Lobster for Leos, Cookies for Capricorns

This sweet little book, by astrologer and celebrity chef Sabra Ricci, showed up in my mailbox a couple of weeks ago. After reading and cooking from so many serious cookbooks, I was curious to see if this fun and whimsical book would stand up to the kitchen test.

LOBSTER FOR LEOS, COOKIES FOR CAPRICORNS: An Astrology Lover’s Cookbook (Thomas Dunne Books; January 2012; Paperback; $15.99; 1-250-00213-3) is “full of advice for picking the best meal for the all those special signs in your life.”  Okay, so the way the book is laid out, it explains the signs and what types of foods would be good for what signs. Seriously, though, I really liked the way she explained the foods (I did not worry about what sign they were for) and the dishes that I cooked were simple and very flavorful. I made three dishes from the book and each one was easy and terrific.

I think this is a fun addition to my collection. Something different!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

SABRA RICCI‘s celebrity clientele has included Tobey Maguire, Jim Carrey, Julia Roberts, Orlando Bloom, Courtney Cox, Cher, and many others. She is also a regular contributor to Tarot.com.

Recipes include:

• Aries-An Acai Berry Smoothie is perfect food for the brain
• Taurus-Butternut Squash and Wild Rice Pilaf are great food for the thyroid
• Gemini-Cucumber-tomato Salad with Fresh Oregano is food for the lungs
• Cancer-Grilled Teriyaki Chicken with Pineapple-Mango Salsa aides the stomach
• Leo-Creamy Polenta with Black Bean Ragout is great for the heart
• Virgo-Lemon Thyme Roasted Turkey Breast soothes the nervous system
• Libra-Cranberry Pistachio Scones are great for kidneys
• Scorpio-Grilled Asparagus with Black Truffle Oil helps the reproductive organs
• Sagittarius-Warm Baby Beet Salad over Grilled Portobellos helps the liver
• Capricorn-Pumpkin Bran Muffins with Pepito Seeds nourish the bones
• Aquarius-Cayenne Cocktail Nut Mix gets the circulatory system pumping
• Pisces-Chipotle White Bean Grilled Chicken Chili boasts the immune system

And here is one for you to try ( and yes, I am a Leo so maybe there is something to what she is saying. I just gravitated towards this recipe 🙂 ) :

Lobster for Leos, Cookies for Capricorns

By Sabra Ricci

Leo

Papaya. This tropical fruit is packed with vitamins A, C, E, and K, all antioxidants that benefit the cardiovascular system and prevent atherosclerosis. Papaya also contains car-pain, another benefit for the heart. Some feel papaya has the power of rejuvenation, which can contribute to keeping the heart of the Lion young and healthy.

Papaya Stuffed with Shrimp Ceviche

recipe printed here with permission from the publisher.

SERVES 2

This is so wonderful on a hot summer day with a glass of white!

1 tablespoon kosher salt

^1/2 pound small raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

Juice of 1 lime plus 1?2 lime, cut into wedges

1 teaspoon lime zest

^1/2 cup coconut milk

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

^1/2 Maui onion, cut into small dice

2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

1 tomato, seeded and cut into small dice

Sea salt

1 ripe papaya, peeled, seeded, and cubed, plus 1 extra papaya, cut lengthwise and seeded

1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and add salt. Add shrimp to the boiling water for 1 minute, then transfer immediately to an ice bath. Drain shrimp thoroughly and set aside. Mix lime juice, lime zest, coconut milk, ginger, onion, 1 tablespoon of cilantro, and tomato in a medium glass bowl. Stir in the shrimp. Cover the shrimp and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove from refrigerator, add cubed papaya, season with salt, and mix together.

2. Fill each half of papaya with ceviche and garnish with lime wedges and the remaining tablespoon of cilantro.