by Maria in California
Being at home most of the time with my newborn, I’ve recently been inspired to prepare meatless meals through using the food I get from WIC as ingredients. I always thought going meatless was boring, but having access to health and nutrition education through WIC has given me a lot of knowhow of what other food options are out there.
I am not a vegetarian nor do I have plans to be one, but I have really been enjoying getting creative with the things I get out of my WIC benefits.
One ingredient I love working with is chickpeas. Like other legumes such as lentils, chickpeas are rich in fiber and protein. They also contain vitamins and minerals like iron, magnesium and vitamin B6. Some of the dishes I have tried with chickpeas are preparing them with pasta, or roasting them with more starchy and fibrous vegetables.
I have been enjoying researching online on other ways to go meatless. It definitely helps me feel much lighter, especially now that I’m starting to get back into working out and running. It not only helps me with getting back into shape but also helps with my food budget.
I cannot wait for my daughter to get bigger and I can share and prepare meals with her.
About Maria. . .
I am Maria. I am 28 years old, and I recently gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl. I am a type A kind of person always wanting to do something. Stella is my first baby and as I get to know more about parenting, I am currently exploring a new version of myself as well as a mother. I am a full time mom right now due to the pandemic - I have stopped all my operations for youth sports events which were based in the Philippines. I am awaiting for my daughter's passport for us to be able to travel back to the Philippines.
Are you craving more meatless meal inspiration? wichealth.org has a free online lesson called Meatless Meals For Busy Families. Find it on wichealth.org in the Choosing Healthy Foods category! Also, we invite you to check out our Health eKitchen which has many meatless options available.
