The great feeling you get from eating well is an aphrodisiac in itself, so if you're planning to woo your lover with a healthy Valentine's meal this year, try these saucy recipes designed by nutritionist Alli Godbold and watch the sparks fly!
MenuOysters with a Shallot and Red Wine Vinaigrette ~ Lobster and Asparagus Alfredo or Asparagus and Avocado Wraps ~ Baked Dark Chocolate Pudding |
Oysters with a Shallot and Red Wine Vinaigrette
These succulent mollusks are the classic aphrodisiac. Raw oysters are very high in zinc, which raises testosterone production and increases the libido. They're also high in omega-3 fatty acids, which is good news for your heart. No wonder Casanova ate 50 raw oysters every day! Also good for your heart is the red wine vinegar in the vinaigrette, and the shallots are full of the flavanoid quercetin, which helps boost the immune system with its antibiotic and antiviral properties. So nothing, not even the sniffles, can hold you back from a night of hot passion!
Ingredients:
Serves 26 oysters
For the shallot and red wine vinaigrette:
65ml / 2 fl. oz cup of red wine vinegar1 ½ tablespoons of finely chopped shallots
1 ½ teaspoons of Dijon style mustard
195ml / 6 fl. oz cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
- In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, shallots and mustard
- Slowly add oil in a steady stream, whisking constantly until mixture is emulsified
- Open up the oysters and pour away most of the liquid
- Add a drizzle of vinaigrette to each oyster and enjoy!
Lobster and Asparagus Alfredo
Lobster is very low in fat, a great source of protein and also high in Omega 3. This recipe combines it with asparagus - a strong source of folic acid, potassium, fibre, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, and thiamin. Together they make for an elegant and deliciously healthy dish, one that can't fail to impress the other half.Ingredients:
Serves 2125g / 4 oz fettuccine or tagliatelle
63g / 2 oz asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
63g / 2 oz sliced fresh mushrooms
1 tablespoon of butter
94g / 3 oz cooked lobster meat, cut into bite-size pieces
80ml / 2½ fl.oz light single cream
47g / 1½ oz of shredded Parmesan cheese
Pinch of coarsely ground black pepper
Dash of ground nutmeg
Coarsely ground black pepper (optional)
Green salad
Preparation:
- Cook the fettuccine or tagliatelle according to package directions; drain and set aside
- Meanwhile, in a large pan, fry the asparagus and mushrooms in butter for 5 minutes or until just tender
- Add lobster and light cream; heat through
- Add cooked pasta to the pan. Then add Parmesan cheese, a pinch of pepper, and the nutmeg. Toss until pasta is coated. If necessary, cook for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce is desired consistency
- Serve immediately
- Sprinkle with additional pepper, if desired, and serve with a green salad
Asparagus and Avocado Wraps
For a vegetarian dish, or for those whose budgets won't stretch to lobster, this sumptuous dish is a fitting alternative. It blends asparagus and avocado, known by the Aztecs as 'fertility fruit', and whose name derives from the Aztecan for 'testicals' due to its shape. The tasty pear has stirred up unholy feelings for centuries and is still regarded today as having aphrodisiac properties.
On a slightly more wholesome note, the creamy fruit has a high content of folic acid, as well as vitamin B6 and potassium, and is said to boost immune function. Use brown basmati rice for this dish as it has the lowest GI score of all the types of rice.
Ingredients:
Makes 2 large servings 4 asparagus1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
1 tbsp lime juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
125g / 4 oz of cooked, cold brown basmati rice
3 tbsp plain, low fat yogurt
3 whole wheat tortillas, 10" in diameter
½ handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
2 tbsp chopped red onion
Preparation:
- In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring 2 inches of water to the boil
- Steam the asparagus until just tender, about 6 or 8 minutes. Remove the asparagus and immediately rinse in cold water to stop the cooking. Drain thoroughly
- In a small bowl, mash the avocado, lime juice, and garlic into a coarse puree
- In another small bowl, stir together the rice and yogurt to mix well
- Heat a dry large frying pan over medium heat. One at a time, heat the tortillas in the hot pan until softened, about 20 seconds per side
- Lay the tortillas flat on a clean work surface. Spread the avocado mixture equally among the tortillas
- Top each with an equal amount of the rice mixture, asparagus, coriander and onion. Fold in both sides and the bottom of each tortilla over the filling, then roll to close
- If made in advance, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 hour
- Return to room temperature before serving. To serve, cut each wrap in half crosswise
- Serve with a crisp green salad.
Baked Dark Chocolate Pudding
No romantic meal is complete without a bit of chocolate to finish it off. Chocolate contains theobromine, an alkaloid similar to caffeine that has a stimulating effect. It also helps the brain produce the feel-good chemical serotonin.
For the best effects, use high quality dark chocolate. It contains large amounts of antioxidants, which help combat toxins within your body. And if you can find it, use brown rice flour. It's a great healthy substitute for plain flour as it has more fibre.
This sugar-free pudding also uses Perfect Sweet in place of sugar, which has a very low GI value so its energy is released slowly over time, allowing you and your partner to stay up all night!
Ingredients:
Makes 2 servings100g / 3¼ oz good dark chocolate (min 60% cocoa)
1 large eggs, separated
25g / ¾ oz unsalted butter
¼ tsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp Perfect Sweet
1/4 tbsp brown rice flour (plain flour if not), sieved
Preparation:
- Heat oven to 200C / 390F
- Butter two small individual soufflé dishes & set aside
- Melt chocolate in large heat-proof bowl over hot water, then remove from heat and add in butter, Perfect Sweet and flour. Brown rice flour is used in place of plain flour as it is great for digestion, and tastes just as great.
- Beat the separated egg yolks and add to mixture, along with vanilla essence
- Beat egg whites in a separate bowl and fold into mixture with large metal spoon until thoroughly incorporated.
- Pour into oven dish and cook until just set (10-15mins), then either serve warm, or allow to cool & reheat
- Serve with red fruit coulis and a sprig of mint
Source: Perfect Sweet