Author: A Solitary Pagan

 (Phytolacca americana) Planet: Mars Element: Fire Energies: Protection Magical uses: All parts of this Native American plant are poisonous, save for the young shoots. These are cooked and eaten for protection.

 (Cichorium endivia) Planet: Jupiter Element: Air Energies: Physical strength, sex Magical uses: Endive is overlooked today as a salad green. This is a shame, because it can be eaten to promote physical strength (and is certainly safer than steroids). Endive is another of the many foods that are thought to create sexual desire.

(Allium spp.) Planet: Mars Element: Fire Energies: Weight loss, protection Lore: Chives may have been first grown in what is now Siberia, near the shores of Lake Baikal, one of the deepest lakes in the world. Chives were considered to be powerful aphrodisiacs. Magical uses: The great herbalist Gerarde stated that eating chives would surely “attenuate or make thinne,” and these mildly flavoured oni...

 (Brassica spp.) Planet: Moon Element: Water Energies: Protection, money Lore: Superstitious persons once placed cabbage leaves on their foreheads on the dreaded Friday the 13th to keep evil far from them—and, most probably, to keep them far from everyone else. Around 621 B.C.E., officials in Greece passed a law calling for the death penalty for anyone caught stealing cabbages, a favoured food. Al...

 Planet: Sun Element: Fire Energies: Protection Lore: Pretzels have a long magical history. According to legend, the winter solstice was observed with a special bread in Europe during the Middle Ages. This bread was circular, in honour of the sun, but twisted at the centre to form an equal-armed cross symbolic of the four seasons. This was called a “bret-zel” or “pretzel,” and was a familiar festi...

(Avena sativa) Planet: Venus Element: Earth Energies: Money Lore: In Scotland, cakes known as bannocks were baked and eaten at Beltane, the old Pagan observance of May Day. Oatcakes are still eaten during some contemporary Witches rituals. Magical uses: Use only whole-grain oats.  We can prepare and eat oatmeal first thing in the morning to bring money and prosperity into our lives. Other magical ...

(Solanum tuberosum) Planet: Moon Element: Earth Energies: Protection, compassion Lore: The potato is a native of Peru, where it was first cultivated by about34000 B.C.E. It was introduced to Spain (and subsequently throughoutEurope) in 1534. It was immediately claimed that the potato was a sure-firecure for impotency. At times, it was sold for the equivalent of 1,000 dollars a pound. Potatoes lost...

Knives were first created by flaking flint, jasper, and other cryptocrystalline quartzes into finely edged tools. The knife is ruled by Mars and the element of fire. This tool has been used both for life-threatening (stabbing) as well as life-affirming (cooking) purposes. It was the first implement used for eating, for it could both cut food as well as transfer it to the mouth.

(Tuber melanospermum) Planet: Venus Element: Water Energies: Love, sex Magical uses: The Romans believed that truffles were created by thunder. Add truffles to foods designed to increase your ability to give and to receive love. If that’s not the important issue, eat truffles to increase sexual desire.

(Ipomoea batatas) Planet: Venus Element: Water Energies: Love, sex Lore: An English cookbook of 1596 includes the preparation of a sweet potato tart intended to excite sexual desires. Those sweetened, orange tubers often served at Thanksgiving are actually sweet potatoes, not yams. Yams certainly do exist and are eaten in large quantities in Africa, Central and South America, and the West Indies, ...

Planet: Venus Element: Earth Energies: Love, protection Magical uses: Rhubarb is native to China, where it is still used in medicinal herbalism. All parts of the plant are poisonous save for the red stalks. Rhubarb is a love food. The zingy taste ensures zingy, exciting relationshipsif rhubarb is prepared with visualization. Rhubarb or rhubarb/strawberry pie is one of the ultimate love foods. The ...

Raphanus sativus. Planet: Mars Element: Fire Energies: Protection Lore: Wild radishes, eaten before breakfast, were once thought to protect the diner from being flogged and to enable one to overcome all obstacles and enemies. Magical uses: Slice thinly and eat for protection, especially in salads with onions, bell peppers, and other protective foods.