For those of you looking to eat your way to a more robust milk supply, The Galactagogue Recipe Book may be the guide you're looking for!
Written by a pharmacist and cook husband-and-wife team, this book contains over 200 recipes that include galactogenic herbs and grains. Each herb and grain is identified as either a major or minor galactagogue; and dosage, uses, and cautions are discussed. The galactaogues included are: alfalfa, anise, barley/hops, caraway, chasteberry, coriander (cilantro), dandelion, dill, fennel, fenugreek, garlic, goat's rue, oats, quinoa, red clover, red raspberry, stinging nettle, thistles, and vervain.
The recipes look tasty and nutritious for anyone, breastfeeding or not! A few of the recipes that caught our eye were: Stinging Nettle Pesto with Ravioli, Fenugreek Cashew Chicken, Fennel Fritters, Anise Turkey Curry, Marshmallow Root Marshmallows, and Caraway Cake. Meat eaters have significantly more options than vegetarians in this recipe book, but there are a fair number of meatless dishes included.
We're happy to share one of the recipes below. It uses dandelions, which the book identifies as a minor galactagogue. Here at Motherlove, we've encouraged you to eat your dandelions (not treated with pesticides, of course) because they're a nutritional powerhouse and a remedy for many ailments.
Pasta with Dandelion Greens and Ricotta
(8 servings)
2 1/4 pounds dandelion greens, washed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, chopped
Salt, to taste
Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
1 pound bucatini (thick spaghetti with hole in center) or penne or macaroni pasta
1/4 pound ricotta cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Cook dandelion greens in slightly salted water, uncovered, for 8–10 minutes. Drain and coarsely chop. Reserve cooking water.
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a sauté or fry pan. Add the garlic and dandelion greens. Sauté for 3–4 minutes. Season with salt and red pepper flakes. Remove from the heat.
Bring water from dandelion greens back to a boil and use to cook pasta as instructed on pasta package. Drain and reserve a three-quarter cup of liquid.
Return pasta to cooking pot, add one half dandelion greens and reserved liquid and toss.
Put pasta/dandelion mixture in a serving bowl. Top with remaining dandelion greens and ricotta cheese.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.
