Aphrodisiacs of Life

There’s an arousing array of herbs, spices, and foods to help you strengthen your vitality, nourish your body and enhance your sensuality. From ginger to nettles, chia to cacao, nuts, seeds and fruits are foods of love. A toned and balanced body is the first step to living the super luscious life.

Recently, after my Spice It Up! Creative Cooking with Herbs and Spices weekend hands on cooking class at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in the Berkshires, I noticed that I was energized even after having a vigorous teaching schedule.

What was the difference between this particular time teaching weekend and some other previous workshops that I’ve taught is that this time, I was constantly drinking lots of nettle ginger tea through the day and it made a huge difference.

Nettles nourishes hair, skin, blood, bones and glands. Loaded with calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium, drinking nettle tea or adding fresh or dried nettles to soups and stews will support, balance, and enhance your well being.

Here is a quick and easy recipe for making nettle ginger tea. Steep 1 tablespoon of dried nettle leaf and 1 teaspoon-tablespoon of fresh grated ginger in 1 cup of boiling water. Optional: add honey or maple syrup to taste.

And please enjoy this video of how to make a delicious nettle potato soup. Includes all the health benefits of nettles and much more.

Once you balance, listen and tone your body then you can enhance your well being by adding a little very dark, magnesium rich, organic fair trade chocolate.

Chocolate raises our endorphins, and therefore makes us happy and feeling the love.

When I want a little pep in my step, I enjoy hot organic cacao in the morning with some maca, which is also great for the libido and endurance.

Even better, try enjoying hot cacao with made your own nut milk.

Opening your heart and drinking hot cacao with friends and family is one of my favorite ways to start my day.

Top photo of Cacao smoothie by Tracey Eller

Hey, if you are in the Amherst, MA area, and need a personal chef for that special occasion or need delicious food as medicine, please contact me.

And if you are looking for hands on organic farm to table cooking classes for your health and vitality, please contact me.

Want a Gourmet Getaway Retreat immersed in nature, that incorporates a nourishing environment with the art of self care, gourmet vegetarian, organic farm to table meals, and “loving kindness” hands on cooking classes.

Renowned Chef & Author
Classes~Recipes~Speaker
Gourmet Getaway Retreats

*** blog post updated from January 25, 2015