How To Create Heart Healthy Dishes For Valentine’s Day
Every time Valentine’s or Heart’s Day comes, people become fond of sweets. Chocolates from their special someone is common and everyone enjoys receiving and then eating those yummy chocolates.
These days, everyone is quite health conscious so they keep checking their health during holidays or festivities. So, when you cannot enjoy the sweets every Valentine’s or Heart’s Day, create a wholesome or healthy meal to compensate for the missed sweet treat.
It is perfectly alright to savor a few healthy treats during Valentine’s or Heart’s Day. There are a few tips on how you’ll make healthy food which you could serve not only to your special partner but also for the whole family. Just apply some new cooking techniques to create these wholesome meals.
Since Valentine’s or Heart’s Day is more on baked goodies, why not plan and cook an entirely different meal that is healthier. Instead of serving candies, chocolates or cookies, try to offer your guests and family a bunch of fresh vegetables and juicy fruits.
The veggies may be garnished with creamy or grated cheese or drizzled with a bit of ranch salad dressing. The fruits may also be served with tasty sauces or fruit-flavored yoghurts.
When you will serve white meat like chicken for appetizer, use breaded chunks of chicken rather than the typical wings. You’ll have chicken meat but with lesser calories.
Breasts of a chicken or turkey are healthier and even better if you could serve them skinless or boneless. Just roll it in butter and cook. Another way to serve your chicken is to accompany it with hot or spicy sauce. This allows everybody to stimulate their cravings.
If you’re going to serve salad, first wash the croutons with a little bit of butter and then bake them. They will become crunchier and contain little fats. When you want your salad to be crunchier, a dash of seeds from sunflower can do the trick.
For those who do not like to munch vegetables, you may still serve them some veggies, just conceal them inside their soup. Vegetable soup fills your stomach easier. This day just requires very simple but flavorful soup. You just need to keep in mind to match your soup to the meals that you’re planning to serve.
Cooking healthy main dishes for the occasion is probably the most challenging part since it’s hard to eat wholesome or healthy food when there is a celebration ongoing.
Valentine’s or Heart’s day is no exemption since you hardly check your health or body when you are enjoying the occasion. On the other hand, you will be fine when you just focus on lean meats such as beef and chicken. When you still want healthier substitutes, you are free to add sea foods in your recipes.
To create a wholesome Valentine’s or Heart’s Day dishes, serve your food with wholesome and non-fattening ingredients. If the recipe needs heavy or whipped cream, you are allowed to replace it with a light one.
As much as possible, refrain from using huge amounts of salt in your dishes. A dash of spice and seasoning is enough to create that taste you’re looking for and add flavor as well. Don’t overdo it.
Your Valentine’s or Hart’s Day may be healthy. You just need some skills in creating sumptuous meals and some low-calorie ingredients. Besides, when you adore and love somebody you want him or her to live longer so you two can have many Valentine’s or Heart’s Day together. Eat well and eat healthier.
How To Make That Delicious Dessert Cake Red Velvet Goodness!
Family gatherings are always fun and great parties because you get to see your loved ones and renew ties with them. Normally gatherings involving family are held during special celebrations and most importantly during holidays.
During these special holiday occasions, a party wouldn’t be complete without some cake. Here is my most favorite recipe for that delicious Red Velvet cake. Although there are lots of recipes out there for this kind of cake, this one is what works best for me.
After you’re done with baking & icing your velvet cake then store the cake inside any airtight container big enough for it to hold the cake then place inside your fridge and take it out an hour prior to serving it up to your guests.
For the Cake: You’ll need 1/2 c of shortening, 1.5 c of sugar (granulated), 2 ozs food color (red), 1 tbsp powdered cocoa, 1 tsp salt, 2.5 c of flour (all-purpose), 1 tsp baking soda, 2 pcs eggs, 1 tsp vanilla-flavored extract, 1 c of buttermilk and 1 tsp vinegar.
To make the cake: Get a big bowl and then cream shortening and sugar together. Slowly add in eggs then mix everything well. Next, add powdered cocoa and food color and continue mixing until everything is blended well.
In another bowl, mix salt & flour together then slowly incorporate the flour & salt mixture to your 1st bowl. Blend well then add buttermilk, baking soda and vanilla extract. Then pour the vinegar into mixture and blend well.
Grease lightly 2 pcs of 9-inch in round diameter cake pans and sprinkle some flour on them. Divide the batter into 2 then pour it on your greased pans then bake them at 350 deg. F for about 25 mins. or just until the middle of your baking cake has been cooked already.
For cake icing you’ll need: 1 tsp of vanilla-flavored extract, 1/2 c of butter/margarine, 2 tbsps of flour (all-purpose), 1 c of sugar, 1/2 c of shortening and 1 c of milk (cold).
To make the icing: Inside a medium-sized saucepan, mix together milk & flour at medium flame and stir it constantly just until mixture gets thick. Take off the heat then allow to cool ’til it’s cold enough for it to be placed inside your fridge for it to get chilled.
After it has chilled, take out of your fridge then add sugar, margarine & shortening using your electric hand-held mixter at medium settings until your icing appears creamy and smooth.
Then, add vanilla and continue to beat it for another 30 secs. at medium settings also. After your icing is already done, then spread it evenly on your cake. Add some other decorations if you’re wanting to do it. Get creative with your holiday red velvet cake!
Roasted New Potatoes with Sage and Pancetta Recipe
Ingredients:
Pepper
Salt
4 Tbsps of chopped leaves of sage
3 ounces of pancetta; cut onto strips
1/4 c of oil (olive)
2 pounces of white & red potatoes
Instructions:
Have potatoes boiled about 5 mins ’til halfway cooked. Drain well then set them aside. Have pancetta sauteed in oil, stirring gently for approximately 3 mins ’til lightly browned.
You add the sage & potatoes then toss. You transfer mixture onto bake dish. Bake for 20 mins at 375-degrees F ’til potatoes become crispy & browned.
>> Roasted New Potatoes with Sage and Pancetta Recipe
Cranberry Almond Biscotti Recipe
Ingredients:
1/4 c of dry cranberries
1/4 c of almonds; chopped
Finely-grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon of extract (almond)
1 Tablespoon of oil
3 lightly-beaten eggs
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons of baking-powder
1 & 1/4 c of sugar
2 & 1/4 c of flour
Instructions:
Grease & flour one flat bake sheet. Sift salt, baking-powder, sugar & flour in bowl. Create a small well at center then add rest of your ingredients, stirring well to combine.
You divide dough into half then shape every half onto log (2&1/2×8″). Bake them for 30-35 mins ’til top browns. You remove them from the oven & slightly cool.
Cut it into thin slices then put them bake into oven w/ cut-side-down for about 15 mins ’til browned. Cool them on wire racks once done.
>> Cranberry Almond Biscotti Recipe
Pear, Walnut & Stilton Filo Cups Recipe
Ingredients:
1 pack of thawed filo-dough
4 ounces of crumbled cheese (Stilton)
1 teaspoon of honey
4 peeled pears (Bartlett); sliced onto small chunks
1/2 c butter + 1 Tablespoon
1/4 c of chopped walnuts (raw)
Instructions:
Have walnuts sauteed in 2 tsps butter ’til toasted for 2-3 mins. Saute pears briefly for about 2 mins ’til soft. You add the honey then remove from heat & cool. You crumbled the cheese all over cooled pear-mixture.
Have rest of butter melted. You unroll the dough, then cover w/ dampened cloth. You brush them w/ softened butter then add the 2nd sheet, brush again. Repeat.
You cut dough carefully into 2×2″ squares then overlap 2 squares lightly forming star figure. You insert dough shapes into small muffin cups then spoon 1 tsp filling onto each. Repeat.
Bake them for 15 to 20 mins at 400 degrees F ’til filo turns golden.
>> Pear, Walnut & Stilton Filo Cups Recipe