Five Surprisingly Seasonal And Sensual Foods
You know greens are good for you, right? In terms of our overall health, we all know greens help fight cancer, provide fiber and help us fill up on vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients without breaking the calorie bank. Did you also know that eating green foods can actually help heal your heart? Scientific research reveals that specific nutrients (including the folate and other antioxidants in green vegetables) protect against cardiovascular disease. Minerals found in green vegetables such as potassium are important for regulating blood pressure.
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From a yogic perspective, the energy center, or chakra, associated with your heart is represented by the color green. Eating foods in this color frequency can help balance your heart – or Anahata-chakra. Coincidentally, the seed sound, or bija mantra, for this energy center sounds like “yum.” It’s no wonder that when we are sad or heartbroken we crave comfort foods, particularly the foods associated with childhood memories connected to feelings of love held in our heart center.
Valentine’s Day is an evocative time to try preparing meals with seasonal green foods that can balance your heart chakra and may also have aphrodisiac-like effects. By now you’ve heard that oysters, chocolate and chilies have aphrodisiac qualities, but you might find some surprises below:
Asparagus: According to legend, the phallic shape of the spears stirs up lust and the imagination. Its dense nutrient value and especially high concentration of Vitamin E purportedly stimulates sex hormones. Their harvest begins in February and peaks through Spring. Simply steamed asparagus is divine; or for a heart-warming variation, try rolling the spears in some olive oil, sea salt and pepper, and roast them in the oven at 400 degrees for ten minutes. Eat the spears with your fingers for additional sensory impact!
Avocado: The California Avocado Commission gathered some psychologists, nutritionists and scientists who found that more than six out of ten study respondents believe eating avocados may encourage feelings of romance. Even the Aztecs and Mayans believed avocados to be aphrodisiacs back in 200 B.C.
Rich in the phytochemical glutathione, eating avocados may help neutralize free radicals that can cause cell damage in the body and can increase risk of cancer and heart disease. I’ll be enjoying some avocados on Valentine’s Day combined with blood oranges. With 90% of the nation’s avocados coming from California, we are lucky to have abundant avocados available most of the year.
Celery: While celery’s phallic form may be visually inspiring, its androsterone content may be the key to its aphrodisiac effects. This phytochemical is the pheromone typically secreted from male sweat glands which reportedly triggers sexual arousal in women. Thus, the look and scent of celery may increase sexual stimulation. Good news: harvest season here in SoCal is November through mid-July. Enjoy celery in a salad with green apples, walnuts and honey-mustard vinaigrette.
Green Garlic: While the dried bulbs are available all year, in early spring “green or spring garlic” is a special treat harvested before the cloves begin to mature. It looks like a spring onion or scallion with long green stalks and a pale white bulb. As you might imagine, smells bright and zippy Garlic contains a high concentration of allicin, which helps increase blood flow and may thereby improve libido and sexual performance. Any garlic will do, but try the green garlic soon to be sprouting to get the balancing effects for your heart chakra. You can replace garlic cloves or scallions in any recipe with green garlic, just trim the root end and use all the white and tender parts of the greens.
Rosemary: High in iron, calcium, and Vitamin B6, rosemary stimulates the immune system, improves digestion, increases circulation and may even boost libido. Besides the obvious impact of increased circulation to the sexual organs, increased blood flow to the brain may also help clear and focus the mind, leading to greater sexual arousal. Historically, the scent of rosemary has been reputed to strengthen memory and was often used during amorous events as an emblem of fidelity.
Try fresh rosemary chopped into tomato sauce or place whole sprigs underneath vegetables while cooking on the grill or baking in the oven. Rosemary surrounds us in California, and while out walking I’ll often grab a few needles, them together to release the oils, and then apply the oil to my skin for nature’s best perfume!
Some say food is love, or love is food. Regardless, on this Valentine’s Day (any day you want to feel more love) visit the farmers’ market or your garden and pick up some fresh green foods. Include combinations of asparagus, avocado, celery, garlic and rosemary to create “yummy” dishes to enjoy and inspire more love.
Red Jen Ford is a certified holistic health coach, Yoga instructor and manager of the Westwood Farmers’ Market, located in the Vets’ Garden Thursdays from Noon to 5:00 P.M. Jen teaches her customers and busy clients the simplicity of eating local, sustainably grown food. Contact her at (917) 971 – 1941 or at: redjenford. The Westwood Farmers Market:westwoodfarmersmarket.com
By Red Jen Ford
Red Jen Ford is a Certified Holistic Health Coach, Yoga Instructor and Seasonal Eating Expert. Jen teaches her clients the benefits and simplicity of eating local, sustainably grown food. Enjoy more of her dishes in her seasonal recipe booklets or her online course, Simply in Season: Recipes to Celebrate Healthy, Easy Seasonal Food.