There’s
more to Irish food than bangers and mash.
If you’re
bringing a dish to a St. Patrick’s Day party, or celebrating quietly at home,
why not make something festive while incorporating milk-enhancing ingredients?
Remember
from earlier posts that:
- Wild salmon is a lactogenic rock star. Because of its rich Omega-3 content, research suggests nursing and breast pumping benefit from two servings weekly in order to consume the appropriate amount of the essential fatty acid to promote a healthy baby’s brain development. [1]
- Spinach is a “super food” as well as a fabulous dietary element during pregnancy and lactation due to its rich content of folic acid. It’s even suggested to improve the quality and taste of your breast milk. [2]
- Asparagus is a “powerhouse” food for nursing and pumping mothers. It is chock full of Vitamins A, C, and K. Asparagus is also high in fiber and folic acid, both of which aid in maintaining a healthy milk supply. Additionally, this jolly green contains two power elements: phytoestrogens and tryptophan. Phytoestrogens assist in the milk production process. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, which has proven to stimulate which has proven to stimulate prolactin production; prolactin is a major hormone involved in the lactation cycle. [3]
- Apricots (especially dried apricots) contain phytoestrogens, which help to balance the hormones involved in lactation. Apricots are high in fiber, Vitamin A, C, potassium and calcium.
Here are
a few recipes to festively feast this St. Patrick’s Day while promoting milk
production.
Irish
Salmon [4]
Yields:
4 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1⁄4 cup cider vinegar
- 1⁄4 cup Irish whiskey
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 4 (6 ounce) salmon fillets
Instructions:
- Mix together honey, vinegar, whiskey, thyme, lemon zest, oil, salt and pepper.
- Pour mixture over salmon and marinate 1 hour at room temperature, or 4 hours refrigerated.
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Remove salmon from marinade and place on a rack over a roasting pan.
- Grill or Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, basting once with the marinade or until golden and white juices are just beginning to appear.
Shamrock
Salad [5]
Yields: 4
servings
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch thin asparagus spears
- 5 oz. snow peas, trimmed
- 5 oz. shelled fresh peas
- 5 oz. dried apricots, cut into thin strips
- 1 bag of pre-washed baby spinach
- 2 sticks celery, sliced
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1-2 teaspoon grainy mustard
Instructions:
- Remove woody ends from asparagus and cut into equal lengths.
- Cook peas and asparagus in boiling salted water for 2 minutes or until just tender but still crisp.
- Rinse peas and asparagus with cold water. Pat or air-dry completely.
- Combine peas, asparagus, apricots, spinach and celery in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl combine the dressing elements. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix thoroughly.
- Pour dressing over salad, toss, and serve.
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