Cooking dates have always been fun, flirty ways for couples to get creative together. So why not up the ante by adding a sexy ingredient? These effortless recipes will serve as perfect summer aphrodisiacs; cool, sexy, and delicious.
Strawberry Avocado Salad
Ingredients:
2 tbs olive oil
4 tsp honey
1 tsp lemon juice
2 cups salad greens (keep them dark! Dark greens assist estrogen production)
1 avocado, sliced
10 strawberries, sliced or whole
½ cup pecans
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, honey, and lemon juice. Set aside.
Place the greens in a large bowl, and top with the sliced avocado, strawberries, and pecans. Drizzle the dressing on top.
Aside from being a light, easy and tasty recipe, this salad is sure to get you in the mood. The avocado was named “testicle tree” by the Aztecs not only for its shape, but for its aphrodisiac qualities. Rich in vitamin E, avocados boost the sex drive by stimulating circulation of testosterone and estrogen in the blood stream.
Strawberries, rich in nitrate, increase blood and oxygen flow to muscles by 7%, according to a study at UC Davis. They also add a sensual element; feeding strawberries to your date is sure to heat things up.
Honey has been used as an aphrodisiac for centuries. The term “honeymoon” stems from a tradition of couples drinking honey concoctions until the “first moon” of their marriage. Aside from its smooth, sexy quality, honey is rich in vitamin B and amino acid, which boosts energy and stamina as well as sexual hormone production.
Finally, a serving of pecans increases your daily dose of zinc by 10%, which is responsible for testosterone production (aka the sex hormone) in both men and women.
Basil Pesto Chilled Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
¼ cup pine nuts
1 clove garlic (skip out on this to eliminate garlic breath)
¼ cup olive oil
Pinch of salt
Pasta of choice
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Combine basil, nuts, garlic, olive oil, and salt in a food processor.
Cook pasta as directed, and combine. Toss in cherry tomatoes. Chill in refrigerator, serve cold.
Tomatoes were originally called love apples by the Europeans who first stumbled upon them; they help calm nerves and improve muscle control. Pine nuts date back to the Middle Ages, where they were used to alleviate performance anxiety. While pine nuts and tomatoes may not have aphrodisiac properties, the features they offer certainly won’t hurt you in bed!
Believe it or not, garlic is another aphrodisiac. Garlic is another sure way to improve blood circulation. Although its effects might be countered by inevitable garlic breath, garlic regulates your digestive system, keeping any bloating and food cramps at bay.
Chocolate Banana Smoothie
Ingredients:
2 tbs cocoa powder
1-2 bananas
1 ½ cups of milk
1 cup ice
Combine and blend all ingredients in a blender.
Chocolate is arguably the most well-known aphrodisiac. Chocolate contains two chemicals: tryptophan, which builds serotonin (a brain chemical involved in sexual arousal,) and phenyl ethylamine. Related to amphetamine (the chemical released when people fall in love, according to a 2006 study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine,) phenyl ethylamine earned chocolate a permanent spot on the sexy food list.
Bananas, aside from their phallic shape, contain potassium and vitamin B; both of these boost stamina and sexual hormone production.
Pour some red wine to complete your meal; aside from loosening you up, red wine contains resveratrol, which helps improve body circulation.
No time to prepare anything? No problem. Munching on watermelon is a summer favorite because of its cooling power, but scientists have also found that it contains the nutrient citrulline, which relaxes blood vessels and improves blood flow, similar to how Viagra’s active ingredient works.
Enjoy!
Photos by www.recipes.terra-organics.com, www.simplyrecipes.com
