I am so excited to bring you a review (and delicious recipe!) of a new book written by one of my blogging friends, Dr. Sonali Ruder. (This is by far one of the best perks of blogging!) Dr. Sonali Ruder is the creator of The Foodie Physician, a wonderful blog with delicious recipes and nutrition information, go check it out! Not only is she a Physician, but she also attended culinary school where she learned how to create recipes that are both nutritious and delicious! Not to mention, she’s a mom so all the information provided in her book is very relatable!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the ‘Natural Pregnancy Cookbook’ to review. However, 100% of the opinions are my own.
Dr. Sonali Ruder recently wrote the Natural Pregnancy Cookbook, an excellent guide for women who plan on becoming pregnant or are currently pregnant. In this book she provides over 125 nutritious recipes along with reliable nutrition recommendations. What I liked most about this book is that every woman can benefit from the information provided, regardless where they are in their pregnancy or their nutrition knowledge. The book is broken down into organized sections including pregnancy nutrition, meal planning, common problems associated with pregnancy, food safety, tips for eating well while pregnant and healthy cooking, followed by all the mouth-watering recipes! Also, each recipe includes nutrition facts on the ingredients used.
Nutrition during pregnancy (and in the months prior to pregnancy) is extremely important as it sets the course for the health of your growing baby. Nutrition advice is often confusing and overwhelming, especially during pregnancy. The easy to follow guidelines outlined in Dr. Ruder’s book will ensure moms get the very best nutrition for the growth and development of her baby, without all the added stress!
This book was highly informative and easy-to-read. It will be a book I will refer to often and recommend to all soon-to-be-moms! 
There were so many recipes in this cookbook that I wanted to make, it was hard to decide on one! Since I am in a bit of a nursing crisis, these “Pump Up Your Milk” Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins screamed my name! Plus, I’m a complete sucker for anything that combines pumpkin and chocolate! These muffins contain Brewer’s Yeast, which may help boost a mom’s milk supply. In addition to Brewer’s Yeast, they contain so many superfoods including chia seeds, walnuts, coconut oil, flaxseed meal and of course, pumpkin! I provided substitutions for a vegan version.
- 2 eggs or substitute with flax "eggs"
- ½ cup honey or substitute with maple syrup
- 1 cup pureed pumpkin
- ½ cup (melted) coconut oil or grapeseed oil
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ⅔ cup almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- ⅓ cup chocolate chips + extra to top muffins (or dried fruit like raisins or cranberries)
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds (optional)
- 3 tablespoons flaxseed meal (optional)
- 2 tablespoons brewer's yeast (optional)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients (eggs through vanilla).
- In another bowl, combine the dry ingredients (whole wheat flour through brewer's yeast).
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well.
- Line muffin tins with paper. Fill each to the top with batter and top each with a chocolate chip (optional).
- Bake 25-30 minutes for regular muffins, 22 minutes for mini muffins, and 55 minutes for a loaf.
- They are ready when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Cool for a few minutes in the pan on a rack. Then, remove from the pan and cool completely on a rack.
The recipe gives you the option of using chocolate chips or dried fruit. I used a combination of both! These were a huge hit in my family and I will definitely be making them again! They would make a great gift for a new mom!
