Katrina's Fiber-Rich Fudge Recipe

Recipe by: Postpartum Doula Katrina Kiapos

Fiber may be the unsung hero when it comes to nutrition in pregnancy and postpartum. Most of us know about the benefits of prenatal vitamins, iron-rich foods, and even what foods carry risks with them during pregnancy (we miss you, sushi), but we don’t see a lot of mainstream discussion about the importance of fiber in pregnancy and during the postpartum time. Fiber is known to promote bowel regularity, increase satiety, improve gut health, and help to maintain stable blood glucose levels — all truly heroic feats when it comes to looking at a singular factor.

Postpartum Doula Katrina has a passion for food and has shared this fiber-packed “fudge” recipe with us. It has limited ingredients, takes 5 minutes to make, and will be a hit with everyone in your home. I recently made it for my family and my three-year-old “picky eater” hasn’t stopped asking for it!

For the pregnant folks out there, this recipe has a bonus benefit to it, because it’s made with date fruit. Research suggests that pregnant people who ate 6 date fruits per day starting at 36 weeks gestation had higher cervical dilation upon admittance, higher rates of intact amniotic sacs, decreased rates of induction of labor, lower rates of pitocin use, and overall shortened labors.

KATRINA’S FIBER-RICH FUDGE RECIPE

This recipe requires the use of a food processor or blender. If using a food processor. it’s recommended to process all the ingredients separately. It’s also recommended to start with your drier ingredients (like the chia seeds and walnuts) to make cleaning easier in the end. If you’re using a blender, feel free to dump all the ingredients in. The amounts listed for the ingredients can be raised or lowered for your preference.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups pitted date fruit

• 1 cooked sweet potato (skin on or off)

• 1 can coconut milk, or 1 cup milk alternative

• 1/4 cup chia seeds

• 1 tbsp - 1/4 cup cocao powder

• 1/2 cup walnuts

• 1/2 cup coconut manna (optional)

Directions:

1. Process Ingredients using a food processor or blender. The texture should be a thick paste.

2. Place the mixture in the baking dish of your choice (8x8 recommended) lined with parchment paper.

3. Smooth the contents out into the dish. The hope is that the fudge can be at least a couple of inches thick, like a brownie.

4. Place the fudge in the freezer to set. Leave it in as long as it takes to set (typically a couple of hours, or overnight).

5. Prior to serving, thaw for 30 minutes, cut into servings, and enjoy!

   We hope you enjoy this healthy fudge recipe and would love to hear what other fiber-rich dishes you’re making for pregnancy and postpartum.