Morning Sickness? Here’s Why We Love Ginger & 5 Simple Recipes

During pregnancy, ginger is like our "girl Friday" — always there when we need it, and always up to the task of helping a girl out. It's the go-to, at-home remedy for nausea. And even if it can't totally eliminate morning sickness (because that's a tough one), it does a pretty good job at taking off the edge of nausea and it definitely goes to work to make us feel better.

If you didn't know, ginger does a lot more for the body than just reducing those woozy, upset stomach feelings (though some good news on that, a recent systematic review has found ginger to be a safe and effective option for women suffering from nausea and vomiting during pregnancy).

The main bioactive compounds in ginger are gingerols and shogaols, and that's what's responsible for much of its medicinal properties. Beyond soothing your stomach, those compounds have powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects — which can positively impact nearly all aspects of our healthy functioning, and certain literature suggests they may have a role in preventing various cancers.

More recent studies have also suggested that ginger could play a role in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels, which is interesting to note for women diagnosed with (or at a higher risk of) gestational diabetes. All this to say that ginger has some pretty good things going for it. We're sure you've had plenty of cups of ginger tea, but there are so many more ways to enjoy ginger in your diet. If you're a fan of the flavor and richness this medicinal root adds to your meals, we've got some amazing recipes for you.

5 recipes that will make you love ginger even more & help with morning sickness…

1. Creamy Chia Coconut Ginger Soup

What you’ll need:

• 1 can coconut milk

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 2" piece of peeled, grated ginger

• 2 tsp Thai yellow curry paste

• 1 tsp minced garlic

• 12 oz cauliflower florets, roughly chopped

• 1 lime, juiced

• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

• 3/4 cups bone broth

• 1/4 cup chia seeds

• 1/2 bunch asparagus spears

• 3 tsp cilantro, washed and roughly chopped

Here's how to make it:

1. Heat 1/2 of the canned coconut milk in a saucepan over medium-high heat, until just starting to boil, making sure to stir frequently

2. Add the salt, ginger, curry paste, and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes

3. Add the cauliflower florets, the fresh lime juice, vegetable broth and bone broth and bring to a boil. Let cook for about 10 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender.

4. Let the soup cool slightly and then puree in batches.

5. Add the pureed soup back to a clean saucepan and bring to a simmer.

6. Stir in the chia seeds and cook until soup reaches desired consistency, about 20 minutes.

7. While that's cooking, steam your asparagus until cooked to desired tenderness and chop into 1" pieces.

8. Serve the soup in bowls with asparagus and cilantro as garnish on top.

2. Ginger Sweet Tofu with Bok Choy

What you’ll need:

• 250g extra firm tofu, drained

• 2 TBSP sesame oil

• 1" piece of ginger, sliced

• 200g Bok Choy

• 50g shredded carrots

• 1 TBSP rice wine

• 1 TBSP champagne vinegar

• 2 cups cooked jasmine rice, to share

• Pink Himalayan sea salt, to taste

• 1 TBSP grated ginger

• 2 TBSP coconut aminos

• 1 TBSP raw sugar

Here's how to make it:

1. Cut the tofu into bite-size cubes and prick a few holes in it to help the marinade sink in.

2. Mix the marinade ingredients together in a bowl and toss in the tofu pieces. Let marinate for 10-15 mins.

3. Heat a wok over high heat and add half the sesame oil. Once slightly warmed add the ginger slices and carrots and stir-fry for 1 minute.

4. Next, add the Bok Choy and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

5. If you need extra liquid, add a tablespoon of water to help the veggies steam for an additional 2 minutes.

6. When the carrots are cooked and Bok Choy leaves have wilted and the stems are cooked but still a little crunchy, season with salt and transfer to a serving dish.

7. Add the remaining sesame oil back to the wok, bring to medium heat, and add the tofu pieces. Stir-fry for about 10 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked and tofu pieces are slightly browned.

8. Reduce heat and season the tofu with rice wine and champagne vinegar. Add the remaining marinade liquid, and bring to a simmer to let the liquid reduce.

9. To serve, spoon onto the Bok Choy and serve alongside your cooked jasmine rice.

3. Tropical Ginger Smoothie

What you’ll need:

• 1 ripe mango, peeled and diced

• 1 cup frozen pineapple chunks

• 1" fresh ginger, peeled and grated

• 1 small banana, frozen

• 1/4 cup orange juice

• 3/4 cup sweetened almond milk

• 1 tsp Maca powder (omit if pregnant)

Here's how to make it: 

Add all ingredients to blender, and spin until smooth. Add more liquid as needed to reach desired consistency.

4. Minted Ginger Lemonade

What you’ll need:

• 1 cup fresh lemon juice

• Bundle of fresh mint leaves

• 3" fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

• 5 cups still water

• 1/2 cup raw sugar

• 2 TBSP maple syrup

Here's how to make it:

1. Bring water to a boil and add the raw sugar, stirring until sugar fully dissolves. Add this simple syrup to the fridge to let cool.

2. Using a mortar and pestle, lightly muddle your mint leaves.

3. Add the lemon juice, muddled mint, ginger, simple syrup, and maple syrup to a large, sealable pitcher. Shake well until fully combined. 

4. Let rest in fridge for 2-4 hours to let flavors settle in

5. Orange Veggie Spring Rolls with Cashew Ginger Sauce

What you’ll need:

• 9 Rice paper rolls

• 1 Carrot, julienned

• 1 ripe mango, cubed

• 1 orange pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

• 1 bunch cilantro, leaves cut from stems

• 9 mint leaves

• 9 leaves butter lettuce

• 7 oz rice vermicelli noodles

• 1/2 cup cashew butter

• 2 TBSP coconut aminos

• 2 TBSP brown sugar

• 1/2 lime, juiced

• 1 tsp rice wine vinegar

• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger

• Hot water, as needed

Here's how to make it:

1. For the cashew ginger sauce, whisk all ingredients together in a deep bowl until combined. Use hot water as needed to thin the sauce to your liking - this is optional.

2. To prepare the spring rolls, chop carrots, mango, and orange pepper accordingly.

3. Prepare the rice paper wrappers as per the instructions on your packaging. You want to dip in water so they become completely transparent and soft, yet won't rip on you.

4. Set your rice paper rolls on a preparation surface and divide the slices of bell peppers, carrots, mango, and cilantro onto each of them.

5. Place one mint leaf (roughly chopped) and one butter lettuce leaf on each roll.

6. Lastly, divide the vermicelli noodles across the rolls and make sure all ingredients are lined up in the center of the rice paper.

7. Roll the top and bottoms of the paper over the filling, and then roll from left to right (or right to left!).

8. Serve alongside the cashew ginger sauce and enjoy!

For more recipe inspiration be sure to check out the recipes in the Baby2Body app! You'll find new recipes every week that are suited to your stage and nutritional needs.  

What recipe do you want to see next? Let us know in the comments!

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