The Dating Diva

We all need a decent breakfast to bolster our strength in winter. By ‘decent’ I don’t mean a soggy bit of toast or a fat-laden shop-bought muffin. I mean something that will ward off lurgies, boost our energy and – dare I say it? – enliven our libidos! Yes, breakfasts are the most important meal of the day – and, with a bit of effort, they can be sexy.

So put on some music, make a pot of coffee and get imaginative in the kitchen… is there any better way to start the weekend?

Dark chocolate and cherry granola

A little bit of what you fancy does you good! The nuts and seeds deliver healthy fats, fibre and protein – and the delicious dark chocolate contains the stimulant phenylethylamine, which is referred to as a ‘love drug’!

Mix 4-5 cups of oats with slivered almonds, pecans or walnuts. Add cinnamon, a pinch of salt and some dried coconut if you fancy.

Then, mix together the ‘wet’ ingredients in a bowl: 1/4 cup canola (rapeseed) oil, 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup, 1 tsp. vanilla extract and 1/2 cup packed brown sugar. Pour over the oat mixture and stir until well coated.

Spread out onto a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven for 20-30 minutes (at about 160˚C). Remove from the oven and cool completely before stirring in the dried cherries or cranberries and white chocolate.

You can do this one evening and store the granola in any airtight container… a super-speedy solution next time it’s your turn to provide breakfast in bed!

Poached eggs with hollandaise, spinach and salmon or ham

Eggs are a good source of protein and vitamin D, which is especially important in these dark winter months. They are also very low in calories.

Make sure you add some spinach to the dish as it’s a true nutritional powerhouse, one of the healthiest things you can eat. It boosts brain function, strengthens bones, helps ward off certain cancers and promotes healthy skin. And as if all that wasn’t enough, spinach and other dark green leaves encourage testosterone development in men and help support the production of oestrogen in women – it’s up there on every ‘boost your sex drive’ list and for good reason!

Serve with a toasted, buttered English muffin, smoked salmon or ham as you prefer and hollandaise sauce (check the internet for healthier, homemade versions).

Buckwheat pancakes with maple syrup

I try to maintain a healthy-ish diet, without being a bore or a self-denier – because, what’s the point when food is one of the pleasures of being alive, right? So I can honestly say that buckwheat pancakes are tasty as well as healthy. I don’t think I even realised that buckwheat was different until I attempted a wheat-free diet (for a short while).

But it is different: it’s better. It is high in fibre, contains essential amino acids and lots of minerals, is beneficial for managing diabetes and high blood pressure and, because it doesn’t contain wheat or gluten, won’t cause bloating. You can buy buckwheat pancake mix from health food shops (and probably supermarkets too) and make it up following the simple steps on the packet.

Drizzle with plenty of maple syrup and add some crunchy bacon or libido-boosting bananas and berries… I read recently that blueberries have been labeled a ‘super sexual food’ for men!! Whatever your choice of topping a warm, sweet, sticky and flavoursome breakfast is definitely going to put you in your partner’s good books…

Enjoy!