On wings of Love

Food and Love are synonymous - I don't believe in the possibility of one without the other. Eating is one of the most sensual of life's pleasures. I was once told by a gentleman "if you offered me sex or a cookie, I'd take the cookie" and I would hope that he was alluding more to the power of my cookies than to my lack of sex appeal.
When we think of "foods for love" the first thing that springs to mind are oysters or chocolate coated strawberries. Any food however, when prepared with a little creativity and loving intention can be an aphrodisiac.
Oysters are high in zinc, which is an important nutrient for libido, particularly for men as it is required for the production of the hormone testosterone. It also plays an important role in metabolism and maintenance of healthy immune function. Other good dietary sources of zinc are pumpkin and sunflower seeds, garlic, spinach, legumes, herrings and clams. Zinc and copper must be kept in balance in order for the body to properly assimilate these minerals, so make sure your diet also contains copper rich foods such as leafy green vegetables, beans, nuts and peas.

One of my favorite salads these days is my Raw Kale Salad. It's packed with nutrients, including zinc and copper. Kale is also high in calcium and magnesium, important for bone health. This salad is so delicious that even some of my hard core non veggie loving clients can't get enough.
Simply shred a big bunch of kale - I like to use the dark Tuscan kale, but the curly kale is great too. Then I add whatever other veggies I have in my fridge, all finely shredded. My favorite combination is kale, jicama, carrot and fennel. You can coarsely grate your veggies, but I love to chop, so I cut them into very thin matchsticks.
Put all your chopped veggies in a big bowl, and add about 2 Tbs. goji berries (I soak them first for about 10 minutes in a little hot water to soften them up), a big sprinkle of hemp seeds, a small handful of pumpkin seeds (I like to toast them a little first but you can leave them raw).
Drizzle on about 2 Tbs. olive oil, 2 Tbs. lime juice, 1 tsp. agave syrup, 1 tsp. umebohsi plum vinegar and toss lovingly.
Injoy, Aine