10 Recipes For A Libido-Boosting Valentine's Day Dinner Slideshow
Cocktail: Pomegranate Martini
Pomegranates have been a symbol of fertility for centuries, so why not continue with the tradition? As it turns out, pomegranates contain substances that are a natural substitute for Viagra, and contain antioxidants that improve blood flow. To set the mood, try shaking up some pomegranate cocktails.
Hors d’Oeuvre: Stuffed Figs With Goat Cheese
Figs accelerate the secretion of pheromones, a chemical substance with a scent that's attractive to the opposite sex. For a quick yet decadent pre-meal snack, stuff some fresh figs with softened goat cheese and bake them in the oven.
Appetizer: Wilted Spinach Salad
Start your Valentine's Day meal off right with some of these leafy salad greens. Spinach is a plentiful source of magnesium, an underappreciated mineral that reduces blood vessel inflammation. Reducing inflammation, in turn, increases the blood flow to your loins, which heightens arousal and makes sex more pleasurable. This wilted spinach salad is light and easy to prepare, and won't leave you and your loved one feeling too bloated.
Entrée: Basil-Ricotta Pesto Pasta
Pine nuts are buttery, nutty, and frustratingly expensive, but you should splurge this Valentine's Day and sneak some into your romantic meal. Like oysters, pine nuts contain high amounts of zinc, which has been linked to an increased sex drive. If you want to avoid pasta, pour your arugula-basil-ricotta pesto to pour over grilled vegetables.
Click here for the Arugula-Basil-Ricotta Pesto Pasta recipe.
Entrée: Pepper-Mustard Filet Mignon
There's something strangely seductive about slowly cutting through a tender hunk of medium-rare steak, but incorporating red meat into a Valentine's Day dinner is not for the fellas — it's for the women. The iron in red meat can boost energy and sex drive. Spoil yourselves on this romantic day, and splurge on a couple pieces of filet mignon.
Entrée: Spicy-Greek-Yogurt-and-Lime-Marinated Chicken
Spicy food can give your metabolic rate a boost and stimulate your endorphins. A spicy meal can also make you sweat, plump your lips, and get your heart pumping — sounds like a recipe for a romantic evening. Bring some heat and passion to the dinner table with these habanero-spiced chicken skewers.
Click here for the Spicy Greek Yogurt and Lime Marinated Chicken recipe.
Side: Grilled Broccoli
Bring on the broccoli... is something you never thought you would read in an article about boosting libido. But, hey, don't judge a vegetable by its smell (or its gas-inducing properties). Broccoli is a powerful source of vitamin C, which has been found to aid in blood circulation to organs and improve female libido. Bring the most flavors out of your broccoli by giving it a nice char on the grill or in the oven.
Side: Saffron Rice Pilaf
Saffron is a luxury ingredient almost worth its weight in gold, but the rare spice is one of the nature's true aphrodisiacs. Apparently, Cleopatra used to bathe in a saffron-infused bath before meeting her lovers, and Romans would sprinkle the threads on to the mattresses of newlyweds. Saffron contains the antioxidants crocin, crocetin, and safranal, which are believed to increase sexual desire and arousal. Although saffron is expensive, a little goes a long way: This saffron dish only calls for a quarter of a teaspoon.
Side: Garlic and Parmesan Popcorn
Dessert: Banana “Ice Cream”
The potassium in bananas reverses the artery-clogging effects of sodium and increases the flow of blood to all your important body parts. Easily incorporate bananas into your Valentine's Day dessert with this unbelievably simple Banana "Ice Cream."