The Conversation
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!
Michelle Swift is a freelance writer and blogs on michelleswift.com. She has an affinity for running, culinary eats, travel and sparkly gold things. People and adventure light her up like a hot pink neon sign!
More From Recipes
It can be intimidating to step out on your own and build a business from the ground up. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're talking with Selfmade alum and solopreneur Colette Lawrence, the faith-based motivator and relationship builder behind The M.E.E. Movement, about ways in which women in business can find success.
B + C: How did you know M.E.E. Movement was your business to start?
The M.E.E Movement represents motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for women. It is what represents me. I did not know at first that it was my business to start, but then the thought of monetizing what I loved came to me. It scared me, however. I registered the business in July 2020 and have been slowly building my wings since.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
Thinking through and researching what the requirements are to start my business, and then asking questions of people who are in the business. Not all advice worked; however, it helped me to figure out what I needed to do and not to do.
B + C: Did you always know life coaching would be your entrepreneurial path?
(Smiles) No, I did not. I 'stumbled" on it. I knew that people were always coming to me for advice and I found that I loved having conversations with them, especially with women, young and old.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
My most valuable takeaway was the first day of training: Get out of your own way. There were a lot of great moments and important takeaways from every presenter. However, getting out of my own way, pushing past doubts, was for me my most valuable takeaway. Doing something that I had never done before took courage. If I do not focus on what is happening with me mentally then I cannot deliver to my clients successfully.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Get out of your head. You have something to offer. You have what you need to succeed so go ahead and do it.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by listening to music and listening to motivational speakers, and sometimes someone will just reach out and talk about the impact that I made in their life. That adds the extra juice or sauce I need to pummel through the day.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip?
Keep a diary and journal. It's the best way for me to keep organized and it also provides a source motivation as I record not only my "losses" but my wins as well.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Shirley Toliver – She motivates and empowers and makes me always want to show up.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start or grow your business?
The scholarship was a blessing in that all the areas that were covered offered valuable information that I needed, from social media to HR. As a new business owner, I needed to know this to increase my own personal awareness in what it takes to run a successful business. The candidness of the presenters made it easy to see myself in their shoes and helped me to realize that I can also get there.
Thanks Colette! You can follow The M.E.E. Movement on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
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Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.
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