Real Food Recipes for Romance

Whether you’re dining alone this year, wooing your true love, or just enjoying the excuse to eat a sumptuous feast with friends, there are many reasons to love the foods and flavors of Valentine’s Day.

In fact, I would argue that Valentine’s Day sort of exists for the food. Beyond the shiny gifts, the whole idea of the day is to connect intimately with one you love. What better way to ignite that connection than with food?

Food sets the tone, food inspires, food celebrates, food makes us swoon. Well, maybe that last one is just me. 🙂

But truly, there’s little better in life than good food shared leisurely with a special someone, or group of people, you love deeply.

And of course, is any meaningful meal complete without knowing what our ingredients are? Let’s take a quick look at four of the most commonly used ingredients for this holiday.

Butter

In February, when those of us in the northern hemisphere tend to crave sunshine and Vitamin D, butter is more than a feel-good, healthy fat. If your butter comes from grassfed cows who lived on pasture through the sunny months, their milk is rich in vitamin D, which ends up in the butter itself. This is an especially welcome addition for this time of the year!

Butter from pastured cows is also a potent source of the other fat-soluble vitamins: A, E, and K2.

Beef, Bacon, and other Meats

I sometimes call the red meats — such as beef and lamb — the “valentine meats” because they are high in carnitine, which supports healthy heart function. Couple these muscle meats, which are also rich in Vitamin B12, with a bit of organ meat (pâté, anyone?) and gelatin (perhaps start with a sumptuous broth or finish the meal with a simple panna cotta?), and you have complete protein WITH all appropriate amino acids to assimilate and digest all of the gorgeous nutrients in the meat.

And of course, the fat associated with pork, beef, and other meats is important, especially this time of year. Not only is it good brain food, but if it’s from animals raised on pasture, we get a small dose of Vitamin D as well.

Seafood

When I think of a Valentine’s Day menu, my mind immediately goes to lobster, filet mignon, escargot, and surf n’ turf. This comes from the many years I waited tables in high-end restaurants, all of which pulled out the stops for their Valentine’s Day menus.

Lobster and shrimp are a lovely addition to any meal, and depending on where you live, the price can range from the cost of a few pennies to the equivalent of selling your firstborn.

The interesting thing about seafood — shrimp in particular — is that it can provide upwards of eight times as much Vitamin D as liver! Unfortunately, their flesh also easily carries toxins, if they grew up in contaminated waters or were farmed using unsustainable methods. Thus, sourcing affordable, sustainable, wild seafood is important. If at all possible, choose fish and shellfish grown in the wild and free of antibiotics, pesticides, synthetic coloring agents, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Chocolate

Chocolate, of course, gets its own category due to its sheer popularity. 🙂 There are two important notes about chocolate:

First, from a nutritional standpoint, chocolate can be quite a boon to your diet, if the chocolate you consume is low in sugar and high in cocoa content (say, at least 70% cocoa). Raw cocoa is an potent antioxidant, full of soluble fiber and minerals, and has a beautiful fatty acid profile as well. So, when consumed in moderation, indulging in your favorite treat is nothing to be ashamed of.

That said, there’s an ethical note here too. The chocolate industry is one of the most corrupt industries in the world today. It’s humbling to know that others have suffered to put a sweet treat at our fingertips. However, there are a growing number of companies that sidestep much of this corruption by using fair labor and trade practices. Just look for the various symbols and descriptions depicting these practices when you purchase chocolate products this season.

If that’s not complicated enough, some of brands hide other undesirable ingredients, too. In the best of all possible worlds, you’ll be able to find your favorite flavor of chocolate bar without the additives or refined sweeteners AND fairly traded! Whew! 🙂

With all of that, here is a collection of real food recipes to help set the tone for celebration and romance, be it for Valentine’s Day, an anniversary, or any other special day.

Starters, Soups, and Salads

• • White Chocolate Lobster Bisque
  • Corn & Mushroom Chowder
  • Asparagus Leek Bisque
  • Roasted Red Pepper and Shrimp Bisque
  • Asian Cucumber and Radish Salad with Wasabi
  • Cottage Radish Salad
  • Grilled Shrimp Lettuce Cups
  • Bacon-Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Manchego Cheese and Serrano Ham
  • Beet & Goat Cheese Napoleans
  • Beet & Goat Cheese Salad
  • Easy Baked Jalapeño Shrimp Wontons
  • French Country-Style Pâté

Entrées

• Sirloin Steak with Balsamic Onions, Bacon, and Brie
• Slow Cooked Rack of Lamb with Tzatziki Sauce
• Beet Pasta Ravioli with Goat Cheese & Hazelnuts
• Herb Marinated Lamb Rib Chops with Sauteed Spinach, Sweet Potato Mash, and Rosemary Pinot Drizzle
• Steak Diane
• Stuffed Cornish Game Hens
• Simple Lemon Rosemary Salmon
• Simple Stuffed Chicken Breast and Asparagus
• Seared Albacore with Ginger, Garlic and Green Onions
• Dolmas: Stuffed Grape Leaves

Sides

• Steak Frites
• Lemon Cream Asparagus
• Roasted Asparagus
• Sweet Potatoes Anna with Spiced Ghee
• 4-Ingredient Rosemary Oven-Roasted Baby Potatoes
• Staititai: Honey, Sesame and Spelt Flatbread
• Salted and Smoked Salmon Roe
• Hot Pink Jalapeño Garlic Kraut
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Bacon
• Coconut Lime Rice

Chocolate

• Chocolate Pots de Crème with Lavender and Sea Salt
• Mayan Chocolate Truffles
• DIY Homemade Fair Trade Chocolate Bars
• Easy Chocolate Hearts
• Gluten- and Egg-Free Chocolate Coconut Bars
• Chocolate Strawberry Cups
• Grain-Free Chocolate Espresso Cake
• Homemade Chocolate
• Dark Chocolate Maple Cream Truffles
• Chocolate Heaven Mousse (with lucuma powder)
• Mexican Chocolate Souffle
• Fudge Chocolate Bars
• Coconut Flour Chocolate Muffins
• Perfect Chocolate Sauce (dairy & refined sugar free)
• Chocolate Bavarian Cream

Desserts

• Rose-Scented Pistachio Honey Cake (grain-free)
• Saffron & Rose Persian Love Ice Cream
• Classic Cherry Clafoutis
• Roasted Strawberry Balsamic Crème Fraîche Ice Cream
• Strawberry Birthday Cake (gluten, egg, nut, and dye-free)
• Panna Cotta: The Perfect, Elegant 5-Minute Dessert
• Dark Chocolate Sea-Salted Almond Bark
• Super Easy Raw Peanut Butter Truffles
• Chocolate Sunflower Freezer Fudge
• Coffee Pots de Crème
• French Silk Pie (grain-free)

Drinks & Other Fun Stuff

• How to Make a Bacon Bouquet
• Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberry Superfood Smoothie
• Melon Hearts: A Simple Valentine Treat
• Chocolate-Covered Strawberry and Marshmallow Bouquet
• Homemade Peppermint Patties
• Hard Honey Candies
• Linzer Cookies {Sweets for Your Sweetie}

Did I miss your favorite special occasion food? What would you add to this list? May you and your dearly beloved linger long over poignant conversation and sweet nothings this Valentine’s Day!