Taking care of your growing baby starts with what you put into your body. Fueling your body with nutritious meals helps give your little bean the nourishment it needs! Alongside a prenatal, you should be consuming meals throughout the day that are packed with vitamins and minerals. Trust us, we know that meals can be time consuming, and when you are pregnant, the LAST thing you want to do is cook. That is why we created a simple, throw-in-the-oven meal, so you can continue binging your favorite Netflix series.

One - Pan Balsamic Chicken Veggie Bake

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ lbs. - Boneless, skinless chicken breast, tenders or thighs
• 4 - 5 cups chopped - Fresh broccoli
  
• 3 - 4 peeled + cut into skinny sticks - Carrots
  
• 2 cups (halved or quartered) - Button mushrooms
  
• 1 diced - Red onion
  
• 1 cup - Cherry or grape tomatoes
  
• 3 tbsp - Balsamic vinegar
  
• ½ cup - Avocado oil or olive oil
• 4 minced cloves - Garlic
• 3 tbsp (finely chopped) - Fresh basil
• 1 tsp - Brown or Dijon mustard
• Salt + Pepper to taste

(Many of these ingredients can be substituted for similar vegetables or seasonings to make it more suitable for you!)

How is this meal beneficial during pregnancy?

Well, let’s break it down! 

Lean chicken is an excellent source of iron, vitamin b3, and zinc, which helps with baby’s development! You’ll get about 50% of your daily protein intake with just 100grams of chicken a day. 

Broccoli is packed with calcium,folate, fiber, antioxidants, iron and many micro nutrients to keep you and baby feeling nourished! 

Tomatoes help fight cell destruction due to their antioxidants, vitamin c and iron content. 

Now, let’s make it! 

Line your sheet pan with parchment paper. Start with marinating the chicken by whisking together the balsamic vinegar, oil, garlic, basil, mustard, salt and pepper. 

Add the chicken to a ziploc bag, and set it inside the fridge while you prep the veggies. You will only need ½ of the sauce to marinate the chicken, so set the rest aside. Next, chop the broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, and onion, and spread it out on the sheet pan.

Take the other ½ of the sauce and drizzle over the veggies until they’re coated. Place the chicken in the center of the sheet pan with the veggies. Bake for 10 mins at 400°, then take it out to add the tomatoes to the pan. Toss everything around and place back in the oven for another 5 - 10 mins until the chicken is fully cooked. 

In 20 minutes, you will have a filling, guilt-free, and pregnancy-friendly dinner filled with tons of calcium, folate, vitamin c, iron, and immune protection! 

Before you enjoy, snap a picture and share your creation on social media. Tag us @pinkstork and #pspantry to be featured on our channels!