What are your favorite meals to make a sick or postpartum friend?

Question

What Would Caroline Cook · Answer

What Would Caroline Cook: I share recipes over on Substack - have 280+ posted, all ad free! These are what I give in this situation!

Go to egg casserole

Roast potatoes and carrots

Chicken enchiladas

Nut free granola

Granola bars

Easy lasagna

2 ingredient chicken

Soups are great

In my experience, new moms haven’t enjoyed too spicy of food.

Hope this helps 💚💚

Joy Fowlkes · Answer

Kimchi Soup by Melissa Clark: Kimchi Soup with Pork and Tofu

From Dinner by Melissa Clark

This spicy, heady soup is worth seeking out pork belly for. The pieces simmer up into little soft, meaty pillows that melt in the mouth. Butcher shops carry it, as do large supermarkets, and you’re sure to find it in Korean or Chinese markets if you happen to have one nearby. This said, using boneless pork loin will also work, although the meat won’t be as tender as the pork belly. Try this recipe in place of your more sedate chicken soup next time you have a cold; the fiery Korean chile powder and paste (both available online and at Asian markets) give the broth quite a kick and do wonders to clear up a stuffy head on a bad day.

1 pound pork belly or boneless pork loin, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Kosher salt to taste

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon Asian fish sauce

8 ounces baby bok choy, stems and leaves separated

2 tablespoons peanut oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 tablespoons, gochujang

1 teaspoon gochujaru

2 cups kimchi, chopped, juices reserved

4 cups chicken, pork, or beef stock

12 ounces soft or silken tofu, cut into large cubes

8 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced for serving

Fresh cilantro leaves for serving

Put the pork into a bowl and season it all over with salt to taste. Add the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, and fish sauce. Toss well to coat, and then let the pork marinate for 20 minutes at room temperature, or covered overnight in the refrigerator.

Thinly slice both the stems and the leaves of the baby bok choy, keeping them separate so you can easily add them at different points in the recipe.

Set a heavy bottomed soup pot over high heat. Add the peanut oil, and when it is hot, add the pork and brown it all over, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, and cook, stirring, until it has softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the gochujang and gochugaru. Cook until the paste darkens in color, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the kimchi and its juices, reserved bok choy stems, stock, and a large pinch of salt. Note that the recipe called for 4 cups of water here, but I prefer not to dilute the flavor. Bring to a boil; then reduce the heat to a brisk simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Taste the broth, and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Just before serving, add the bok choy greens and the tofu, and stir gently to combine. When the greens wilt, ladle the soup into warmed bowls and garnish them with scallions and cilantro.

Dylan · Answer

Beef & lentil bolognaise with cauliflower mash: High fibre! High protein! Hearty! Warming! Packed with loads of hidden healthy bits to trick toddlers (or yourself) into eating more veggies! Could easily be adapted to be vegetarian or vegan or dairy free or whatever you like.

My recipe below (members only) <3

Paige · Answer

Oatmeal bake!: This is kind of lame in terms of like… flavor, but what it lacks in style it makes up for in substance. Cozy and loving, packs nutrients, eat hot or cold, cut a piece and hold it in your hand to eat it while you hold your baby, put yogurt or cream on it for extra calories, drizzle syrup or jam on it for fun, will keep you alive (in your body and your soul). Freezes well too!

Noelle O’Reilly · Answer

What To Feed Postpartum People: A collection of some of my favorite postpartum meals to bring/stock the freezer with. Congrats!!

Haley · Answer

Chocolate chip cookies: Also, my fav thing to add to any meal I deliver… I make a batch of chocolate chip cookies (my fav recipe is from Tara O’Brady). I bake 12 cookies, then roll out and freeze the remainder of the batch. I write the baking instructions on a gallon ziplock bag before putting all the frozen cookie dough inside.

Haley · Answer

Turkey taco salad (by Caro Chambers): This is my current go-to, especially if the family has other young kids or picky eaters. Does your 3 year old just want to eat the chips and maybe some guac? Great! I keep the components separate so the family can build their own plates.