Last Minute Valentines Day Ideas – Set The “Mood” With Food
Need last minute Valentines Day Ideas that will make you say, “wow what a night!” Put this Valentines Day in the record books with my top 5 tips for creating intimacy and setting the mood for love!
What’s Your Story going to be?
Story #1 – Its great to go out for dinner on holidays, especially ones like Valentines Day. The restaurants are filled with romance and couples dining. Let’s face it, love is in the air. You get your favorite steak and loaded bake potato, you wash it down with a bottle of red wine. You can’t forget dessert…how about a brownie bottom sundae, you can share it after all. You have enjoyed the conversation and the laughs. All the slight flirtations and reminiscing of other perfect nights you have shared. You leave that restaurant for a more private and intimate atmosphere. Its been a great night BUT you are wondering with all the hand holding, gentle touches, smiling, and great conversation why your libido has gone missing! “Now where did I put that libido?” you ask yourself! A great night comes to a screeching halt. You feel sad, misunderstood and down right rotten. You roll over that night in bed and stare at the wall wondering what could have gone wrong. Wanna know? Dinner did you in! All that red meat, simple carbs, alcohol and high saturated fat ran off with your perfect night and took your libido with it!
Story #2 – So lets reset the scene. It all starts in the morning, you set your intentions for this to be an amazing Valentines night. You have asked your partner on a date and now you have to get ready because its going to be an amazing night. You invite your partner on a morning walk. You hold hands, laugh, talk about the great night ahead. You drop subtle hints that you have the expectation for love making/sex/fooling around (whatever you want to call it). You are already building anticipation for the night! The walk outdoors helps your body release happy hormones that puts your brain in a place of peace and joy. Next you need to prepare for your special evening. No, I am not talking about getting your hair done or shining your shoes. I am talking about a little work in the kitchen. You have made the decision to stay in for dinner and create an intimate setting for just the two of you. No chance of your libido sneaking out on you during a car ride home sitting in Valentines Day traffic! So in the kitchen you start work on a light dinner and a tray of goodies, let’s call it the “Play Tray”!
The “Play Tray”
For the Play Tray you need some homemade chocolate, berries, grapes, a sparkly drink and spicy chocolate covered nuts. After all, a box of junkie candy can’t hold a candle to these homemade treats! You get to work putting a lot of thoughtful goodies together. Chocolate hearts with coconut, dipped strawberries, chocolate berry sticks, spicy chocolate covered almonds, beautiful red grapes and sparking pomegranate Italian soda, served chilled in champagne glasses of course. You are giddy with excitement and can’t wait to show your partner! Your libido will thrive with this set up and so will your partners!
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
TOP 5 TIPS TO SET THE MOOD WITH FOOD
- Let Your Intentions Be Known! You’re in the mood for love? Then say it with a nice homemade dinner and skip the store bought box of chocolates. Nothing says I love you like a home cooked meal and the art of a thoughtful presentation. You know your partners favorite meal and flavors so find a unique way to present them. Have a carpet picnic in front of the fireplace or serve dinner under the stars with lit candles. Presentation does not have to be fancy pants, in fact it is better when it is not. Just something simple out of your normal routine will show you care and that you were thoughtful.
- You Biggest Sex Organ is Your Brain! However your gut plays a part in how the brain responds to sexual energy. If you read Story #1 above you will see in the first example that if you feed your body heavy, saturated fat laden food it can zap your sex drive. It happens fast! So opt for a lighter dinner full of healthy greens, good for you fats, and vitamins that support a healthy body and promote your libido.
- Just Say No To Alcohol! Yes even red wine. I like to refer to alcoholic beverages as a social lubricant. It tends to loosen things up and makes complete strangers the best of friends. This is not necessarily the truth when it comes to your love life. Although the impression is that if you drink an adult beverage… or two… or three, you might feel more frisky, however alcohol is a depressant. It lowers the vitamin B levels in the body, numbs the mind, distracts the senses and gives you a general feeling of malaise. A better idea for getting in the mood is a fizzy sparkling soda served in fancy glasses. If you are going to imbibe I recommend that you keep it to a minimum. No more than one drink for women and stopping at two for men!
- Food = Pleasure! Food can be sexy, so set the mood with your food. The two most natural human actions are eating and sex! There are great works of art, timeless books and blockbuster hollywood movies that explore the topic of food, sex and pleasure. Feeding your partner a chocolate covered strawberry, licking fingers, kissing with a chocolate taste are all sensual and sexy! Are you blushing? Some of the worlds sexiest foods are; strawberries, dark chocolate, grapes, nuts, spicy food, peeled citrus, foods with exotic flavors, avocados, or salmon (oily fish).
- Pump Up The Sex Vitamin! Circulation is key to sexual function for men and yes, women too! The number one cause of ED (erectile dysfunction) is heart disease related issues. Circulation is key to a healthy heart and that is why I call C the sex vitamin. It is key to good circulation in the human body. Along with other nutrient and vitamins. So pump up the sex vitamin into your Valentines dinner with leafy greens, bell peppers, kiwi fruit, broccoli, berries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, peas, or papayas!
Recipes for Success – Last Minute Valentines Day Ideas
Spicy Chocolate Covered Nuts
1 cup nuts – Pecan
1/2 cup – dairy free paleo chocolate, melted (click for recipe)
2 dashes – cayenne pepper
Place nuts in freezer for 30 mins to 1 hour. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Add cayenne to melted chocolate and stir. Remove nuts from freezer. Place 3-4 nuts in chocolate. The chocolate will start to harden because of the frozen nuts and will form clusters. Place clusters on cookies sheet to harden further.
Chocolate Berry Sticks
1 cup dairy free paleo chocolate, melted
4 organic strawberries
6-8 organic blueberries
1 cup black beans
1 cup mason jar
2 wooden skewers
Use a simple silicone chocolate mold, (dollar store will have them). Fill mold with melted chocolate and wooden skewer to form a chocolate lollipop. Let harden. Remove the chocolate from mold. Careful not to use stick to pull out chocolate. You could dislodge the stick. Push fresh berries onto long part of the skewer. Add dry beans to the glass jar. Stick the Chocolate Berry Stick in the beans for a fun flirty display.
Chocolate Covered Strawberries with Coconut
4 – 6 organic strawberries, washed, dried and chilled
4 tbs fine coconut flakes
1/2 cup dairy free paleo chocolate, melted
Line baking sheet with parchment. Place coconut flakes in a flat dish in a thin layer. Hold strawberry by the green stem. Dip bottom 3/4 in melted chocolate. Let excess drip off. Roll chocolate covered portion in coconut flakes. Place on parchment to harden. Serve chilled from refrigerator.
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY! XOXO
