You’ve had all the conversation hearts you can stomach. Cupid’s arrows seem to have no effect on you. And you don’t understand how a love letter could make anyone swoon. Whether you’re hitched or single, incorporate any of the following into your V-Day meal and you better believe you’re going to do a little dance, make a little love, and get down tonight.
1. Stuffed Avocado with Hearts of Palm and Artichoke Salad: Hailed as a mood enhancer by the likes of the Aztecs, avocado’s high levels of vitamin E sparks youthful vigor and energy. (via NPR)
2. Heart-Shaped Figs: Go fig or go home! Go ahead and get figgy with a fruit that represents fertility (the seeds) and modesty (the leaf). The fig is bestowed as a gift of love in Italy. (via Martha Stewart)
3. Steamed Artichokes: Don’t get all choked up over what to serve! Stripped leaf by leaf, the artichoke is a sensual vegetable to eat with a companion. (via Saveur)
4. Creamy Basil Salad Dressing: Use fresh basil to pump up your passion. The leaves contain many libido lifting nutrients. It’s also said that if a Roman man accepts a sprig of basil from a woman, he is as good as engaged. So be careful who you’re handing basil sprigs to. (via Vegan Yumminess)
5. Zesty Lime Oysters: Maybe the queen of passion-inducing food, the oyster is high in zinc, a key component in sparking love. The oyster should be sucked from the shell raw after tarting it up with citrus. (via Taste)
6. Banana Chai Ice Cream: With it’s energy boosting dose of potassium and vitamin B, the banana ensures a sweet way to end a meal. In Indian traditions, the banana was offered as a gift to the fertility gods. And it really was a banana in their pocket. (via Empowered Sustenance)
7. Spiced Hot Cocoa: Dubbed the food of the god’s, chocolate contains theobromine, a natural stimulant similar to caffeine. Montezuma, the great Aztec warrior was known to imbibe 50 cups of hot cocoa before tearing loose on his harem. (via Seasons of Spice)
8. Rossini Champagne Cocktail: In case you haven’t heard, alcohol is known to reduce inhibitions and spark celebration. They say that the effervescent scent of champagne replicates female pheromones. (via The Boys Cl)
9. Bird’s Nest Macaroons: With an aroma supposedly pleasant to women, almonds are associated with fertility and passion. In Greece, sugar-coated almonds are tossed as a send-off for a romantic honeymoon, signifying the sweetness and bitterness of love. (via The Faux Martha)
10. Spanish Tortilla: Erotic and restorative in nature, eggs are associated with virility and fertility. It’s a tradition for French brides to break an egg at the front door to encourage a large family. (via Smitten Kitchen)
11. Odin’s Mead: Do the birds and the bees ring a bell? Honey symbolizes procreation. In fact, the term honeymoon is derived from the alcoholic beverage mead (which is made from honey) and was served to the happy bride and groom on their wedding day. So drink up. (via Imbibe)
Do you know of any love potions we can dish out this Valentine’s Day? Let us know in the comments below!