This is the first recipe in a series specifically designed to nourish those going through their 4th trimester. The postpartum period is a time of vulnerability, exhaustion, elation, and healing; it’s a sacred chapter in the birthing person’s life that often gets overshadowed by the demanding needs of the new baby. These recipes focus on nutrient dense and anti-inflammatory foods with specific emphasis on healthy fats, high protein, essential micronutrients and plenty of galactagogues to help increase milk production. They are meant to nourish, to restore, and to delight.

Most importantly, these recipes are dedicated to my best first friend Mesa who is about to welcome her first child. We’ve known each other since we were one and have remained dear friends for the past 35 years despite living in different parts of the world for over half of our lives. I wish I could cook for her during her forth trimester but since we are states apart, I decided that creating a smattering of postpartum recipes was the next best thing. 

The first food that came to mind when I thought about cooking for Mesa was peanut butter. Growing up, the Smith family pantry was always well stocked and impressively organized, each food item boasting a black sharpie scribble of the date purchased. The sheer bounty of stocked cereals allowed us our first explorations into gastronomy; our bowls combined Lucky Charms and Trix, Corn Pops and Frosted Flakes, Reese's Puffs and Kix. If we weren’t inventing award-winning cereal mashups, we were dabbling with the versatility of peanut butter. 

During our early teenage years, Mesa and I had an after school tradition of watching horror movies in her TV room. These films ranged from the classics (Pet Sematary, The Shining, etc.) to as obscure as Chisago City’s Video Vault VHS collection would allow (I recall something featuring Nicolas Cage and a leper colony and another involving an army of possessed demon ants). Before starting the movie, we would load up on cereal and snacks. Our favorite creation involved slathering graham crackers in peanut butter, then meticulously arranging butterscotch and chocolate chips in alternating rows and patterns. High on sugar and screaming aloud with every slash of a knife or animal rising from the dead, it truly did not get any better than this. 

The Smith’s also consistently had a jar of peanut butter on their breakfast table. When pancakes or waffles were served, peanut butter - not butter - was the fat that welcomed the barrage of maple syrup. The first time I tried this combination, my young mind was blown. This family was definitely onto something.

For this first postpartum recipe, pancakes with peanut butter was the obvious choice (assuming you all already know how to embellish your graham crackers). Instead of flour and buttermilk, gluten-free oats and quinoa are soaked overnight in yogurt to provide a good dose of protein, fiber, and micronutrients. These are filling, hearty, and just hippy enough. To serve, load ‘em up with peanut butter, sure for the extra protein, but more for the extra deliciousness, and thank the Smith family for their game-changing innovation. And now, somebody make these for Mesa! xoxo

Gluten-Free Quinoa Oat Pancakes

Quinoa and oats are used in place of flour in these pancakes, giving them a healthy dose of both protein and fiber. Be sure to scrub the quinoa between your hands in a bowl of water before you start; this will remove some of the bitter compounds on the outer coating.

Yield: 6-8 pancakes
Prep time: 6-10 hours (overnight soak)
Cook time: 15 minutes

1/3 cup uncooked white quinoa, rinsed well
2/3 cup rolled oats
pinch of salt
1/2 cup plain full fat yogurt
2 eggs
3 tablespoons coconut sugar or brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon
3 tablespoons of coconut oil, divided

To top:
Maple syrup
Fresh fruit
Peanut butter

Put quinoa and oats into a blender with a pinch of salt and pour over 1 cup of boiling water. Cool, add yogurt, and let sit overnight in the fridge.

In the morning, add eggs, sugar, baking powder, and cardamom and blend until smooth.

Heat a medium sized skillet over medium heat and add about 1 teaspoon of coconut oil. When hot, pour in about 1/3 cup of batter. Let cook until small holes appear on the surface of the batter, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook 1-2 additional minutes. Remove pancake from pan and continue with remaining batter, adding additional teaspoons of oil before each. Keep finished pancakes in a warm oven until ready to serve. Top with peanut butter, fresh berries, banana, and real maple syrup. Eat immediately, with extra peanut butter on the table.