Chickpea Cookie Dough Bites + Breastfeeding Nutrition Tips!

Prep Time: 20 minutes - Makes: 15-18 bites

Easy, protein-loaded and freezable bite-sized snacks! You won't even realize there is chickpeas in here!

Ingredients

• 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 2 tablespoons seed butter / WOW Sunbutter

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

• 3 tablespoons almond flour

• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Blend the following together and scoop into a bowl

• 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 2 tablespoons seed butter / WOW Sunbutter

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

• 3 tablespoons almond flour

2. Add ½ cup chocolate chips to the batter to the bowl

3. Start rolling balls (~15-18 cake pops), and add to a baking tray with parchment paper; add cake pop sticks to each ball

4. Put the baking tray in the freezer for 60 minutes

Breastfeeding Nutrition tips

Lactation consultant resources:

• Email us at info@healthyu.ca

Prenatal supplements

• Continue taking prenatal supplements to top off on Vitamin A, Zinc, Vitamin B12 up to a year after having your baby.

Calcium & Vitamin D importance

• Can lower risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and bone health

How much calcium do I need?

• Moms will need 1000 mg of calcium per day.

How do I make sure I am getting enough calcium?

Food sources of calcium:

• Prenatal supplement is 250 mg

• 1 cup of milk/fortified milk alternative 300 mg

• 50 g of cheese 250 mg-350 mg

• 3/4 cup yoghurt is 200-250 mg

• 3/4 cup tofu (soaked in liquid that contains calcium) is 300-500 mg

• 3/4 cup white/navy beans 100 mg

• 1/4 cup almonds 100 mg

• 1/2 cup collards, spinach, turnips, kale 100-150 mg

How much vitamin D do I need?

600 IU

How to make sure I'm getting enough vitamin D?

Exposure to sunlight - make sure you still wear sunscreen to protect your skin!

Food sources:

Pair with calcium to increase absorption!

Babies:

• Will need vitamin D drops especially when breastfed up to around 12 months when they start drinking regular milk.

• You can put the drop on the nipple or the nipple of the bottle to ensure baby drinks it.

Mom:

• Prenatal supplement is 600 IU

• 1 cup of milk/fortified milk alternative 100 IU

• 75 g salmon 400 IU

• 75 g mackerel 300 IU

• 75 g herring 150 IU

• 75 g halibut 140 IU

• 75 g tuna 60-100 IU

• 1 tsp cod liver oil 425 IU

Do I need omega-3 fatty acids?

They are very important for mom and breastmilk. It is an essential fat that we need to get from the foods we eat.

Health benefits:

• Brain function in baby

• Improved mood

• Linked to cardiovascular health

• Anti-inflammatory properties

What food sources have omega-3 fatty acids?

• Fatty fish like salmon, trout, herring, mackerel

• Canned tuna, light

• Ground flax seeds

• Chia seeds

• Walnuts

• Soy nuts

• Soy products

• Some prenatal supplements with liquid gel

Can I safely have caffeine?

Yes! It is more about the amount of caffeine you are getting. Try limiting caffeine to about 200-300 mg of caffeine daily.

1 cup (measuring cup) of coffee is around 95 mg

1 shot (30 mL) of expresso or Americanos is 65 mg

1 cup (measuring cup) of decaf coffee is around 7 mg

1 cup (measuring cup) of black tea is around 45 mg

1 cup (measuring cup) of green tea is around 30-50 mg

You can also try mixing 1/2 regular with 1/2 decaf coffee!

Meal planning

1. Eat a little more food than you normally would

2. Timing of food frequency - 3 meals, 2 snacks and spaced out between 2-3 hours

3. Include a variety of food groups - 3-4 for meals and 2-3 for snacks

4. Staying hydrated with water! Drink water while nursing, breastfeeding women will need 13 cups of fluid per day (aim for water to be the primary source). One idea to encourage water consumption is to include water at diaper changing stations!