Get folic acid fast

You should already be taking a folic acid supplement if you're trying to get pregnant, but you can also up your intake by incorporating folic acid rich foods to your diet.

Canned pulses such as kidney beans, chickpeas, butter beans, baked beans, borlotti beans, flageolet beans and peas are a fantastic source of folic acid.

One of the B-group of vitamins, Folic Acid is a water soluble vitamin, which means that it needs to be incorporated into your diet daily as the body cannot store it.

The great thing about canned pulses is they also provide you with protein and carbohydrates to meet your dietary needs from pre-conception through to pregnancy, birth and beyond. And they are very quick to cook with, making it possible to knock up a tasty meal in minutes.

Just three heaped tablespoons of canned pulses counts as one of the five portions of fruit and vegetables you should be aiming to eat every day.

What’s more, tucking into tasty beans and peas will give your iron levels a boost, particularly when consumed with dark green vegetables or orange juice which aid absorption of iron.

Try these quicky, tasty recipes to give your make-a-baby efforts a hearty, healthy boost.

For more information on how you can help you man boost his fertility visit Men's Health 

Tuscan Bean Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients: 1 crushed garlic clove; 1 small onion (finely chopped) ; 1 leek (finely chopped); 150g drained canned carrots; 400g can baked beans; can condensed vegetable soup ; 1 bay leaf; half a teaspoon (2.5 ml) dried sage (crushed); 2 tablespoons (30 ml) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley plus extra to garnish; freshly ground black pepper; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil

Method: Place the garlic, vegetables, beans, vegetable stock, bay leaf and sage in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaf. Stir in the fresh parsley. Season with freshly ground black pepper and ladle into warmed bowls. Scatter over the extra parsley and drizzle with the oil before serving.

Cannellini bean and farfalle pasta

Serves 4

Ingredients: 500g easy-cook farfalle pasta; 1 tbsp olive oil; 410g can cannellini beans (drained) ; 1 tbsp green pesto ; 1 finely chopped red onion ; 290g can sliced button mushrooms (drained); 2 finely chopped courgettes; 1 chicken/vegetable stock cube; Water to cover.

Method: Add the olive oil, onion and courgettes to a large, heated pan and allow to cook for a minute. Add the mushrooms and stir together the ingredients. Once stirred, allow to cook for a further two minutes. Add the cannellini beans and pesto and mix together. Crumble a stock cube into the pan, add the pasta and give all the ingredients a good stir. Add enough water to just cover the dry ingredients and allow to simmer for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. The liquid will thicken to a sauce as the pasta cooks. Split the dish into four equal portions and serve.

 

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