What you eat can have an impact on your body, that’s for sure. But did you know it can also affect your fertility? It’s true! The fuel we put into our bodies can either help or hinder our body’s ability to conceive a baby. I know most moms-to-be don’t start worrying about their diet so much as when they become pregnant, but our diet and nutrition prior to becoming pregnant is just as important.
Unfortunately, most couples out there trying to conceive may not know this or perhaps they know nutrition can affect their chances of conceiving, but they have no idea what to eat or where to start. That’s why I was so excited when I heard two fellow registered dietitians and healthy food bloggers were combining their expertise and talents to write and publish a book all about food and fertility.
I had the pleasure of reviewing Fertility Food Cookbook: 100+ recipes to nourish your body, written by Elizabeth Shaw, MS, RDN and Chef Sara Haas, RDN, LDN. Both Elizabeth and Sara have been affected by infertility in their personal lives and have sought out the most current research on fertility and food and shared it with us in a way everyone can understand and, more importantly, apply into our lives.
The book is broken down into two parts. Part one discusses all things food and fertility – the what, why and how of how food can affect your fertility. Part two is the delicious recipes! In the back there are also some great resources, such as healthy kitchen staples, cooking techniques and terms and food safety reminders. In addition, each recipe has a footnote explaining which ingredients are fueling your fertility. It really has everything you need to know about fertility + food to nourish your body!
Photo credit: Liz Shaw & Sara Haas
Not only does this book give you guidance on setting up a fertility fueling kitchen, but you get heartfelt support and guidance from women who have struggled with infertility themselves. They understand all too well what you might be going through and want to support you in your journey to parenthood. In their book you can read their stories and learn why they are so passionate about this area of nutrition.
One thing I especially love about the recipes in the book (besides that the photos are gorgeous!) is that they are made with ingredients you most likely already have in your kitchen! There isn’t a long list of ingredients you need to buy at a specialty grocery store before you can actually make and enjoy the food. Plus, the recipes are all fairly simple to make! Liz and Sara break down each recipe into step-by-step instructions to make food prep and cooking as easy as possible.
And, right now, you can hop on over to my Instagram and Facebook pages and enter to win a FREE hard copy of the Fertility Foods Cookbook! (contest runs through midnight MT 11/29/17)
To show you just how delicious + easy their recipes are, I am sharing a 3-Cheese Baked Penne Lasagna with Fresh Arugula Salad recipe from the book, courtesy of Liz and Sara.
Photo credit: Liz Shaw & Sara Haas
3-Cheese Baked Penne Lasagna with Fresh Arugula Salad
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
A fun twist on a favorite! This one includes fresh arugula sprinkled over the top, adding a refreshing, crisp bite.
Ingredients
- 1 pound whole wheat penne pasta
- 3 cups marinara sauce or store bought pasta sauce
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup whole milk shredded mozzarella cheese
- Arugula Salad
- 4 cups (4 ounces) fresh arugula, loosely packed
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and coat a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
- Cook pasta according to package instructions, cooking to al dente or still slightly toothsome.
- Drain, then add the marinara sauce, stirring to combine. Pour half of the pasta with sauce into the prepared pan and spread the ricotta cheese over the top. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese over the ricotta. Cover with the remaining pasta. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and remaining Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest at least 10 minutes. Just before serving, combine the arugula, olive oil and black pepper. Sprinkle over the top of each serving.
- Refrigerate in a sealed container for 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months
Notes
FERTILITY FOCUS: Whole grain pasta is an excellent way to increase your intake of B vitamins and fiber. Research supports increasing whole grains in your daily diet to help with fertility and stabilizing your blood sugars.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 330
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 49 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 16 g
I was given a digital review copy of Fertility Foods Cookbook to review. I was not compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.
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