Need a nourishing and simple meal with minimal hands on work? Every parent’s dream right? This Balsamic Beef and Carrot Stew has fewer than 10 ingredients and can be on your table in just over an hour. Best part? The majority of that time is hands off; freeing up time to play with your kiddos, put your feet up, or catch up on episodes of The Bachelor.

Balsamic Beef and Carrot Stew is packed with essential nutrients perfect for pregnancy and those early postpartum days. Not sure what to plan for your postpartum meal prep? Add this to your list. This stew is simple enough, that your well-meaning, but not so kitchen savvy buddy can whip it up with ease!

Pregnant? Add Balsamic Beef & Carrot Stew to your meal plan!

Tougher cuts of meat, like beef stew meat, contain collagen and glycine, a conditionally essential amino acid. While you’re busy growing a new person from scratch, glycine becomes conditionally essential because of its role in building connective tissue and managing stress. (2).

During pregnancy glycine supports the expanding uterus and skin and also helps develop the placenta. (2) Glycine also helps with methylation, which is important for things like DNA and neurotransmitter production. (3) Also, glycine is protective against two major components of preeclampsia: oxidative stress and elevated blood pressure. (2)

Postpartum, eating collagen and glycine rich foods helps repair connective tissue, supports hormonal shifts, and keeps blood pressure in a healthy range.

Gently cooked carrots and the natural broth created in balsamic beef and carrot stew also support postpartum healing and digestion. These warming foods are easy to digest, nutrient rich and anti-inflammatory. So many wins in one big bowl.

References

1. Amino Acids. Medlineplus.gov. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002222.htm. Reviewed January 26, 2017. Accessed May 10, 2018.
2. Nichols L. Real food for pregnancy: the science and wisdom of optimal prenatal nutrition. San Bernardino, CA; 2018.
3. What is methylation and why you should care about it. Thorne.com. https://www.thorne.com/take-5-daily/article/what-is-methylation-and-why-should-you-care-about-it. Published January 12, 2018. Accessed May 11, 2018.