Skip the Chocolate, Buy Sriracha Pasta for Valentines!

There is an important reason we equate food spiciness with love or intimacy. I'll try avoiding the cheesy puns (e.g., "heat up your love life!") in my effort to explain the science. Dietitians, neuroscientists, anthropologists, & other bright folks know that hot peppers have been used as a natural aphrodisiac across cultures throughout time. The biology behind this appears tied to pepper increasing the flow of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a powerful neurotransmitter involved in numerous processes, with feeling happy being a very important one. Want to add some extra spark to that Valentine’s Day dinner, then cook up some Cucina Calabrese Sriracha Pepper pasta. Sitting across the table from lover will - hopefully! - already be feeding your brain with joy, but the pasta might just give your brain a boost of dopamine-fueled good feelings. Here’s a recipe with some other mood-making ingredients to whip up quick for that special someone…

Ingredients:

-1, 8oz bag of sriracha pepper pasta (NOW AVAILABLE FOR ONLINE PURCHASE!)

-Olive Oil

-½ cup Pine Nuts, raw (or chopped almonds)

-Salmon

-4-5 spears asparagus

Instructions:

-lightly coat salmon & asparagus in olive oil (add salt & pepper to desired taste) & bake on 425 deg. F. for 12-15 minutes.

-Boil & strain pasta

-Add pasta & nuts to chopped asparagus & salmon

-Add additional olive oil to desired taste & texture

-Enjoy w/ 2, 5oz. Glasses of red wine or pomegranate juice