68 - Freezer Meal Prep Postpartum BLAME IT ON MOM BRAIN

68 - Freezer Meal Prep Postpartum

Join Amanda for a solo episode where she shares one of our most requested topics: Postpartum frozen prepped meals. Amanda shares how she home cooked over 52 meals for Jodine and her little growing family before they welcomed their newest family member at the beginning of January. We’ve missed you! Welcome back to Blame It on Mom Brain! All show notes and recipes / meal prep instructions can be found below.

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BOOK RECOMMENDATION: The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother. Written by Heng Ou. https://amzn.to/3HKcLds



Carrot Soup

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup butter

1 onion (chopped)

1 clove garlic (chopped)

3 cups sliced carrots (1 cup= 2 medium sliced)

2 potatoes peeled and diced

Approx. 1 1/2 cups chicken broth

Approx. 1 1/2 cups of water

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1 bay leaf (discard when ready to serve )

1 cup milk or cream



DIRECTIONS:


Sautée onion and garlic in butter for 5 min.
Add carrots and potatoes, stir to coat with butter.
Add chicken broth water, salt, tarragon, pepper, coriander, and bay leaf.
Simmer, covered, over med. heat 15 mins., until veggies are well cooked.
Remove bay leaf.
Pour soup in batches, in blender or food processor until smooth.
Pour back in saucepan.
Stir in milk
Heat.
Add teaspoon of sour cream in centre (or swirl) and serve with crackers or bread stick.

You can adjust as you go along. Add more carrots, or potatoes if you want it thicker. Or more chicken broth to thin it out. You may have to adjust salt if you add more veggies.



Potato Leek Soup

INGREDIENTS:

3 tbsps butter

4 large leeks (5 cups)

3 cloves of garlic (peeled and smashed)

7 cups broth

2 bay leaves

3 sprigs thyme

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 cụp cream

Chives



DIRECTIONS:


Melt butter
Add leeks + garlic, stir regularly x 10 min
Add potatoes + stock + bay leaves + thyme + salt and pepper
Bring to a boil, cover, turn heat down x 15 mins
Remove thyme + bay leaves
Purée soup
Add cream
Simmer



Thanksgiving Warm: Chicken + cranberry + mash + beans 


Season chicken breasts with dried or fresh herbs: Thyme, parsley, oregano, garlic + onion powder, salt, pepper 
Bake @ 400F for 20-25 mins
Boil chopped potatoes. Once fork-tender, add in butter, salt, pepper, chopped chives + garlic powder. 
Sautee green beans
Plate and top with canned or homemade cranberry sauce



Broccoli + pasta + ground Italian sausage


Combine boiled broccoli, cooked pasta, and cooked sausage together in a pot. 
Add butter, EVOO, and grated parmiggiano reggiano + pecorino romano cheeses. 



Stir fry and Dumplings 


Sautee vegetables: Onion, garlic, red pepper, brocoli, cabbage, carrots, Pork + leek dumplings
Add sauce: Sesame oil, fish oil, oyster sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, powdered ginger, salt. 
Add cooked Asian Noodles (I used frozen Udon noodles, boiled for 2 minutes)
Meanwhile, cook dumplings based on package instructions (I used pork + leek frozen dumplings)



Stuffed peppers with quinoa + roasted sweet potatoes (side dish)


Chop 4-5 bell peppers in half
Par-boil for 10 minutes then set aside to cool off. 
Meanwhile, sautée: Ground meat (beef + sausage), garlic, onion, mushrooms, carrots, spinach. 
Mix in cooked quinoa
Seasoning: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper. 
Add some grated cheddar cheese (optional)
Fill pepper halves with the quinoa + meat filling
Top with parmiggiano or cheddar (optional)
Bake at 425F for 15-20 minutes 
Garnish with freshly chopped Italian parsley 



Lemon Ricotta Cookies by Giada Dilaurentiis: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/gi