Valentine’s Day dinner can be colorful, scrumptious, and romantic. All ingredients should be fresh, and your wine paired with the perfect Bella Vita wine accessories for that added romantic flair. Plan the menu at least two weeks in advance and base the menu on personal preferences in food choices. Here are five healthy Valentine dinner ideas to consider.
Valentine Appetizers to Start the Meal
Marinated Beet Pate
Serves two to four
Ingredients:
2 to 3 parboiled beets, drained thoroughly on a paper towel to remove all water
1 hard boiled egg chopped finely
1 shallot finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic chopped
1 teaspoon wheat germ (more if needed)
4 oz. fat free cream cheese
Chopped chives for garnish
Directions:
Place beets in a food processor and process until smooth. Remove to a small bowl. Add the hard boiled egg, shallot and garlic and blend well. Add the cream cheese and wheat germ until the mixture becomes easy to spread. Toast wheat bread slices. Trim the edges and cut into rounds. Spread with pate. Garnish with chopped chives.
Valentine Salad
Ingredients:
1 head endive
1 head red leaf lettuce
2 cups strawberries
1/2 cup toasted pecans
Directions:
Tear endive and lettuce leaves into bite size pieces and place in a large bowl. Prepare Sweetheart Salad Dressing as directed. Slice one cup of strawberries. Add strawberries and pecans.
Sweetheart Salad Dressing
Ingredients:
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
1/4 cup walnut oil
1 cup strawberries, lightly pureed
1 tablespoon strawberry preserves
1 cup water
Directions:
Whisk the first three ingredients together in a small bowl. Add the strawberry preserves and blend well. Add in one cup of strawberries and one cup water. Whisk into a smooth consistency. Pour into a serving cruet.
Serve greens on salad plates and pass the salad dressing cruet or pour over the salad before serving.
Romantic Chicken Soup for Two
Ingredients:
4 cups chicken stock
2 sun dried tomatoes julienne sliced
1 sweet red pepper seeded and diced
1 shallot slivered
1 cup white wine
1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions:
In a large saucepan, place one tablespoon of olive oil, red pepper and shallot. Allow to sauté until tender. Remove from heat. Heat chicken stock to desired temperature for serving. Add in white wine, red pepper and shallot. Place in soup bowls and garnish with sun dried tomatoes. For more romance, purchase alphabet pasta. Create romantic messages with pasta letters and add to heated chicken stock to tenderize.
Oyster and Scallop Valentines
Ingredients:
One half dozen oysters
One half dozen sea scallops (not bay scallops)
1 small bunch fresh spinach, washed thoroughly, spines removed, drained an chopped
1 package phyllo dough
1 egg beaten
1 shallot finely chopped
1/4 cup blanched almonds ground
1/2 cup oyster mushrooms
Olive oil
Directions:
Cook chopped spinach until tender. Drain thoroughly. Place in a large bowl. Add shallot, almonds and mushrooms. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil and egg. Place phyllo sheets on parchment paper and brush lightly with olive oil. Place two phyllo sheets together. Fill with spinach mixture. Fold into triangles. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes at 375 degrees.
This Valentines day, up the romantic dinner by making it yourself. It will really impress your darling, and will make the evening a lot more fun if you do it together!
