Nourish You: Postpartum Recipe Series ~ Fall 2023
It can be hard to find the time and energy to eat well when you’re in the thick of parenting a new baby - cue your postpartum doula, equipped with recipes and kitchen know-how to nurture and nourish. Nourish You is our series of favorite recipes, highlighting seasonal ingredients in healthy recipes, to fuel the postpartum period.
As postpartum doulas, nourishing our clients is the heart of the work we do. Some days, it may look like providing emotional support or doing the household tasks that keep your home humming along so that you can focus on the important work of bonding as a family. Other days, it might involve a quiet flurry of activity in the kitchen (possibly wearing your baby in a wrap or other carrier) to prepare meals and snacks to feed your whole family.
Nutrition can play a key role in recovery for the birthing parent, including improving energy, protecting against perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, and preventing bone density loss over the long-term. For both parents, eating food that you enjoy and that is good for your body can be extra supportive during a time of transition and sleep deprivation.
Merriah with another gorgeous frittata
The fall is an abundant time, colored by the last of the summer veggies and enriched by the earliest of the winter greens. For Bridgetown Baby founder Merriah Fairchild, fall is a perfect time to share her enthusiasm for frittatas.
“Frittatas have become one of the signature dishes that our postpartum doula team prepares for our clients,” says Merriah. “I love it because it’s super versatile, full of protein and other goodness, and it can be eaten warm, cold, or when you only have one hand available - which is pretty much always in the early postpartum period!”
See below for tips to maximize taste, nutrition, and ease of preparation.
Merriah’s Favorite Frittata
The base ingredients:
Eggs
Milk (dairy or non-dairy - or yogurt, sour cream or cottage cheese)
Cheese (dairy or non-dairy)
Onions/garlic
Whatever veggies you love or have on hand
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
This is yet another recipe that is super flexible in terms of ingredients - your fridge or freezer can save you on a night when you don’t have anything else planned (it comes together with a wide variety of ingredients; a bag of mixed freezer veggies has rescued many a night) OR you can save your fridge by using the random veggies leftover from other cooking projects.
How Merriah makes frittatas for Bridgetown Baby postpartum doula clients
A frittata comes together quickly, especially if you’ve had the chance to meal prep beforehand - for example, when onions are chopped and veggies are already cut up and in containers in the fridge, you can start those cooking in a large iron-proof skillet and do the other steps while those are sautéing. Here’s the quick run-down, with a link to a more detailed recipe below:
Just about any kind of cheese will lend to the flavor of a frittata; here Merriah’s using soft goat cheese.
Preheat the oven to 425
Sauté 3-5 cups of onions, garlic, veggies of your choice til tender (or use 3 cups of precooked veggies or greens)
Whisk together 8-12 eggs (depending on the size of your skillet), 2-3 Tbsp milk/milk substitute and 2/3-1 cup of the cheese/cheese substitute, plus any dry or fresh herbs
Season the veggies with salt and pepper; ensure heat is set to medium
Pour the egg mixture over the veggies and top with remaining 1/3-1/2 cup cheese
Continue to cook on the stovetop until the edges of the egg mixture start to lighten in color
Place the skillet in the oven, and bake 7-14 minutes until the edges are firm and the middle is just a bit jiggly
Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving
Bon appétit!
And that’s that - simple, flexible, packed with nutrition and good taste, and it can be eaten any time of the day. It also lasts in the fridge and can be baked as muffins and frozen for a quick snack or meal later on. If you prefer to work with more detailed instructions, this recipe is one of our favorites.
Here are some other kitchen tips from Bridgetown Baby’s postpartum doula team - for maximum taste, good health and ease of preparation:
Buy fresh at your local Portland, Oregon-area farmers market or through produce delivery services like Milk Run or a local CSA (community supported agriculture)
Group like tasks, such as cutting all ingredients, and then clear the workspace of extra implements (bonus if you give the implements a quick wash or put them in the dishwasher so that clean-up isn’t so daunting at the end)
Cut extra veggies to use for snacking or other meals during the week
Get up to speed on how to store ingredients correctly for health and best flavor
Learn how to best freeze foods so you can set aside a portion or two to pull out on an especially busy day
Check out other recipes on the Bridgetown Baby blog
If you need support to afford nutritious food, check out resources like WIC, OR Food Assistance, and Urban Gleaners
The postpartum experience - as you grow your family and feed your littles - is a period of intense nurturing. It’s a beautiful time to let your village nourish you, whether through meals delivered by friends, snacks prepared by visiting family, or the experienced household management (and kitchen witchery) provided by postpartum doulas.
May you eat well, love fiercely, and grow in good health!
Love,
Your Bridgetown Baby Team
Many thanks to Nate Stevens for the beautiful photos. Nate is the creative mind behind Nate Stevens Curiosity Lab. With a passion for branding photography and creative portraiture, he has spent over a decade helping brands tell their unique stories. Nate's work goes beyond mere images; it's about connecting and resonating with audiences. When not behind the lens, he explores new ways to challenge creative norms. The photographs in this article offer a glimpse into his commitment to authentic engagement.
