honey – Urban Suburban Mommy

Valentine’s Day is rapidly approaching. You’ve written up the cutsie cards for the kids’ classes and found the class treat you’re going to make on Pinterest.

But what about moms and pops? Isn’t Valentine’s Day for us too?

Urban Suburban Mommy caught up with Dr. Christopher Calapai, D.O – a New York City Osteopathic Physician. Dr. Calapai is board certified in family and anti-aging medicine. We got his take on aphrodisiacs.

“Aphrodisiacs are foods that have certain chemical properties that could increase pheromones, estrogen of testosterone, estrogen, heightening our interest in sex,” explains Dr. Calapai. So they’re real. Not the superfly – the urban legend of our high-school days, These. Are. Real. According to the doctor, o be considered a true aphrodisiac the substance must be consumed orally and must reliably increase libido or sexual desire and within minutes. No pharmaceutical blue pills, these are ready and waiting at the grocery store – you may even have some around the house and not realize their magical powers!

photo: Barbie Fantasies

Ok so what are these sexual super foods and what is it about them that “Gets you in the mood? Dr. Love – er – Dr. Calapai explains:

1. Oysters

One of the most infamous aphrodisiacs to us all, oysters are high in zinc and have a reputation for being great for fertility. Researchers have found that oysters contain amino acids that trigger production of sex hormones. “Oysters offer a lean source of protein to help give you energy all night long. In addition to offering the body zinc, which helps blood flow and nourish sperm, there’s scientific evidence that an amino acid found in oysters may directly raise sexual hormone levels,” says Dr. Calapai.

2. Bananas

With their phallic shape, bananas already look tempting and sensual; but they also contain bromelain, an enzyme, which Dr. Calapai says, triggers testosterone production. The fruit’s potassium and vitamin B elevate energy levels and the high sugar content gives the brain a kick! Melt some chocolate to add some sexy decadence.

3. Honey

Honey is made through pollination and secretions of many fertile bees worshipping their queen, just what every woman wants! Drizzled on certain body parts honey can be fun. It has a number of vitamins and it also contains boron, which helps regulate estrogen and testosterone levels and the sweet and sappy sweetness provides a natural energy boost.

4. Watermelon

Packed with citrulline and lycopene, Watermelon may have a Viagra-like effect on the body, as it relaxes blood vessels and improves circulation. It may even prevent erectile dysfunction. It’s incredibly juicy, sexy and when dipped in chocolate is the perfect flavor explosion.

5. Pine Nuts

High in energizing zinc and fatty acids, which have been linked to a healthy sex drive, pine nuts are also considered aphrodisiacs because of the effort required to procure these oily gems from pinecones.

6. Arugula

This peppery tasting plant has been documented as an aphrodisiac since the first century A.D. “The bite of the aromatic leaf might get you in the mood and the minerals and antioxidants found in dark leafy greens like arugula have also been proven to block environmental contaminates that could negatively harm libido,” explains Dr. Calapai.

7. Olive Oil

Packed with antioxidants, olives and their oil have been used for centuries for health. The Greeks believed they made men more virile as well. “Olive oil is a good source of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are critical for a healthy heart, smooth blood flow and stable hormone production, all needed to keep the brain, prostate and penis in good shape!” says Dr. Calapai.

8. Figs

Eaten by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, the fig has forever paradoxically symbolized both sexuality (the ripe fruit with seeds representing fertility) and modesty (the fig leaf). They are full of potassium and are an antioxidant powerhouse, sweet and delicate when eaten.

9. Pomegranate

These bright gems enclosed in a thick rose-colored husk are filled with tangy sweet antioxidants, which support blood flow and clear thought. One study by The Male Clinic in California found that pomegranate juice had a positive effect on erectile dysfunction.

10. Chai Tea

Skip the coffee and end the night with a cup of Indian chai tea. The typical spices in this brew include ginger, cloves and cinnamon, all come from exotic places and certainly will get the blood flowing. Since it has almost no caffeine the stimulant effect is less than coffee allowing you and your lover to drift to sleep.

So forget the champagne with strawberries and whipped cream, skip the big carby romantic dinner. Go for the oysters, the fruit platter with honey, the salad with arugala and pine nuts, drizzled with olive oil, and serve it all up with chai tea for the perfect Valentine’s Day!

Dr. Christopher Calapai, D.O. is an Osteopathic Physician board certified in family medicine, and anti-aging medicine. Proclaimed the “The Stem Cell Guru” by the New York Daily News, Dr. Calapai is a leader in the field of stem cell therapy in the U.S. His stem cell treatments have achieved remarkable results in clinical trials on patients with conditions as varied as Alzheimer’s, arthritis, erectile dysfunction, frailty syndrome, heart, kidney and liver failure, lupus, MS and Parkinson’s. He has worked with Mike Tyson, Mickey Rourke, Steven Seagal, and Gotham’s, Donal Logue; and as a medical consultant for the New York Rangers.

drcal.net

@drcalapai

We love when Nicole gets into the kitchen. Always creative, here kids are a great inspiration and she enjoys trying out new things! When she made these gorgeous Macarons, we just *had* to ask.

Nicole: Every mom knows that kids (especially little girls for the most part) love and I mean LOV E tea parties. In February I decided to take advantage of one of the seemingly plentiful days off of school to host a tea party for my five-year-old daughter. Call it sleep deprivation, glutton for punishment or I just really like a challenge – but I decided at 4am the morning of her tea party to try my hand at making macarons. Have you ever attempted to whisk eggs without the use of a mixer till stiff peaks form – JUST to avoid waking the small people in your house at a completely unacceptable hour? No? I would suggest that unless you want to avoid a very good arm work out – plan ahead and make these a day ahead!

The recipe that I used called for almond flour, something I didn’t have on hand – however I did have whole almonds. A tip I found after-the-fact – if you are going to make your own almond flour for this recipe, process your almonds as fine as possible (without turning them into almond butter). I put them through my sifter to get out any larger pieces that remained, then process them one more time with the confectioners’ sugar to make sure that everything had a consistent texture. Also, if you do not have superfine sugar, you can process regular sugar in a spice mill/coffee grinder for a few seconds and it comes pretty close! As you can see in the picture – I don’t own a macaron mat however if you are a perfectionist you can trace circles on one side of parchment paper (just make sure you pipe the batter onto the opposite side you draw on, or you can be a rebel like me and free hand it.

What you need:

Macaron:
– 2/3 cup almond meal or ground almonds
– 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
– 3 large egg whites, room temperature and preferably aged up to 3 days
– 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
optional:
– gel coloring to get the color you want
– flavours like cocoa or various extracts

Creamy filling:
– 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
– 2 egg yolks
– 1/4 cup granulated sugar
– 3 1/2 tablespoons milk
– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I swapped this for peppermint extract)
options:
food coloring, gel color or natural food extract color

What you do:

Macaron:

Preheat the oven to 280ºF, and position 2 racks in the lower section of the oven. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. If you have time, draw 1-inch circles on the back of each sheet, spacing the circles at least 1/2-inch apart.
If your almond meal is very coarse, grind it with the powdered sugar in a food processor until fine. Sift the almond meal-powdered sugar mixture twice through a mesh sieve. Add any dry food flavorings to the this mixture.
Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer), and begin to beat on medium-high. When the eggs are frothy, gradually add granulated sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until fully incorporated. Continue to beat the egg white mixture until glossy and stiff peaks form when you lift the beaters. Gently stir in the vanilla extract. Add the gel food coloring to meringue. Be careful to not overbeat the meringue (e.g., the meringue takes on a clumpy texture).
Add half of the sifted almond mixture, and gently fold it into the meringue using a flexible silicone spatula. Lift from the bottom, up around the sides, and toward the middle, being careful to not overagitate the meringue and lose too much air. Once the almond mixture is predominantly incorporated, add the second half and repeat the folding motion.
When the almond mixture is just incorporated, you will need to transform the batter into the appropriate texture. Using the flat of the spatula, “punch” down into the center of the batter, then scrape more batter from the sides to the center, and punch again. You will need to repeat this 10-15 times (or more, depending on your arm strength and the beginning texture of your batter) until the batter slowly and continuously drips back into the bowl when you scoop it up with the spatula. Think of the consistency of molten lava. For the best results, punch the batter a few times, check the consistency, then punch a few more times, etc. Do not make the batter too runny or the macarons won’t rise as they should, and you could end up with oil stains on the surface.
Pour batter into a pastry bag fitted with a 0.4-inch tip. In a pinch, you can also use a gallon-size Ziploc bag: just snip a teeny bit from one of the bottom corners. Twist and clip the top of the bag to avoid overflow. On your prepared baking sheets, pipe out 1-inch rounds in the circles you drew (remember to draw the circles on the back side of your parchment to avoid ink or pencil stains on your macarons!).
Holding the baking sheet in both hands, rap each baking sheet firmly on the counter two or three times. This smooths out the tops and helps form the “pied” or frilly foot on the bottoms of the macarons. Allow the piped macarons to dry, uncovered, for at least 15 minutes. The macarons should form a very thin, smooth crust where, if you tap it lightly with your finger, the batter will not stick to your finger. If after 15 minutes, the batter is still sticky, let it dry longer. This may take up to an hour on humid days.
Place both baking sheets in the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes. After the first 2 minutes, open the oven to allow any excess humidity to escape. Halfway through, swap oven racks and rotate the sheets for even baking. The macarons are done when they are baked all the way through and the shells are just hard. Take care to not underbake (insides will still be mushy) or overbake (tops will begin to brown). Remove them from the oven, and cool on baking sheet placed on a wire rack.
When fully cooled, assemble the macarons with your choice of filling. The assembled macarons can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Creamy filling:

Cut butter into pieces, and mash with a spatula until the consistency resembles mayonnaise.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks, then add the granulated sugar, and whisk until the mixture lightens to an off-white and you can no longer see the granules of sugar. Add the milk, and whisk to combine.
Pour the egg mixture into a small saucepan, and heat over low heat, whisking frequently to ensure that the mixture does not curdle or scorch. Cook until the mixture becomes thick and custardy, like pudding.
Pour the egg mixture back into its bowl, and whisk constantly until it returns to room temperature. Whisk in the butter in three batches, add the vanilla, add the food coloring and stir until smooth and all ingredients are fully combined. Pipe or spread onto one macaron half and sandwich between the other.

I chose to tint the filling and not the cookie itself – using mint extract in place of vanilla. Believe me when I say I can understand why this is Parisian favorite – who doesn’t like a pillowy cloud of flavored sugar? I know my daughter and her friends sure did! I based mine off of this recipe.

Urban Suburban Mommy

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