Name: Mild Spelt Pasta with Creamy Pumpkin Sauce
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4

Introduction

During the middle months of pregnancy, your appetite often returns as early nausea begins to fade. A warm pasta dish with a mild, creamy vegetable sauce is incredibly comforting right now and provides gentle energy. Spelt and pumpkin make a wonderful pairing that is easy on the stomach and very simple to prepare.

Ingredients

For 2 to 3 portions, you will need:

250 g spelt pasta (such as penne or fusilli)
400 g Hokkaido pumpkin or butternut squash (weighed after removing seeds)
1 small mild onion
1 tablespoon canola oil or olive oil
150 ml vegetable broth
100 g cream cheese (made from pasteurized milk)
A pinch of salt, a little pepper, and a dash of freshly grated nutmeg

Preparation

Wash the pumpkin thoroughly, remove the seeds, and cut the flesh into small cubes.
Peel the onion and chop it finely.
Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the diced onion until translucent.
Add the pumpkin cubes, cook briefly, and then pour in the vegetable broth.
Let the pumpkin simmer gently over medium heat for about 15 minutes until soft.
Meanwhile, cook the spelt pasta in lightly salted water according to the package instructions.
Puree the soft pumpkin pieces in the pan or mash them finely with a fork.
Stir the cream cheese into the pumpkin puree and season the sauce with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Toss the drained pasta directly in the pan with the creamy sauce and serve warm.

Good to Know

Hokkaido pumpkin is especially convenient because the skin is completely edible. You can easily make a larger batch of this sauce and store it in the fridge for the next day. If you prefer a little crunch, some toasted pumpkin seeds make a fantastic topping.

When Things Feel Difficult

Sometimes a bit of heartburn appears during pregnancy, or your appetite might still be a little low. In that case, you can simply leave out the onion to make the sauce even milder. Eating a smaller portion slowly is often much more comfortable for your stomach, too.

A Gentle Reminder

If you have any questions about your nutrition during pregnancy or experience ongoing discomfort, it is always best to reach out to your obstetrician, gynecologist, or midwife.

Introduction

Ingredients

For 2 to 3 portions, you will need:

250 g spelt pasta (such as penne or fusilli)

400 g Hokkaido pumpkin or butternut squash (weighed after removing seeds)

1 small mild onion

1 tablespoon canola oil or olive oil

150 ml vegetable broth

100 g cream cheese (made from pasteurized milk)

A pinch of salt, a little pepper, and a dash of freshly grated nutmeg

Preparation

Wash the pumpkin thoroughly, remove the seeds, and cut the flesh into small cubes.

Peel the onion and chop it finely.

Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the diced onion until translucent.

Add the pumpkin cubes, cook briefly, and then pour in the vegetable broth.

Let the pumpkin simmer gently over medium heat for about 15 minutes until soft.

Meanwhile, cook the spelt pasta in lightly salted water according to the package instructions.

Puree the soft pumpkin pieces in the pan or mash them finely with a fork.

Stir the cream cheese into the pumpkin puree and season the sauce with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Toss the drained pasta directly in the pan with the creamy sauce and serve warm.