The Expectant Father. Armin A. Brott

      • Ingredients. The first ingredient on the list is always the one there’s the most of—no matter what you’re buying. So, if that healthy ingredient (oat bran!!!) splashed all over the front of the box turns out to be at the bottom of the list, try something else.

      • Sugar—and all the synonyms. Watch out for fructose, corn syrup, corn sweeteners, sucrose, dextrose, cane syrup, malt syrup, honey, and many more. They’re just fancy ways of saying “sugar.”

      • Words like “drink,” “flavored,” or “cocktail.” Despite the healthy-looking label, most fruit “drinks” or fruit-“flavored” drinks contain less actual juice than you might guess—often as little as 10 percent, with the rest usually water and … wait for it … sugar.

      • Servings. This is one of the most potentially deceptive areas in food labeling. In most cases, the number of calories, grams of fat and protein, and other nutritional information is given per serving. That’s all very nice, except that manufacturers don’t all use the same serving size. For example, I recently saw an eight-ounce package of fairly healthy frozen lasagna. The calories, protein, and fat all seemed okay—until I noticed that the serving size was actually only six ounces. This means that since one person would eat the entire eight ounces (I would, anyway), there was really 33 percent more fat and calories than expected.

      • Percentage of calories from fat. Most nutritionists agree that pregnant women should limit their percentage of calories from fat to about 30 percent. Manufacturers are now required by law to make this calculation for you, so pay careful attention to the “nutrition facts” you’ll find on any packaged food.

      • A word about additives. When it comes to ingredients, my rule of thumb has always been that if you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it. In addition, even some easy-to-pronounce items don’t belong in your partner’s stomach. So while she’s pregnant, keep her away from artificial sweeteners (aspartame, Splenda, Saccharin, Truvia, and others), nitrates and nitrites (preservatives commonly found in lunch meats, hot dogs, and bacon), and monosodium glutamate (MSG, a flavor enhancer especially popular in Asian food and, for some odd reason, gefilte fish). All of these may have negative effects on your unborn child.

      Mixed Green Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

      Combining different types of greens, such as Boston lettuce, red leaf lettuce, radicchio, arugula, and endive, makes a green salad more interesting. Raw cucumbers, snow peas, French beans, shredded carrots, and cooked beets also add to the flavor, color, and nutrition of a mixed salad. Stay away from croutons, which are high in calories and low in nutrition.

      Thoroughly wash and dry greens, place each serving on a plate, and arrange whatever selection of vegetables you like on top. Just before serving, pour about three tablespoons of balsamic vinaigrette dressing (see recipe below) over each salad.

      BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

      2 cloves garlic, crushed

      ²/₃ cup balsamic vinegar

      1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

      ¹/₂ teaspoon parsley, chopped

      ¹/₂ teaspoon chives, chopped

      ¹/₂ teaspoon basil, chopped

      ²/₃ cup oil

      salt and pepper

      Mix garlic, vinegar, mustard, and herbs together. Whisk oil into the vinegar mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste.

      Cucumber Salad

      2 large cucumbers, sliced

      1 medium Bermuda onion, diced

      1 cup cider vinegar

      ¹/₂ cup nonfat plain yogurt

      1 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped

      If the cucumbers are not waxy, leave the skin on. Slice the cucumbers thinly (a food processor does the job best). Combine the diced onion with the cucumber slices in a large bowl that can be refrigerated. Pour the vinegar and yogurt over the mixture, cover, and leave in the refrigerator overnight. Serve cold as a side dish, garnished with the dill.

      Low-Calorie Pizza

      Create your own combination of toppings, including artichokes, olives, and squash, and use an assortment of cheeses, such as blue, cheddar, Swiss, and even low-fat cottage cheese.

      4 soft tortillas (found in grocery freezer)

      2 fresh plum tomatoes, sliced

      3 cloves garlic, minced or crushed

      1 cup mushrooms, sliced and sautéed

      1 medium onion, chopped and sautéed

      6 teaspoons fresh herbs (oregano, thyme, and basil), minced (or 2 teaspoons dried)

      ¹/₂ cup shredded cheese or low-fat cottage cheese

      Preheat oven to 350°F. Place tortillas on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Cover with tomatoes, garlic, mushrooms, onions, and herbs. Add cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until tortilla is crisp. Serve hot.

      Quick and Easy Vegetarian Spaghetti Sauce

      2 large onions, chopped

      4 tablespoons olive oil

      ¹/₂ pound mushrooms, thinly sliced

      2 16-ounce jars meatless spaghetti sauce

      2 14.5-ounce cans stewed tomatoes

      1 4-ounce can tomato paste

      1 pound tofu, diced into ¹/₂-inch cubes

      1¹/₂ teaspoons dried basil

      a generous pinch of cayenne pepper

      1 bay leaf

      salt and pepper to taste

      1 teaspoon sugar

      ¹/₂ teaspoon garlic powder

      1 tablespoon rice vinegar

      In a saucepan, sauté onions in the olive oil over medium heat until they’re translucent. Add mushrooms, and sauté for 5 more minutes (until the mushrooms begin to release their liquid). Add all the other ingredients and simmer for 40 minutes. If sauce won’t be used immediately, let cool, pour into two serving containers, and store in freezer. Defrost as needed.

      Low-Calorie Cream of Zucchini Soup

      This recipe can be varied by substituting carrots, potatoes, or celery for zucchini.

      3 medium-size zucchini, seeded and cut into ¹/₄-inch slices

      1 medium white onion, diced

      1 small chicken bouillon cube (optional; bouillon cubes usually contain MSG)

      1 cup nonfat plain yogurt

      1 tablespoon fresh dill

      salt and pepper

      Put zucchini, onion, and bouillon cube in a saucepan. Add just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until soft (about 10 minutes). Let cool. Transfer to a blender or food processor, add yogurt and dill, and blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

      Spa Potato Chips

      3 baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

      nonstick cooking spray

      paprika to taste

      Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice potatoes as thinly as possible (a food processor is best). Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Spread out potatoes evenly in pan. Sprinkle with paprika and bake for about 15 minutes, or until crisp.

      Spicy Peanut Butter Pasta

      1 pound angel-hair pasta

      1 tablespoon sesame oil

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