With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, many will be calling local restaurants to secure a last minute reservation. However, it’s no surprise that the 14th is one of the busiest days of the year for restaurants and it may be impossible to get a table at your favorite place. Don’t panic, because we all know the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. My advice is to serve up a home cooked, aphrodisiac packed meal.
Start by inviting your valentine over for dinner and have some light appetizers ready when he shows up. Pair thin slices of Chipotle cheese with crackers, if you’d like. Impress him by taking it one step further and adding slices of avocados. Interestingly, avocados are a natural aphrodisiac. A study at the University of Illinois found that high levels of Vitamin E encourage “youthful vigor and high energy levels”.
Now for the entrée, pick up some petit filet minions or marinated pork chops. The plunging temperatures rule out the use of a grill but using a conventional oven works just as well. Red meat is perfect for this weather and a sure way to satisfy your valentine’s taste buds.
The first step is to preheat the oven to 400 degrees and put the skillet inside while the oven heats up. This will require a skillet or pan without a plastic handle; be careful, the skillet will be very hot. While the skillet and the oven heat up, season the pork chops by coating each side in olive oil and sprinkling with salt and pepper. Purchasing ready-made marinates can speed this process up and add unique flavors.
Next, remove the skillet from the oven, (remember this is going to be screaming hot, so be sure to use oven mitts). Place the skillet on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Now sear the pork chops by placing it on the skillet. It will sizzle a little and may cause some smoke but that is expected. After about three minutes, turn the pork chops over with tongs and place the skillet with the pork chops back into the oven.
The cook time for the pork chops in the oven will be between 6 to 10 minutes since pork chops are tender and cook quickly. When you get to the 7-minute mark, start checking the pork chops to gauge if they fully cooked. If you have a thermometer on hand, the pork chops should be between 140 and 145 degrees at the thickest part.
As for a side dish, asparagus is an easy one-step choice. According to MindBodyGreen, asparagus is also an aphrodisiac. An English Herbalist in the 17th century wrote asparagus “stirs up lust in man and woman.” Aesthetically, asparagus is appealing but its shape is also considered a psycho-physiological aphrodisiac!
Simply melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Then toss in asparagus spears and let them cook for 10 minutes covered. To avoid burning, turn the spears occasionally. Season them with your favorite seasoning and you’re done with dinner!
Finally… dessert! Your valentine may be expecting chocolate covered strawberries but that’s not all you can cover in chocolate. Bananas are another chocolate-covered fruit favorite. Bananas help to produce sex-hormones due to their high quantities of potassium and Vitamin B. Covering strawberries and bananas in chocolate is like a double dosage of aphrodisiac! An ingredient in chocolate produces feelings of well-being and intimacy.
Most importantly, don’t take yourself too seriously in the kitchen, even if things don’t go as planned. Although many of these dishes are made with natural aphrodisiacs, remember to always be safe in the kitchen and wherever else the night may go. Cooking for your valentine should be fun and even an adventure sometimes. Enjoy!