Here’s a Valentine’s Day quiz to test your knowledge and put you in the mood.

1. Who created the first box of Valentine’s Day Candy?
a) Richard Cadbury, 1868
b) George Hershey, 1910
c) Phil Snickers, 1880

ANSWER: A — Richard Cadbury, the son of John Cadbury, the founder of Cadbury’s cocoa and chocolate company was the first one to invent the famous box of Valentine Day candy, in 1868.

2. Which of these foods doesn’t belong and why?
a) Banana
b) Asparagus
c) Cantaloupe

ANSWER: C — Cantaloupe.  Bananas and asparagus are erotic stimulants because of their phallic resemblance. Asparagus contain folate, which boosts histamine production necessary for the ability to reach orgasm in both sexes. Bananas are rich in potassium and B vitamins, necessities for sex hormone production.

3. Which food will not make you frisky?
a) Oysters
b) Eggs
c) Beans

ANSWER: B — Eggs. Oysters have long been considered the food of love and legend has it that Casanova ate dozens of oysters a day, once even seducing a vestal virgin by sliding an oyster from his lips.  Oysters and beans both carry a hefty dose of zinc. Zinc has been linked to male fertility, potency, sex drive, and is essential to sperm production.

4. How many calories are in one chocolate-covered strawberry?
a) 45 calories
b) 60 calories
c) 30 calories
d) 75 calories

ANSWER: A — 45 calories.  One chocolate-covered strawberry contains 45 calories. Not only do these contain the fewest amounts of calories as opposed to other chocolate candies, like nut or caramel filled, but strawberries contain fiber and beneficial nutrients as well.

5. How many calories are there in one glass of champagne?
a) 75 calories
b) 100 calories
c) 150 calories
d) 200 calories

ANSWER: B — One glass of champagne contains 100 calories. Champagne is the wine of choice on Valentine’s Day because it will lower inhibitions and help any couple into an amorous mood.

6. Which is the sexiest nut?
a) Pine nuts
b) Pistachios
c) Almonds

ANSWER: B — Pistachios. Besides providing protein to help increase stamina, pistachios are heavy in healthful mono-saturated fats, zinc and other nutrients that are linked with increased sexual desire. Pistachios have a greater portion size than any other nut, so you can eat 49 kernels (1 serving) and still feel sexy.

7. According to the Doctrine of Signatures, food aids in the part of the body it resembles. Which food did the Aztecs value as an aphrodisiac?
a) Avocado
b) Orange
c) Grapes

ANSWER: A — Avocado. The Aztecs valued the avocado as an aphrodisiac and named it “ahuacale”which means testicles, because they grow in pairs. This fruit will give you fuel in the form of healthy fats, protein and potassium.

8. According to studies at the Smell and Taste Foundation in Chicago, men find the smell of which food to be sexually arousing?
a) Beef Jerky
b) Buttered Popcorn
c) Licorice
d) Steak

ANSWER: B — Buttered popcorn.

9. Which fruit is known as the “love apple?”
a) Tomato
b) Grapes
c) Cherries

ANSWER: A — Tomatoes are known as the love apple. Upon arrival in Italy, the heart-shaped tomato was considered an aphrodisiac, thus tomato in Italian poma amoris means “love apple.”

10. Which spice won’t spice up your sex life?
a) Cayenne
b) Curry
c) Ginger
d) Basil

ANSWER: D — Basil. The right spices not only heat things up on the tongue, but also in the bedroom.  Capsaicin, the substance that gives kick to peppers, stimulates nerve endings to release chemicals, raising the heart rate and possibly triggering the release of endorphins, giving you the pleasurable feeling of a natural high.  Hot spices like cayenne, curry and cumin help warm the body.  The intoxicating aromas of exotic spices help infuse romance into the atmosphere.

11. How many pounds of chocolate does the average American consume each year?
a) 6.5
b) 11.5
c) 7.5

ANSWER: B —  According to ABC News, Americans consume 11.5 pounds of chocolate a year.

Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a nutritionist and founder of Skinnyandthecity.com.    She is also the creator of The F-Factor Diet™, an innovative nutritional program she has used for more than ten years to provide hundreds of her clients with all the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, improved health and well-being.  For more information log onto www.FFactorDiet.com.

Cilantro accelerates the excretion of toxic metals from your body. Excess toxic metals in the body can create a breeding ground for viral infections, so using cilantro on a daily basis in your cooking is a very smart choice for staying healthy. All you need is a handful in a salad or a couple of tablespoons in a cooked dish to reap the benefits of this medicinal plant. This herb—and its cousin, parsley—is used throughout the Americas and is said to contain antibiotic properties.

Cilantro adds great flavor and a healthy kick to the classic Latin American dish, ceviche!

This refreshing lunchtime treat is chef Xiomara Ardolina’s interpretation of a classic Peruvian-born dish, which can be found in many variations throughout the Americas. She likes to serve her ceviche in martini glasses, topped with fresh chunks of avocado. This particular recipe contains several Latin powerfoods: chiles, cilantro, and avocado. It also has shrimp, limes, and tomatoes.

Here’s what you will need:

2 jalapeno chiles
1 pound rock shrimp, peeled, devined, and cut into 1/4-inch dice
3/4 pound sea scallops (preferably diver)
3/4 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
1 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 large tomato, roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1/4 cup canned tomato juice
sugar to taste
1 small bunch cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 avocado, peeled and seeded, quartered for garnish
salt and pepper to taste

Roast jalapenos over a flame or in a pan until the skin blackens and blisters; place in a bag or sealed container. When peppers have cooled, remove the skin with a paper towel, do not rinse. Seed and chop them.

Combine the shrimp and scallops with the three citrus juices and marinate overnight. Taste for sweetness; add sugar as needed. Add the jalapeno, tomato, red onion, and tomato juice. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cilantro, and garnish with avocado just before serving.

AVOCADO: Do not let the “high” fat content of avocados deter you from eating this fantastic fruit. In fact, the healthy monounsaturated oil in avocado will help you feel satiated after a meal and signal your body to burn more fat stores, as well as lower your bad cholesterol and raise your good cholesterol! Avocado also helps lubricate your intestines and assists in regulating your elimination cycles. Avocados are grown, and consumed, throughout the Americas

The fruit bowl is a beautiful thing, especially when it’s laden with some of my favorites—pineapples, papayas, and the supersexy mango, or the intoxicatingly wonderful passion fruit. We are so lucky to now have access practically year-round to tropical fruit like the kind I grew up with in my native Cuba. There’s a whole wide world of fruit, all with different medicinal and tasty powers. Take cherimoya (the custard apple), for example. This tropical, heart-shaped, dinosaur-skinned fruit has a flesh—and texture reminiscent of honey, pineapple, and banana. It’s an excellent source of vitamin C, a good source of vitamin B₆ (which has nerve calming benefits), as well as calcium, iron, manganese—which helps activate some enzymes—and potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure. Compare that with a bowl of chips! Seriously, as in the case of any kind of eating, variety is key; don’t be afraid to try some of those tropical fruit treats.