Cook up the feel good factor this Valentine’s

For couples planning a cosy night in this Valentine’s Day – Loaves, fishes and more – the charity cookbook devised by insurer Congregational & General, will feed their inspiration for romantic dishes with ‘feel good’ ingredients.

Including recipes from celebrity chef Kevin Woodford, the 128-page book will give sweethearts some bright ideas for recipes and treats - particularly in the ‘Divine Desserts’ section - and will make this Valentine’s one to remember.

Whether your food for true love is strawberries dipped in dark chocolate (Taste of Heaven), or you like the sound of sweet basil sprinkled on your favourite pasta (Ragu Cavaliere), then you can cook up a treat to impress the love of your life.

With a number of the recipes containing delicious ‘feel good’ ingredients such as; dark chocolate, chilli, pine nuts, sweet basil, strawberries and bananas, there is plenty to choose from for the perfect Valentine’s dish to make your partner feel great.

Consider following recipes that include ingredients like:

Dark chocolate – contains theobromine, which is a stimulant and helps the body produce serotonin to make you feel good.

Sweet Basil – has a fantastic aroma and contains oils with potent antioxidant, ant-cancer, anti-viral and anti-microbial properties

Chilli –contains capsaicin, a chemical that stimulates nerve endings and increases circulation and is thought to release endorphins, which can provide a natural sense of ‘feeling good’

Bananas – a good source of energy and another food that contains active ingredients to produce the hormone serotonin, which is known to improve your mood.

Pine nuts – contain a high level of oleic acid, which is a monounsaturated fat that helps protect the liver and the heart.  They also contain zinc, which improves the functionality of the immune system, digestion and reduces stress levels.

Recommended recipes to try from Loaves, fishes and more:

Ragu Cavaliere – contains sweet basil
Pepper’s Pesto Pasta – includes pine nuts
Salmon fishcakes with chilli – contain chilli
Taste of Heaven - contains dark chocolate and strawberries
Ginger Biscuits – contain ginger
Banana and carrot muffins – contain bananas

Best of all, you can cook with a conscience as each book sold results in a donation to Christian Aid to fund their vital worldwide work for people in need. Retailing at £11.95 per copy, it is available now from high street bookshops including Waterstones, as well as eBay and Amazon.

For more information, visit loavesfishesandmore.com.