.Sc. (Food & Nutrition), MBA

Swati Patwal is a clinical nutritionist, a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) and a toddler mom with more than a decade of experience in diverse fields of nutrition. She started her career as a CSR project coordinator for a healthy eating and active lifestyle project catering to school children.

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Lorraine TeronMSc

Lorraine is a postgraduate in Life Science from Mount Carmel College and previously worked as a freelance scientific illustrator. As a project associate and lab technician at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Lorraine received valuable insights into Covid-19, transgenerational epigenetic inheritance, and neuro-degenerative diseases.

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