A Lighter Valentine’s Day Menu
This Valentine’s Day, serve everything from the perfect cocktail to a decadent dessert without a speck of guilt. Light some candles, grab your sweetheart and dig into this Italian-inspired, healthy dinner.
Set the Mood: The Drink
Start the meal with a crisp and fruit-filled red wine spritzer. Reduce calories by replacing some of the alcohol with sparkling water (save some calories for dessert). If you can’t imagine V-Day without some champagne (who could blame you?), try a bellini instead.
Prep the Palate: Finger Food
Send your senses soaring! Melt sensuous figs into a quick-and-easy jam. With some crusty bread, tart apple and a sprinkle of cheese, this simple appetizer is the perfect combo of sweet and savory.
Fresh and Simple: The Main Course
This luxurious and flavorful fish dish is piled high with tomatoes and olives. Serve with roasted potatoes for a light but satisfying main course. If you would rather go with a pasta dish, try the similar flavors in pasta puttanesca.
Romantic Finale: Dessert
It just isn’t Valentine’s without chocolate! Dress it up for the occasion with orange liqueur and fresh orange zest. The chocolate is plenty of decadence; stick to fresh fruit for dipping.
Yum! I’ve been debating about whether to go healthy or just ditch my New Year’s resolution for cooking on Valentines’s Day, so this has definitely given me a little inspiration to be good… We have another tasty and healthy fish recipe on our site — Simple Aegean Fish with Coffee, Olives and Lemon. It can be used on any fish, but in this recipe, we use black sea bass.
Belgian chocolate melts best in the chocolate fountains.
I like the espresso coffee powder in mine and maybe cherry or mint instead of orange. What would I use instead of alcohol? Fruit juice?
Hi Kathy-
You could also flavor the chocolate with orange blossom honey, maple syrup, cinnamon or a splash of vanilla or other flavored extract.
We don’t drink alcohol. Can you suggest alternatives?
Hey Wren, you might try Ellie Krieger’s Lemon-Ginger Iced Tea with Berry Cubes — it’s full of fresh and refreshing ingredients such as raspberries, lemon juice, ginger and white tea. The frozen berry ice cubes are a cute addition, too.