Cooking for Love at Greenheart Shop

By Irena Djuric

Is it possible to suffer from aphrodisiac overload?

Tonight, nothing – not even the raging snowstorm outside – could stop the lovers who trudged to Wicker Park’s Greenheart Shop to find out.

The “Cooking for Love” workshop, hosted by Alee Hoffman and Erin Dunscomb of Dynamic Duo Wellness, revealed the love-boosting properties of foods ranging from cacao to cayenne, avocados to pumpkin seeds. (Note: pumpkin seeds, according to the pair, are nature’s “sexiest seeds.”)

They laced a two-hour cooking session with the science and lore behind top aphrodisiacs, chattering pleasantly with the audience and whipping up two delicious cocktail-worthy recipes sure to get your sweetheart’s blood pumping.

The first, a no-cook chocolate truffle, was a snap to put together and tasted like love itself. Interested? Toss the following into a blender, scoop into balls, and freeze for about 20 minutes:

• Cacao (known to arouse sexual interest in women)
• Cayenne (gives you a rosy glow by increasing blood flow)
• Coconut Oil (lubricates the skin and sex organs)
• Cherries (stimulate pheromone production)

For the exact recipe, send a quick note to dynamicduowellness@gmail.com. However, the magic is not so much in the recipe as in following your heart and taste buds to come up with the right consistency and combination of flavors. Alee, in a dash of last-minute inspiration, splashed in some red wine. It can’t hurt, right?

The pair also walked us through the perfect dip recipe to complement those love-inducing champions of the vegetable circuit, artichokes and celery!

Artichokes, according to Alee, are the ultimate aphrodisiac. How could they not be, with all of those sexy layers you have to slowly peel off before getting to the good stuff? Celery, surprisingly, stimulates sexual arousal in men.

The dip to accompany these two saucy veggies was made by blending:

• Arugula (balances sexual hormones)
• Pumpkin seeds (strengthen testosterone and semen production in men, increase ladies’ lubrication)
• Avocado (favored by the Aztecs for its mythical sexual powers)
• Olive oil (key to supple skin and shiny hair)
• A dash of lemon and lime juices, freshly squirted

With a sprinkling of a special spice blend from the Greenheart Shop, the dip was whirled together in the processor and served to the crowd. The color, a vibrant green, looked beautiful on the plate.

The attendees at the shop tonight lingered long enough for pleasant, friendly chit-chat at the end of the workshop but left shortly thereafter – presumably to test out the benefits of the night’s culinary concoctions on significant others before the effects wore off.

Alee and Erin will be hosting more classes at Greenheart in the upcoming weeks. Visit their website or check out the Greenheart events schedule for more information.

Happy loving, and happy eating!

Activism Renegade Style!

If you’re in Wicker Park this weekend, be sure to swing by Renegade and pick up some Vegan baked goodies.

The place for all things handmade, Renegade is the behemoth behind the yearly craft extravaganza as well as the charming brick and mortar on Division just East of Damen. Swing by Sunday between 11am and 5pm and pick up locally made vegan treats. Did we mention that all proceeds benefit the Haiti Relief effort?

There’s nothing quite like activism with a tasty twist!

What: Chicago Vegan Bake Sale for Haiti

When: Sunday, February 7th 11am-5pm

Where: Renegade Handmade 1924 West Division Street Chicago, IL

Seed Savers Exchange

by Lydia Krupinski

I realized after my last post that I was fawning over thoughts of Spring, greens, and planting and totally forgot to share where I would be acquiring my seedling bounty! Seed Savers Exchange is a fantastic organization that works with farmers around the world to preserve vanishing heirloom seeds. Visit them here to stock up on seeds for the upcoming season.

Their website is  a valuable resource for growers, large and small, giving insight into an heirloom’s origins, planting techniques, and more. Become a Seed Saver Exchange member and you’ll gain access to an even larger variety of seeds! Not only is the organization helping to preserve bio-diverstity, Seed Savers sells these tiny treasures to the likes of city dwellers like me! Which means that urbanites everywhere can relish in the literal fruits of their labor.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: Inspiring my Urban Garden

by Lydia Krupinski

I have finally gotten around to reading Barbara Kingsolver’s book “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.” I’m just about half-way through and already have been deeply moved by this piece. I’ve been through all of Michael Pollan’s books and read “Fast Food Nation” when it first hit the shelves, but there’s something unique about “Animal…,” something beyond description. As I pour through the pages I am left feeling inspired and empowered…knowing that I too can support local agriculture and grow my own food.

On this note I can’t tell you how eager I am to finish the book and even more eager to start my 2010 urban garden.  In anticipation of the coming Spring I have started a list of last year’s successful crops, new planting endeavors, and a wishlist for our urban farming future. In 2009 David and I successfully grew basil, green onions, chives, mint, chamomile, lettuce, and parsley. This year we’re setting our sights on spinach, zucchini, tomatoes, strawberries, sweet potatoes, beans, and broccoli. A mighty list indeed.

We’ve noted our apartment’s primary sun spots and are planning accordingly. Our back porch had initially been used as a brunch spot, with splashes of flowers in hanging boxes, but this year we’re going all out edibles after finding that we have an all day nook of sunshine in the northeast corner. The front porch was a mix up of veggies and florals, but that too will be transformed into an urban veggie epicenter, with the six windowsills taking the herbal heat. The strawberries will be the only plant I do not plan on growing from seed since Gethsemane sells a beautiful hanging variety near spring that is much more robust than anything I could start on my own.

As I begin to muse on all of the opportunities, I am also settling in to myriads of research. Herbs are one thing, but zucchinis and tomatoes require a whole new level of sophistication. I will need to hunt down some larger containers and buckets for doing some vertical suspension. I would also like to build a tiny and inconspicuous rain barrel and maybe sneak in a tiny composting bin (both of which are frowned upon by our rental management). With endless possibilities my mind is spinning with ideas! The main thing to remember is to upcycle and reduce as many pieces of equipment as possible (like egg cartons as seed starters) and to stick to only organic seeds and soils. Can’t wait for my seeds to arrive and for the green thumb madness to begin!

The Voiceless Victims of Katrina: MINE the Movie

“MINE is the powerful story about the essential bond between humans and animals told against the backdrop of one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history.”

This insightful documentary explores the struggle between the original and new adoptors of the voiceless victims in Hurricane Katrina: Pets. The filmmakers present the stories of family’s who are caught in desperate custody battles over their beloved four-legged friends.

Join me and other Sprout Chicagoans for a screening of this heart-wrenching documentary this Wednesday at the Gene Siskel Film Center. Admission is open to the public, and the screening begins at 6:00pm.

What: MINE film

When: Wednesday, January 20th 6:00pm

Where: Gene Siskel Film Center 164 North State Street Chicago, Illinois 60601

Cost: $10 General Admission