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If you’re pregnant, know someone who’s pregnant — or are very much not pregnant but want to eat well and healthfully, there’s a new cookbook coming out on Sept. 8 by San Diegans Torie Borrelli Hall and Eric Wolfinger called “Eating for Life” (self-published, $49.99). The cookbook, subtitled “A Holistic Cookbook for Pregnancy and a Thriving Family,” will be available for purchase on their website, eatingforlifecookbook.com
The duo is quick to emphasize that while the cookbook focuses a lot on nutritional needs throughout pregnancy and postpartum, anyone interested in combining nutrition with accessible, delicious food would be their perfect reader
Borrelli Hall, an integrative nutritionist, author of “The Mexican Keto Cookbook” (2019, Ten Speed Press) and mom of two young <a href="https://healthylife7.com/whatever-happened-to-children-infected-with-hiv-due-to-failures-in-healthcare/” title=”Whatever happened to … children infected with HIV due to failures in healthcare?”>children, explained that she’s worked with a lot of clients who have struggled with infertility
“There’s an epidemic of infertility, and most of it comes down to the lack of understanding of nutrition,” she said. “And then when I had my own fertility issues and struggles and miscarriage, I looked at my own labs and looking at these [nutritional] deficiencies, even though I ate so well, it was like I needed to step back and share it with the world.”
What Borrelli Hall realized was that women in particular are in some ways scared of food because they are raised with a lot of misconceptions — what’s healthy, what’s not, what’s going to make us fat. It spurred her to do research to learn why women are being told that there are certain foods they can’t eat and learn about what other countries are doing
“Sushi and sandwiches with deli meat are very common first trimester cravings,” she explained, “and of course, we’re told we can’t have these in America. And so, when I looked at the data, like the Japanese are not told to not to eat sushi, it’s more nuanced. They’re told to reduce your amount of mercury. Another one is the deli meats in Europe. They are still eating charcuterie cured meats and all that, and yes, it does come down to quality.”
Is she telling clients to eat packaged turkey? No, more like try to get higher quality sliced chicken breast. But she pointed out, there’s usually a reason for craving salt
“We might be low in salt or low in potassium or low in magnesium,” she said
Borrelli Hall teamed up for the second time with Wolfinger, a former chef, filmmaker and award-winning photographer of several cookbooks, including “The Mexican Keto Cookbook.”
She recalled telling him, “Hey, I’m crazy. I can’t believe I want to do another book, but I have all these recipes that I loved to make and share during my pregnancy. And he was like, ‘Well, I was the cook for my wife when she was pregnant. She would tell me a craving and I’d make it.’ “
The first two chapters of the book are a fascinating deep dive into nutrition to build a foundation for how to think about what to eat and how food choices will impact how you feel. She’s not advocating for formulaic obsession, just a broad understanding of macronutrients, micronutrients, fiber and hydration. Understanding how to balance them, she wrote, “can help you feel strong, energized and vibrant.”
So, she goes into the role of protein, fat and carbohydrates along with vitamins and minerals. One thing you’ll notice is her emphasis on the importance of protein. As she wrote, “Prioritizing adequate protein intake stabilizes blood sugar levels, which directly supports your hormones and thyroid, the engines of your metabolism.” In that context, she notes the advantages of animal proteins over plant-based foods, and she offers favorite protein
The duo also goes into the benefits of healthy fats, carbohydrates and the bestrbs, and vitamins and minerals
Chapter 2 is aptly titled “Food Rules!” They dispel the idea of “forbidden foods” for pregnant women but instead encourage readers to ask these three questions: “Where did this food come from?”, “How was it handled?” and “Do the benefits outweigh the potential risks for me?” So, look at food sourcing, observe smart food-safety rules and focus on what to include, not what to avoid
Then come the recipes. They are the work of both Borrelli Hall and Wolfinger. You’ll find chapters on eggs and egg yolks, bones and collagen, meats, organ meats, carbs and legumes, chicken, dairy, seafood, deli meats, ferments and mineral tonics and sweets. Some of the recipes will look familiar: egg salad, huevos rancheros, bone broth, and white bean and Italian sausage soup. That’s fine; they’ve created their own twists and it’s truly handy to have some great familiar dishes in a book that stresses nutrition.
Then there are some that are unusual: Liver Meatballs Made 3 Ways, Delfina Grilled Squid on White Beans, or Cottage Cheese Guac
Where appropriate, they’ve taken the time to add directions for how to make the dishes using an Instant Pot, which is hugely helpful and time-saving
And they’ve done something very clever. Each recipe includes a QR code. Why?
“A lot of my friends when they were pregnant would set up this thing called a meal train and you’d sign up to cook for a friend,” explained Wolfinger. “But a common complaint is either people just send them a DoorDash or the person cooked them something that wasn’t what they wanted or craved. So with the QR code, if someone asked, ‘Hey, can I make you something?’ you can scan the code and send them the recipe you want them to cook for you. The code takes you to the cookbook website with the recipe on it.”
I chose three recipes to share that sounded intriguing, simple to make and delicious: High Protein Pancakes, Spaghetti Carbonara (with Extra Yolks), and Dry-Fried Green Beans With Anchovy Bagna Càuda
These flourless pancakes focus on eggs, cottage cheese or high protein yogurt and milk, for 90 grams of protein for the recipe. The batter comes together with rolled oats, and you get the rise from baking powder. The authors add cinnamon and protein powder. You can also include add-ins like a banana, zucchini or carrots. The authors suggest making the batter the night before to allow the oats to fully hydrate and the starches to soften. And, they note, if you have a waffle maker, you can pour the batter into that instead of standing over the stove flipping pancakes.
Then there’s the Spaghetti Carbonara, and the authors are wonderfully clever with this recipe. They note that raw egg yolks are rich in choline, an essential nutrient that, they point out, is vital for fetal brain development and placental health. Of course, a runny yolk on pasta isn’t carbonara, but thanks to Wolfinger’s culinary expertise, they’ve got a simple trick for a silky, yolk-forward sauce: preheating the serving bowl. That residual heat will thicken the yolks gently and just enough to coat the spaghetti strands. As for the rest, you’ll cook up bacon and drain, cook the pasta and discard the cooking water into the serving bowl, then quickly dry it so it stays warm, add the egg yolks, some Pecorino cheese and ground black pepper to the warm bowl, then add the pasta and toss until you get a creamy sauce. Then top with more cheese, the chopped bacon and ground pepper, along with a good squeeze of lemon.
Finally, the Dry-Fried Green Beans With Anchovy Bagna Càuda: I about flipped when I came across this recipe. I have loved making versions of both separately (I admit to adding toasted walnuts to the green beans.) For years, one of my favorite dishes has been a steamed artichoke accompanied by bagna càuda for dipping the leaves and the heart. But here, the writers have joined them into a single dish
Never heard of bagna càuda? It’s a warm Italian dipping sauce with garlic and anchovies. What the authors like in the context of nutrition is that it’s full of healthy fats, brain-boosting nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin A. I like all the oily garlic and briny anchovies and the fact that it’s so easy to make. You just combine olive oil, toasted pine nuts or walnuts, anchovies and lots of garlic cloves in a small saucepan and gently cook over low heat. The garlic and anchovies will soften and melt into the oil. That’s it. Just add a bit of lemon juice or vinegar before serving.
As for the green beans, you’re going to blister them in a hot pan with avocado oil for a few minutes. They should be crisp-tender when you serve them tossed with the bagna càuda
High Protein Pancakes
Makes eight 6-inch pancakes or 4 waffles
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
4 whole eggs
1 cup cottage cheese or high protein yogurt
1/4 cup milk of choice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
1 dash cinnamon
1/4 cup protein powder of choice
Optional: 1 banana or grated and squeezed dry zucchini or carrots for a veggie boost
DIRECTIONS
1: Place all of the ingredients except the butter into a blender and blend on medium for 30 to 45 seconds until smooth. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes to absorb the oats to thicken. You can also do this step the night before
2: Warm a skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the butter to the pan, gently swirling to coat as it melts
3: Using about 1/4 cup of the pancake mixture for each one, plop pancakes into the pan, working in batches as needed. The pancakes will be ready to turn over once the edges and center appear mostly set, about 2 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. When done, both sides should be golden brown. If they darken too quickly, reduce heat as needed
4: Serve warm topped with yogurt, maple syrup, and berries
Option: Make it a waffle! Flipping one by one while holding a baby gets old fast. Instead, just pour the batter into a waffle maker for a less hands-on experience
Spaghetti Carbonara (With Extra Yolks)
Makes 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
6 quarts water
10 ounces diced bacon
1 pound dry spaghetti
7 large egg yolks
2 cups freshly grated Pecorino cheese, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 medium lemon, cut into wedges
- Pre-warming the dish before adding the egg yolks is the third step in making Spaghetti Carbonara With Extra Yolks. (Eric Wolfinger)
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Pre-warming the dish before adding the egg yolks is the third step in making Spaghetti Carbonara With Extra Yolks. (Eric Wolfinger)
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DIRECTIONS
1: Add 1 teaspoon salt to a large pot of water and bring to a boil over high heat
2: Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Once cooled, roughly chop
3: Add spaghetti to the boiling water. About 5 minutes in, ladle some hot pasta water into a large serving bowl to warm it
4: Continue cooking the spaghetti until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes total. Drain
5: Discard the water in the serving bowl and quickly dry it — it should still feel warm. (If not, warm it briefly in the microwave or oven.)
6: Add the egg yolks, 1 cup pecorino, and pepper to the warm bowl. Immediately add the hot pasta and toss vigorously with tongs until a creamy sauce forms and the noodles are fully coated
7: Top with remaining cheese, chopped bacon, more pepper, and a squeeze of lemon. Serve warm
Dry-Fried Green Beans With Anchovy Bagna Càuda
Makes 1 pound
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons avocado oil (or other high-heat oil)
1 pound green beans, ends trimmed
2 to 4 tablespoons Bagna Càuda (recipe follows)
1 lemon, juiced and zested
For the Bagna Càuda:
1 cup olive oil
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts
1 can anchovies, about 15 fillets
8 to 10 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Splash of acid (lemon, sherry vinegar, balsamic, etc.) added just before serving
DIRECTIONS
1: To make the bagna càuda, in a small saucepan over low heat, combine the olive oil, nuts, anchovies and garlic. Simmer gently until the garlic and anchovies soften and melt into the oil, about 10 minutes. Avoid browning the garlic. Add a splash of acid just before serving
2: To make the greens beans, heat a large skillet over high heat until hot
3: Add the avocado oil and let it heat up 1 to 2 minutes, then add in the green beans. Immediately cover with a lid
4: After 30 seconds, shake the pan (keeping the lid on) to toss the beans. Repeat this 3 times, every 30 seconds. The beans should be blistered and crisp-tender when done
5: Remove from heat and toss with warm Bagna Càuda, lemon juice and lemon zest
6: Serve hot as a side, snack or veggie upgrade to your next family meal
Recipes adapted from “Eating for Life: A Holistic Cookbook for Pregnancy and a Thriving Family” by Torie Borrelli Hall and Eric Wolfinger (2026, published by the authors; photography by Eric Wolfinger)
