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• Gardner, Jennifer Evans

The first trimester is easy: the Saltine cracker, the indispensable tool for combating nausea. As morning sickness passes and appetites return (and increase...), recipes reflect cravings for tummy-soothing energy, and include banana-vanilla bean smoothies, blueberry yogurt crunches, and arugula sandwiches. One has to balance health with flavor (aka comfort food), of course, so also included are recipes for Haagen-Daz vanilla swiss almond shakes, steak au poivre, super chili dogs, and melted chocolate-butter toast. In the third trimester, high-protein feasts like seared ahi tuna, garlic-mustard grilled salmon, and a spinach salad with warm mushrooms help prepare the mom-to-be. As the day of labor approaches, lighter fare (who can fit food in there at this point?) such as butternut squash and pear soup, or cool cucumber & honeydew melon puree help soothe that larger-than-life tummy. Each recipe has an ALT (alternative for the incapacitated), especially crucial for midnight cravings when time is of the essence.

With tips on handling strangers with too many opinions and well-meaning husbands without a clue, Barefoot int he Kitchen is a must-have for the expecting mother.