It was while expecting her second child that Leah Douglas conceived the idea for her debut cookbook – The Gourmet Pregnancy.
The White Rock resident, 35, had always enjoyed going out for meals with her husband, Mike, and entertaining at home, but she grew concerned whether many of her favourite foods were safe to eat during pregnancy.
“Like many expectant women, I wanted to eat what would be best for my baby and steer clear of any foods or drinks that could cause harm,” said Douglas, who began searching for cookbooks to help her make her favourite dishes ‘safely’ at home.
Douglas found there to be a lack in the selection of books on the market and the contents of the ones she did find to be preachy.
At the encouragement of Mike and her friends, she decided to create her own – no easy feat for a full time social worker with a toddler to care for.
“We found an agent in White Rock who loved our idea and wanted us to come up with 100 different recipes, most of which we made after our daughter (Avery) went to bed. I was really exhausted by the end of it,” said Douglas.
What Douglas lacked in culinary expertise, she made up for in her passion for delicious, healthy food. With the help of her graphic artist/photographer husband, she embarked on the journey of filling the pages of The Gourmet Pregnancy – a lighthearted cookbook filled with chic recipes and humourous anecdotes about cooking and eating throughout pregnancy.
“There were a lot of late nights – we would make the meal and photograph it and wouldn’t end up eating dinner until 10 p.m. or midnight,” said Douglas, who adapted some of her favourite recipes and let her cravings guide her through the process.
Have a craving for pickles? Douglas’ Tempura Dill Pickles With Sambal Oelek Dip are sure to hit the spot. Looking for a healthy salad with a bit of a kick? Check out Douglas’ recipe for Sesame Cashew Red Cabbage Noodle Salad.
“Every recipe in the book has been given a stamp of approval from Obstetrician-Gynecologist Dr. Jan E. Christilaw,” added Douglas.
Visit www.gourmetpregnancy.com
Sesame Cashew Red Cabbage Noodle Salad
Ingredients:
(Salad)
1 cup extra-fine egg noodles
2 tsp. sesame oil
2/3 cup cashews
2 tbsp. sesame seeds
1 small bunch of baby spinach, stems removed
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 red cabbage, finely chopped
1 carrot shredded
1 small tomato, diced
(Dressing)
6 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. champagne vinegar
1 tblsp. fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 shallot, minced
dash of salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions: Drain cooked egg noodles and toss with sesame oil. Chill. Whisk together dressing ingredients, set aside. Rinse the spinach well; pat dry. Distribute among 4 dinner plates, arranging in the centre of each. Fan avocado slices around each plate. Top with cooled egg noodles, then cabbage. Finally, top with carrot, tomato and toasted cashews. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and drizzle with dressing.