One of the things I was most concerned about when I became pregnant was making sure I was getting enough nutrients in my diet. Since I’m pescaterian, and don’t eat meat, I needed to make sure I was getting protein and iron. I talked to Kelly LeVeque who is not only one of the sweetest people, but also an incredibly knowledgeable nutritionist and wellness expert. She told me that omega-3s are an essential during pregnancy, and luckily I can get them through fish.

Kelly gave me a lot of insight so I was really excited when she agreed to do a guest post series for me about PREGNANCY SUPERFOODS. Regardless of whether or not you’re pregnant, I think her knowledge is really valuable. Read on to learn more about salmon as a pregnancy superfood, and get an incredibly delicious and healthy recipe for Roasted Salmon with Lemon Aioli.

from Kelly LeVeque:

When working with a new Mom-to-be, my first suggestion is always to focus on taking care of themselves. Whether they sleep more, eat better or get some exercise, they inevitably take better care of their little one, too. That being said, being pregnant sometimes means you have an affinity for the sweet stuff, or an aversion to the good stuff, so to guarantee you help that baby grow it’s always beneficial to know what’s best!

Pregnancy Superfood #1: SALMON

When you’re pregnant you are advised to avoid sushi but you can, and should, have wild low mercury fish weekly, especially salmon!

Loaded with Omega 3 fats and known to support brain health, salmon can boost your memory and help you avoid pregnancy brain all while supporting your baby’s neural development. During fetal development it’s important that pregnant mothers aim for 75 grams of protein daily because these amino acids are needed for all cellular development from internal organs to those cute little fingers and toes. Not to mention, it can help you balance the changes happening in your body by delivering a good dose of DHA, which is linked to lower rates of postpartum and interim depression.

Here’s a recipe that’s healthy and flavorful for

ROASTED SALMON WITH LEMON AIOLI AND SLAW

ROASTED SALMON WITH LEMON AIOLI AND SLAW

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces napa cabbage

4 ounces Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced

3 to 4 red radishes, thinly sliced

1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

1 lime, juiced

2 wild Alaskan salmon filets

lemon aioli {recipe below}

DIRECTIONS

Rinse the cabbage, pat dry and cut into thin slices. Transfer cabbage to a colander.  Toss with salt (salt will pull water out of cabbage, leaving it crunchy rather than soggy) and let sit for 1-2 hours.

Prep and cook the salmon

Heat the oven to 400ºF.

Place each filet in the middle of a 12 in x 12 in piece of parchment paper. Drizzle the salmon filets with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap each fillet by folding the short ends of the paper into each other. Then fold in the bottom edge and flip over the other end to seal. Place in a baking pan, seam side down. Roast in the oven until the salmon is flaky and opaque, about 18 to 20 minutes. While the salmon cooks, mix the cabbage with the cilantro,  grated ginger, lime juice, and 1 to 2 tablespoons oil.

Arrange cucumber and radish slices on two plates. Add roasted salmon filet and top with a spoonful of lemon aoli and the slaw on top.

LEMON AOILI

INGREDIENTS

2 cloves garlic

1 cup Primal mayonnaise

2 tbsp lemon juice (fresh squeezed)

1 tbsp grated lemon zest

1/2 tsp pink salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

¼ tsp dill, minced

DIRECTIONS FOR LEMON AOILI

Add garlic to high-speed blender and blend until minced, then add remaining ingredients.

I hope you all enjoyed this post from Kelly!

Stay tuned for more Pregnancy Superfoods over the next few months!

xox