Cooking with fresh herbs is sexy and always improves a day that starts out in a bad way. What makes it even more fun is if you know a bit more about the healing and magic qualities of Mother Earth’s herbal garden.

Basil, for example, is held as sacred in many different cultures all over the world. In India it was believed that if a leaf of basil was buried with a person, it would guarantee their passage to heaven. Basil is not only, in my opinion, the most delicious fresh herb on the planet, it’s also Nature’s Prozac…lifts the spirit, helps against depression, anxiety, and stress! Basil is an ancient symbol of Love and still today, in Romania, if a young woman offers a sprig of Basil to a man and he accepts it, they’re officially engaged*.

You can make Basil tea to give yourself a boost but I prefer to use it in stuffed peppers or my delicious veggie pasta sauce, a pick-me-up any day of the week (see recipe below)!

I you want to give yourself a more sensual kind of boost, you can make this amazing green salsa, brilliant with grilled vegetables but also with meat. Two powerful healing herbs make this salsa verde absolutely irresistible: Coriander and Parsley. Coriander was traditionally believed to be an aphrodisiac and science has later proved this to be true. It is estrogenic, so it not only vitalizes you sex life, it also regulates your hormonal balance. It stimulates when our physical energy is low and enhances creativity and memory. Parsley is a powerful antioxidant, prevents premenstrual bloating, cleanses your kidneys and of course…nature’s own breath freshener. In magic it is used for purification and protection.

Do yourself a favor, book an afternoon in the kitchen for some herbal therapy…

Sexy Salsa Verde

1/4-cup olive oil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1-2 seeded and coarsely chopped jalapeno peppers
1 cup sour cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Process the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, garlic, green onions, coriander, parsley and jalapeno peppers in a food processor until combined but not completely smooth. Stir in sour cream. Season with salt and pepper.

Camilla Delish

2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 finely chopped onion
Tofu Ground Beef
1 small can of tomato puree
1 can of peeled tomatoes
1/2 tsp sambal oelek
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp ketjap manis
Fresh Basil
3-4 tbsp creme fraiche
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Brown one finely chopped onion and Tofu Ground Beef in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Add one small can of tomato puree, one can of peeled tomatoes (not the juice, only the tomatoes in chunks), half a teaspoon of sambal oelek, two squeezed garlic cloves, a splash of ketjap manis (a sweet soy sauce) and half a deciliter of water. Then…the Basil!

Finely chop about ten leaves and let them simmer with the sauce. Add 3-4 tablespoons of creme fraiche and salt & pepper to taste. Let it simmer for another ten minutes. Chop another handful of basil leaves and sprinkle over the pasta sauce before serving it, preferably with wholegrain spaghetti and loads of Parmesan cheese.

[*||!prliignore14||vitalisnews.blogspo||!prliignore15||t]
[Photo by ||!prliignore0||]