The revelation came one hot July afternoon when I was feeling at the height of my “morning” sickness. A good friend, Mary, had invited my kids and me on a last-minute trip to story time at our local library, and although I just felt like staying home, I knew that the distraction would be good for all of us. After story time, Mary invited us over for an early lunch. Again, I hesitated, knowing that my kids were ready for naps/quiet time, but I decided to take her up on her kind offer. We arrived at Mary’s home and I played with the kids while she prepared lunch, fully expecting that we would be eating turkey sandwiches or something similar. After all, that’s what I would be serving for an impromptu lunch date! I had forgotten that Mary is a great cook, and also one of the most generous people that I know.

We sat down to lunch and Mary served me a steaming plate of chicken and rice, full of veggies and little pieces of perfectly-cooked chicken. Let me tell you, it was the most satisfying dish that I had eaten in a long time, and the rest of the day I felt great! Had I been preparing lunch for myself at home, I would have eaten something much less elaborate – I’ve always saved our leftovers from dinner for another weeknight meal – but this delicious meal was just what my pregnant body needed. Since that day, I have been consciously eating a hearty lunch, usually leftovers from the night before or something that I have prepared in advance. I have been making soups, stews, and sauces galore so that I always have something on hand, and it has made a huge difference in my ability to function for the remainder of the day! On the menu today: beef stew left over from last night’s dinner. I promise that it tastes much better than it looks in this unflattering snapshot

In case you’d like to taste Mary’s delicious chicken and rice dish for yourself, I’ve posted the recipe below. It was such a life-changing experience that I made myself a big batch the very next day, and I enjoyed it for the rest of the week! The only caveat: I wouldn’t suggest freezing this dish, as the consistency of the rice changes dramatically with freezing. Enjoy!

Chicken and Rice

1-1.25 pounds of chicken breasts or tenders

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 T. worcestershire sauce

1 t. salt

Juice of 1 lime

1 t. minced garlic

Chop the chicken into bite size pieces and marinade it in the rest of the above ingredients for at least half an hour.

2 T. vegetable oil

1-2 t. paprika

1/2 onion, finely chopped

3-4 small sweet peppers, finely chopped

2 carrots, finely chopped

2 tomatoes peeled, seeded, finely chopped (I didn’t peel the tomatoes)

2 c. uncooked white rice

4 c. chicken broth

Salt and pepper

1.5 cups cooked peas (not from a can)

Over med-high heat, heat the oil and saute the chicken with all the marinade. Once cooked, take out the chicken. Add a bit more oil and the paprika so it infuses the oil (just a few seconds), then saute the onion for about 5 minutes. Next add the bell pepper, carrots, and tomatoes and saute another 5 minutes. Add the uncooked rice and chicken again and saute for another minute, drizzling with a little salt and pepper. Add the chicken broth and bring to a rapid boil for about 5-7 minutes (until the broth has been mostly absorbed), then cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes.

Stir with a fork and add the cooked peas before serving. Enjoy this flavorful and slightly sweet dish!