Cooking with the Moon phases

Cooking with the Moon phases

The power of the moon is incredibly strong and affects our moods and emotions. And most of us will be used to working with the cycles of the moon rather than against them, going with the flow so to speak can make our lives much easier.  We can also tailor the foods we eat to the phases of the moon to tap into that power and to work with the rhythm of our bodies and emotions too.

Waxing Moon

For the waxing moon work with foods and menus that feed your soul, increase your strength and revitalise your spirit, bright, cheerful, spicy exciting foods.  Bring magic into your cooking for abundance, healing, love, creativity, manifesting and setting goals and dreams into motion.

Try using recipes on the waxing moon that include meat, fish or chicken, beans, grain and pasta, lots of vegetables and natural yogurts.  Fill your recipes with lots of herbs and spices, the good ones that boost your immune system.  For afters go for dairy filled desserts or warming crumbles and fruit pies.  This is an excellent time to try out new recipes and use ingredients that you haven’t cooked with before, be daring!

Waxing moon –broccoli, carrots, corn, garlic, onion, sweet potato, peppers, colourful vegetables, meat, chicken, fish, grains, beans, dairy, fruits, basil, fennel, thyme, ginger, turmeric, honey.

Full Moon

On the full moon, it is time to bring on the feast!  Rich, delicious and extravagant foods that celebrate the goddess in her mother aspect.  Big rich foods full of flavour and all the good stuff that isn’t healthy in honour of the goddess at this moment.

For the full moon pull out all the stops and make big hearty dishes of fish, eggs, pasta and rice.  Make sure you throw in lots of warming spices.  Bake potato dishes and cook with cabbage and cauliflower adding herb filled sauces and lots of chillies.   To treat yourself afterwards go for sumptuous decadent desserts filled with fruits, nuts and of course…cakes and chocolate.

Full moon – fish, eggs, pasta, sea food, all vegetables but particularly potato, cauliflower and cabbage, basil, tomatoes, mint, meat, thyme, oregano, tarragon, black pepper, chilli, garlic, cinnamon, fruits, nuts, cheese, cake and chocolate.

Waning Moon

On the waning moon, it is time to eat up all those leftovers, work with what you have in the fridge or the cupboards.  Try and choose lighter foods perhaps even ones that cleanse your system, keep it light and keep it fresh.

For the waning moon keep it simple, fresh and cleansing work with citrus fruits, fresh vegetables and herbs, fish, rice and beans.  Soups are excellent to make on this phase of the moon and throw in plenty of garlic.  Herbal teas are also brilliant for the waning moon.  For dessert go for fresh fruit and yogurt.

Waning moon – all vegetables, pasta, salads, parsley, coriander, rosemary, soft fruit, rice, beans, fish, citrus fruit, dried fruits, greens, sage, lemon and mint.

New Moon

On the new moon, we welcome the dark goddess; this is a powerful phase of the moon and a time for inner work.   It is suggested that this time is one of fasting (my love of food argues heavily against this route) but I would recommend just keeping things light and healthy and make sure you drink plenty of fluids.

Obviously, the moon phases span the seasons so we will eat differently on a spring full moon than on a winter one.

Spring moons – this is a season of new beginnings, growth and awakening so eat the foods that inspire you to connect with the energies of spring.

Summer moons – summer is a time for sitting outside and eating whether it is dinner in your back garden or a picnic on the beach.  It is a time for celebrating life and all that we have.

Autumn moons – harvest time, we start to think about warming, hearty foods and giving thanks to the land for all that she has supplied us with.

Winter moons – it’s cold and dark (and probably wet) so eating with the moon phases at winter will involve foods that warm us, keep us strong and maintain our bodies through the winter season.

The moon for each month also has its own magical properties and energies, go with your intuition and how you feel and how the energies around you make you feel and cook accordingly.

Taken from A Kitchen Witch’s World of Magical Food by Rachel Patterson