Are You in the Mood For Love? Aphrodisiac foods for Valentine

Feeding the Family

Recipes

Published on Friday, 05 February 2016 11:45

Last Updated on 05 February 2016

Fiona Kirk

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The hormones testosterone, dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin play an important role in mood and desire and what you eat can do more than you might image to heighten both for a memorable Valentines Day! Here are some quick, easy and delicious suggestions, most of which can be eaten with your fingers – the very last thing you need on the 14th Feb is a load of washing up!

Fresh king prawns painted generously with garlic butter and grilled  (what could possibly be the problem with garlic if you are both eating it!)

     

Tear a few chunks of creamy buffalo mozzarella, scatter some basil leaves and lots of baby tomatoes around, a few sea salt flakes, a generous grinding of black pepper and drizzle with olive oil (the first tomatoes grown in Europe were called love apples because they were related botanically to the mandrake, or love plant which was noted in the Bible for its reputed aphrodisiac qualities).

 

 

 

Eggs get my vote every time.  They are a great source of protein, rich in iron which helps circulate oxygen around your body, creating the kind of energy that you are looking for with your ‘valentine’ and they are so adaptable.  Scrambled with smoked salmon or even more indulgent with shavings of fresh truffles, Eggs Benedict or Florentine or just soft boiled eggs with toast ‘soldiers’ or steamed asparagus to dip in.  And it’s not only hen’s eggs – it’s all eggs.  Try boiling a few quails eggs, peel them (that’s a job for 2) and hoover them down with a cocktail and a bowl of salted almonds while you are putting the other delicacies together in the kitchen!

Oh, and while we’re talking eggs, let’s not forget caviar (fish eggs).

It packs a real nutritional punch containing almost all the proteins, essential fats, vitamins and minerals required to get those hormones singing!  Beluga is expensive, that’s not up for debate but we’re talking one night of the year here and a little goes a long way.  A few slices of brown toast, a spoonful or two of caviar, a couple of glasses of champagne and you might find you’ve lost your appetite for food and moved on!

If you both enjoy cooking, why not experiment with fish?  If you’ve never tried grilling sea bass fillets with a load of sea salt crystals on top you are in for a treat!

 The sea salt crystals brown (almost burn) on top and when you peel off the skin the fish is soft, succulent and perfectly cooked.  Serve with steamed spinach which takes seconds and a few steamed baby potatoes tossed in top quality butter (starchy carbohydrates like potatoes can help to boost serotonin levels).

 

And for dessert, well it has to involve chocolate (which has the added bonus of being rich in a chemical called phenylethylamine which plays a vital role when we fall in love and feel passion and levels are believed to peak during orgasm!)

How about ‘fingers’ of mango and papaya or whole strawberries dipped in melted dark chocolate or a small, dark, rich chocolate mousse topped with silky smooth double cream – unbeatable!