The Moon Cycle Cookbook by Devon Loftus; Jenna Radomski is a something new and something I’ve never seen before. It’s all about nutrition and being healthy during your menstrual cycle. Featuring great recipes and ideas to be healthy and happy with yourself.

This cookbook delves into the science behind menstruation and is based around the idea that during each of phase of your menstrual cycle your body requires a specific set of nutrients. By feeding your body with these nutrients you can minimise or even eliminate PMS symptoms.

As there are four phases of menstruation, there are four main chapters in this cookbook. Each chapter begins by explaining the science behind the phase and what it is our body needs during this time. This is then followed up by the recipes. I liked how the recipes were broken up within the section by rituals - little thoughts and ideas you can put into place to help you feel your best. There is also a nice mixture between sweet and savoury recipes.

The recipes are written using American weights and temperatures however there is a conversion chart at the end of the book and Celsius temperatures are also given in brackets in the recipe making this book accessible wherever you are.

I wish there were more photos of the food throughout the book, however the photos that are included are beautifully arranged.

I received an ARC of this title for a review:

This book is everything I love combined:

Using herbs and spices in cooking to help with pain and illness
Witchy Vibes
Taking care of and surround yourself with plants
Tarot
The Moon
and lots and lots of yummy food.

This book has several recipes that I am more than excited to try as well as a lot of great self-care techniques and ideas for anyone who deals with everyone's least favorite monthly visitor.

I’ve been getting more untuned to my cycle recently and definitely noticed a difference week to week, so I was really interested to try this! Such a brilliant concept and I’ll be trying more recipes as time goes on.

A very interesting book that truly deserves to exist! There is so much information that I had no idea about, and that feels very wrong. Why don't women know more about their own chemistry and proper nutrition and how to answer to their own bodies?
There is a lot of very healthy, tasty sounding recipes. Not very kid friendly though, and as I have little time and preschoolers to feed I'm afraid this isn't for me right now. But it is a book about self care and I do hope that in a few years I'm be able to have a bit of breathing space for myself again.
The only bad point is the lack of pictures. I find it hard to visualise recipes into dishes in general, and love pictures to help me better appraise whether a dish interests me or not. There is only a picture every 5 or 6
recipes, I would say.
I recommend this book as a gift for a young woman leaving the nest and about to create her own homely rituals and self care routines.

The Mooncycle Cookbook is a book about nourishment during every stage of the menstrual cycle. The book is full of gorgeous recipes, nutritional facts, beautiful photos, and reflections on how food plays a role in health and self care during the menstrual cycle.

I really loved the contents of this cookbook! What a great concept, this is something I didn't know I needed. My eating habits are completely shaped by my cycle, and this book was a really reflective piece that I loved reading through. It was really enjoyable to look through and think about.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly - I have never read/seen a book like this before. It's such an original concept. I love the way it looks at food, health and spiritual practises all in one.
The photography is the first thing that stands out when flicking through the book. Absolutely stunning pictures, particularly the nature shots. Beautiful!
I love the way the book is laid out, with detailed information at the start of each section before going into the recipes. I am yet to try the food recipes - and a lot are jumping out to me - but I have tried a few of the drink suggestions. Lush!
I also like the idea of the rituals pieced between the recipes. The rituals themselves are a little generic and nothing new but the idea is great and certainly gets you inspired.
I also love that the acknowledgement section is called 'gratitude' - love that attention to detail!

Overall a really unique idea for a cookbook - lots to take from it, lots of new recipes to try, lots of great photography to admire, and some spiritual rituals to get you thinking!

This title takes a unique approach to treating the common issues faced throughout the menstrual phases. More than a simple cookbook, it often reads like advice from your grandma or the village wise woman. Filled with both nutritional advice and self-care rituals, it's an interesting read even if you never make a single recipe from the book. But several of the recipes are amazing (don't think I'm not adding the beet hummus and rosemary sausage quiche to my repertoire!). It also sent me off on a side quest into the world of sprouted nuts (I'm not a 'makes her own almond milk' kind of girl so that was new to me). And you can bet I'll be asking my doctor to check my iron level. Best of all for a nonfiction buyer, it includes an extensive bibliography and an index.

I love this book! It doesn't only give you recipes, but it explains a lot of things about menstrual cycle and the importance of certain ingredients in different stages of the cycle. I am skeptic towards holistic medicine and all of that, but it doesn't hurt to try. Especially if you get to try out some new, delicious recipes and learn a bit about the women cycle along the way!

The Moon Cycle Cookbook is a very unique cookbook that will appeal strongly to a specific niche of people but in some ways may not be for everyone.

It’s a novel idea, recipes catered to the nutritional needs of women at different points in their menstrual cycle and the cookbook does a good job explaining their philosophy and why certain foods are used at different points of the month.

I tried three recipes (the vegan Mac and cheese, broiled cinnamon peaches with coconut whipped cream, and pumpkin chocolate chip ice cream cookies (from the cover). I am not vegan and IMO vegan versions of other dishes never measure up. The Mac and cheese was no different. The peaches and ice cream sandwiches were really good.

There are a lot of specific ingredients in here that suit a specific type of life style (a lot of coconut milk and oil, ashwaganda, etc...) so this cookbook likely won’t suit everyone but it’s an interesting idea and the recipes are pretty good from the few I tried. Overall 3.5 stars

This book is gorgeous! While it has a lot of recipes, it is extremely informative in regards to a women's cycle and what foods are needed at certain points in the cycle based on nutrient needs. There are quite a few pictures that accompany the recipes. Not all of the recipes have pictures, though perhaps half do. There are no nutritional facts, though all of the recipes appear to be pretty natural and healthful. The author also includes rituals for boosting well being. All in all, a very enjoyable book that I am excited to try some recipes from!

Beautiful photos, really good information about menstrual cycles and it’s symbolism (but not too much). It also has really nice tips and tricks when it comes to cramps and moodswings, such as bath soaks, dietary changes, or other methods that might help. There’s also some good rituals scattered throughout. Not all too gruesome, but more like making a collage, make a goddess playlist- self-care rituals!

However it is a cookbook after all. It’s ratios are a bit uneven (slightly more information, tips & tricks, than recipes), but it didn’t bother me too much. There’s some really nice brownies and good bowls. It’s mainly gluten-free and dairy-free, so it’s definitely a good book if you want to just change some of the ways you’re treating yourself throughout your cycle.

I highly doubt I’ll step away from the horribly processed food I crave, but I still really enjoyed reading it and will definitely make some recipes.