Eat for Cancer Season

Astrology is the oldest form of keeping up with the turn of the seasons. By nature, astrology is seasonal. Eat in alignment this Cancer season, and keep scrolling for a recipe!

When we align with the seasonal changes, we feel better mentally, physically, and spiritually because by nature, we are nature, just like the stars above us. In the Western Hemisphere, Cancer season is when watery, sweet, juicy produce is in season. Incorporate some of these into your diet every day during Cancer season to strengthen your body’s connection to the energies at play and enjoy the best this time has to offer!

• Watermelon and Cantelope 

• Berries! Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and more!

• Cherries

• Peaches

• Apricots

• Plums

• Corn

• Beets

• Cucumbers

• Yellow squash

• Zucchini

And my personal favorite, tomatoes.

I spent many summer nights growing up in rural North Carolina picking tomatoes into a sand bucket only to come back to the house with most of them dripping down my face. 

Some of the “pricklier” seasonal foods that show the vastness of Cancer beyond the watery sweetness.

• Arugula

• Rhubarb

• Garlic

• Radishes

Soft white cheeses are a Cancer season staple. Cancer is the universal mother and the universal food is milk! Mindfully indulge in goat, sheep, or a nice brie on a picnic blanket this month. 

Cancer season makes us want to get comfy and cozy, and it’s easy to reach for the Mac ‘n cheese and lots of bread. Savor every bite of your favorite comfort foods, but make sure you balance it out with watery fruits and vegetables and lots of water as the temperatures rise.

Cancer Season Rustic Berry Tarte

This recipe brings together everything Cancer represents with the sweet juiciness of berries, the buttery comfort of pastry dough, and the security of freshly baked goods. Enjoy with friends and family over a backyard potluck to emphasize the community and family feel of Cancer.

Note: If you’re looking to keep things simple, skip the homemade crust and opt for a rollout pie crust in the cookie dough section of the supermarket, it works nearly the same, but you’ll likely need to make two smaller ones unless you halve the filling ingredients.

Ingredients Prep time: 2.5 hours Cook time: 35 minutes Yield: 4-6 servings

Crust

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tbsp granulated white sugar

• 1 tsp fine salt

• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cold until use, chopped into cubes

• 1/4 - 1/2 cup ice cold water

Filling

• 3-4 cups of mixed berries

• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar or turbinado

• 1 tsp fine lemon zest

• 1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

• 1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot starch

• 1 tsp ground nutmeg

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp fine salt

Topping

• 2 tbsp milk

• 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey

Directions

1. If you’re skipping homemade crust, go down to step 5. Begin with the crust. Whisk together flour, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter cubes to the mixture and with the tips of your fingers, press together the butter cubes into the flour to create pea-sized pellets. To maintain the temperature, work at a swift pace, but don’t rush or it takes the fun out of things. You want to end up with a grainy meal-like texture.

2. Sprinkle in the cold water in the center and fold the flour-butter mixture towards the center with your hands. You’ll probably need to add some more water and after a few minutes of mixing, you’ll end up with a dough ball that stays together without cracks.

3. Wrap the dough ball and set it in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

4. Once the dough has chilled for two hours, preheat the oven to 400°F and prep a baking sheet with parchment paper.

5. With larger strawberries, chop in halves or quarters. Blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries can stay whole unless they’re unusually large. Toss together the berries, brown sugar, starch, lemon zest and juice, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt.

6. On a clean, floured surface, roll out the dough from the refrigerator onto a circle about a foot wide. It doesn’t need to be precise or pretty, but repair any cracks that might occur throughout the center of the dough with a pinch from the outer edges. Transfer to your prepped baking sheet.

7. Spread the fruit mixture evenly across the center of the dough, leaving about 2 inches overhang on all sides, which you will then fold over into the center to create an outer ring.

8. Combine the milk and maple syrup/honey and brush along the exposed dough to create a shiny, sweet crust.

9. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the dough is golden brown and the fruit is wet and bubbly. You may need to rotate in the middle of baking to ensure a full bake depending on your oven.

10. To finish, allow to cool, cut into loose triangles, and serve with ice cream, spiked lemonade punch, or a basil garnish to share with the ones you love the most on the nights you’ll never forget.