Yes, who doesn’t love delicious and yummy foods that can also get increase some love vibes in the air with you and your partner? Also, did you know that our very own product – POW – is an aphrodisiac too? More on that coming up this week.
Here are some aphrodisiac recipes from our friend, Sharon Feiereisen over at Bag Snob.
Kite Hill‘s Honey Caramelized Figs with Yogurt (servings depend on quantities used)
First off I’m obsessed with Kite Hill. The brand makes delicious almond-based cheeses meaning they’re relatively low in calories and have none of the bad saturated fat you find in regular cheese (all of their fat is healthy fat from almonds). They’re also lower in salt but their flavor and texture are on par with gourmet cheeses. Now on to the recipes! Figs are an ancient aphrodisiac used by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The fig symbolizes both sexuality (the ripe fruit with seeds representing fertility) and modesty (the fig leaf). According to Natural Health Magazine, almonds are a rich source of essential fatty acids (omega-3 fats), which are needed for the production of hormones (testosterone), reproductive function, fertility and healthy libido.
- Kite Hill Plain unsweetened yogurt
- Kite Hill ricotta
- Fresh ripe black figs
- Bee free honey
- Extra virgin Olive oil
- Sea salt
Wash and slice the figs in half. Heat a sauté pan on medium and add half the figs to the hot pan, flesh side on the direct heat. Allow the figs to caramelize without flipping for 2 minutes. Drizzle some olive oil onto the figs. Remove the figs from the pan and allow them to cool. Sweeten the ricotta with bee-free honey to taste. Spoon the plain yogurt onto the plate in the form of a layer. Add the sweetened ricotta. Alternate caramelized and raw figs on the yogurt base. Drizzle a little olive oil, sea salt, and bee-free honey.
Chameleon Cold-Brew Turmeric Golden Milk Latte Smoothie (serves one)
Coffee is widely considered an aphrodisiac because caffeine is a stimulant that ups the heart rate and boosts blood flow.
- ½ frozen avocado
- ¼ cup soaked cashews
- 2 pitted dates
- ½ cup CCB Black Concentrate
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp. turmeric powder
- ½ inch ginger
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour (now) blended smoothie into your favorite cup or mug/ Dust finished product with turmeric and top with a smashed cashew.
- 3 oz Plantation Barbados 2001
- 3 oz Encanto Pisco
- 1 oz Lime juice
- 1 oz Orange juice
- 1 oz Passion fruit syrup
- 1 oz Guava nectar
- 1 oz cold brew concentrate
- 1/2 oz House falernum
- 1-1/2 oz honey syrup
Use crushed ice, shake and strain the ingredients. Pour into a Chemex glass and garnish with grated coffee and an orchid.
Nespresso Coffee Pistachio Semi-Freddo (serves 4)
We already covered that coffee is an aphrodisiac…who wouldn’t want to wake up to breakfast in bed with this?? If your significant other is lazy or if you live alone, I’m kind of obsessed with Nespresso’s Prodigio line…it will make your morning aphrodisiac boost a little easier since you can program when you want your coffee via bluetooth (the machine connects to an app). Literally wake up every morning to hot coffee without any effort…
- Capsules of Ristretto Grand Cru (or your favorite espresso shot)
- 250 g of pistachio ice cream, taken out of the freezer 15 minutes beforehand
- 60 g of shelled toasted pistachios
- 150 g of vanilla flavored whipped cream
Crush half the toasted pistachios to a powder. In a large bowl fold them carefully into the softened ice cream with half the whipped cream and half of the shelled toasted pistachios. Add 1 tablespoon of whipped cream into 4 individual glasses, then top with the ice cream mixture. Just before serving, pour a Ristretto Grand Cru over each dish. Decorate with the remaining whipped cream and toasted whole or powdered pistachios
Chai-secakes by @dowerandhollingsworth (makes 10 small ones or one large)
“According to many articles chai tea and chocolate can rev up the romance on any given day. Lucky for us, the below and attached recipes make it easy to have something ready for Valentine’s! All recipes are made by Instagram influencers and include Rebel Kitchen Coconut Mylk, a decadent vegan treat available in Chocolate, Chai and Coffee and made with just four ingredients – coconut milk, spring water, organic date nectar and organic spices.”
For the base:
- 1 cup dates
- 1 /2 cup cashew nuts
- 1 cup oats
For the chai layer:
- 1/2 cup Rebel Kitchen chai mylk
- 1 1/2 cups cashew nuts, soaked for at least four hours
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
To make the base, pop the dates, cashews and oats in a food processor and whizz until they form a sticky, crumbly mixture. Spoon this into little moulds or a cheesecake tin and press down to make it even. For the chai layer, blend the cashew nuts, chai milk, maple syrup and coconut oil in a blender until they form a smooth, thick mixture. Spoon this into your moulds on top of the base layer and put them in the freezer for an hour or two to set. Remove from the freezer 15 minutes before eating.
Watermelon Agave Poptail (serves one)
According to sciencedaily.com, this ‘lycopene king’ also known as watermelon may have a Viagra-like effect on the body, as it relaxes blood vessels and improves circulation. The chunks of watermelon in GoodPop’s Watermelon Agave flavor balances the spicy jalapeno and smoky tequila.
- Tequila
- topo chico
- jalapeno
- Watermelon Agave Pop.
The chunks of watermelon in GoodPop’s Watermelon Agave flavor balances the spicy jalapeno and smoky tequila. It makes for a refreshing cocktail with a kick of spice.
Vega Valentine’s Day Energy Hearts (makes 10)
Robin from Knead to Cook developed this Valentine’s Day recipe: “Last night I started to whip up some energy balls and then decided to depart from the norm and make them more of a Valentine’s Day sweet treat that is totally healthy. My husband can’t have chocolate so I made some with a vegan chocolate drizzle for my girls and some with an almond butter drizzle for him. They turned out so cute. Plus they pack a healthy punch of vitamins and protein! If you’re looking to do something different this year and avoid the box of chocolates… you might want to consider these.”
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup walnut pieces
- 1/2 cup almonds
- 4 Tbsp almond butter
- 2 tsp (your flavor of choice) Vega One Nutritional Shake
- 1 Tbsp melted coconut oil
- 8 Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 cup brown rice cereal
Drizzle with:
- A melted bar of Vega Maca Chocolate
- Melted almond butter
Process shredded coconut and nuts into a flour using a food processor. Then add almond butter, Vega One and coconut oil. Pulse a few times. Add dates and pulse until smooth. Add brown rice cereal and pulse a few times to help add crunch to the mixture. Line an 8×8 brownie pan with parchment and then press the dough evenly onto it. Refrigerate until chilled. Then using a knife, slice into shapes or use a cookie cutter to make hearts. Place each heart on a sheet of parchment and drizzled the chocolate or almond butter over top with a fork or small whisk. Refrigerate until set. Can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
Gran Morsi Lobster Parmigiana (serves two)
I may spend half the year in Tel Aviv, but shellfish is still one of my favorite aphrodisiacs!
- 2 6 oz. lobster tails
- 2 cups pesto crumbs
- flour for dusting
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 1 bufala mozzarella
Blanch lobster in boiling, salted water for 2 minutes. Shock in ice water. Remove shell. butterfly lobster tail and lightly pound to even thickness. Season tails with salt and pepper, and dust with flour. Dip in eggs and then cover in Pesto bread crumbs.
Pesto Bread Crumbs
- 1/4 cup pesto
- 3 cups panko
- salt and pepper
Combine the above in a food processor.
Pomodoro Sauce
- 1 28 oz. can of San Marzano Tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons EVOO (Extra virgin olive oil)
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons sliced basil
Heat pan to medium high, add oil + garlic. When lightly golden, add tomatoes. Simmer 15-20 minutes and use wooden spoon to break up the tomatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste and finish with basil.
Cooking:
1/4 cup EVOO
Heat oil in pan. Add breaded tails and cook ’til golden brown. Flip over and continue. Center cooked lobster on plates, top with pomodoro. Top with slices of bufala mozzarella, garnished with basil and add a good finishing oil.
Julie Morris for Navitas Naturals Raspberry Chocolate Mousse (serves two)
This whipped dessert uses most people’s favorite aphrodisiac, delicious chocolate! What I love about this recipe is that it’s totally guilt-free since its loaded with good-for-you superfood (Navitas Naturals is a great go-to for healthy snacks and smoothie/cooking/baking ingredients).
- ½ cup Water
- ½ cup Navitas Naturals Hemp Seeds
- 2 Tbsp Navitas Naturals Lucuma Powder
- 2 Tbsp Navitas Naturals Coconut Water Powder
- ¼ Cup Navitas Naturals Cacao Powder
- ¼ Cup Navitas Naturals Coconut Palm Sugar
- pinch Sea Salt
- ¾ cup fresh Raspberries (divided)
Combine the water, hemp seeds, lucuma, coconut water powder, cacao powder, coconut sugar, sea salt, and ¼ cup raspberries in a blender. Blend until smooth, stopping the blender and scraping down the sides as needed. Transfer to two serving bowls, and top each one with ¼ cup raspberries.
Purely Elizabeth’s Raspberry Chocolate Tart Recipe (serves eight)
Another chocolate-y favorite.. I mean how amazing does this look??
Crust:
- 1 cup Purely Elizabeth Chocolate Sea Salt Probiotic Granola
- ¼ cup cacao powder
- 4 tbsp peanut butter
- 8 dates, soaked in warm water to soften
Filling:
- ½ cup canned full-fat coconut milk
- 6 oz. chocolate chips
- ¼ cup raspberry jam
- 1 pint raspberries
In a food processor, combine the granola, peanut butter, and dates. Blend crust ingredients until a crumbly paste is formed (so it can stick together in your hands). With your hands, press the mixture into a tart pan. Meanwhile, heat coconut milk in the microwave for 1 minute until bubbly. In a large bowl, place chocolate chips and hot coconut milk on top. Add in raspberry jam and stir until smooth. Pour the filling into the prepared crust. Top with raspberries. Allow the tart to set in the fridge for one hour or until filling hardens.
Strawberry Blood Orange Bar by Clara Polito (serves 10; adapted from Clara Cakes: Delicious and Simple Vegan Desserts For Everyone)
“These bars were born out of my love for seasonal fruits. When coming up with my Valentine’s Day menu, I always check and see what fruits and citruses are in season. February is the month of strawberries and blood oranges. So darn sexy! Tip: Be ready to eat this on a plate with a fork. While they’re bars, the nature of the delicious cornmeal crust makes them a bit more messy and crumbly than most. Bonus points if you serve these with vanilla ice cream!”
- 1 cup all-purpose flour + 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 1⁄2 cup oatmeal
- 1⁄2 cup white cornmeal
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄2 cup vegan butter, chopped into small cubes
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 3⁄4 cup strawberry preserves
- 1⁄2 cup fresh strawberries, chopped
- 3 blood oranges, peeled and chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13×9 baking pan with nonstick spray. Line pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, mix together 1 cup flour with the oatmeal, cornmeal, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix in the coconut oil and butter, pressing the mixture together with your fingers. Mix until it resembles crumbly cookie dough. If mixture is too dry to be pinched together, add a tad more butter or coconut oil. Press half of the oat mixture into pan. Set aside. In a medium bowl, stir together the strawberry jam, fresh strawberries, oranges, and 3 tablespoons flour until evenly incorporated. Spread the preserves mixture over the oat crust. Sprinkle the other half of the oat mixture on top. Bake until golden brown, about 30-40 minutes. Place on cooling rack and serve warm or fully cooled.
