A Heart Healthy Valentine's Day Dinner For Two

About author / Victoria Wesseler

Healthy eating advocate; master gardener; local food expert. Even veggie haters love her recipes.

Valentine’s Day is one of the busiest evenings in the restaurant industry. And while a cozy candle lit table for two in a tiny, off-the-beaten path bistro just might be a no-fail recipe for romance, it does have its downside. Most establishments are booked solid on that evening. Service may be compromised as the staff tries to deal with a larger than usual crowd in the dining room. Some of your menu item favorites may be replaced by specials that are easier and quicker for the kitchen to prepare. And lingering over dessert may be discouraged as the front house manager tries desperately to accommodate a longer than usual reservation list.

What’s a hopeless romantic to do? Personally, I think for the best in Valentine’s Day dining there’s no place like home. With a few simple recipes and a little time in the kitchen, you can prepare a wonderful meal and indulge in an unhurried evening of culinary pleasures.

The following Valentine’s Day dinner for two is delicious and heart smart. So while you steal someone’s heart as you serve up these tasty dishes, you’ll be taking good care of it, too!

• Begin your meal with an avocado seafood appetizer. The avocado is filled with over 25 vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, and is the only fruit containing heart healthy monounsaturated fat.

To make this easy appetizer, dice the flesh of one ripe avocado into ½ inch pieces and toss them with a bit of lime juice to preserve the fruit’s color. Add a tablespoon of very finely diced shallot, 2 tablespoons of finely chopped cilantro, and a pinch of sea salt. Blend gently to combine.

Divide the avocado mixture between two martini glasses and top each with two tablespoons of small pre-cooked shrimp tossed with a teaspoon of cocktail sauce. Sprinkle with a bit more cilantro and serve immediately. A flute of sparkling water with a twist of lime, sparkling wine, or champagne would go well with this.

• For your main course, try Sugar Rubbed Wild Alaskan Salmon with Pomegranate Glaze (see recipe below). The salmon’s heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids stave off heart disease and the pomegranate seeds are filled with antioxidants. For side dishes, serve mashed sweet potatoes (which contain beta-carotene and may help prevent hardening of the arteries) and sprinkle a tablespoon of coarsely chopped toasted walnuts on some freshly steamed green beans. Walnuts are rich in plant sterols which are reputed to play a significant role in lowering our “bad” cholesterol.

• For a perfect beverage pairing for your main course, Howard Bernstein, Owner, Casa di Vino (www.casadivinowine.com ), recommends a glass of heart healthy red wine. For this meal he favors a Pinot Noir, Shiraz, or Grenache.

• And we can’t leave out dessert. Serve a bowl of fresh raspberries (loaded with antioxidants) and offer your guest a few heart healthy dark chocolate covered almonds to nibble on late into the evening for a sweet ending to your perfect Valentine’s Day meal.

Serves/Makes: 2

• 2 tablespoons natural cane sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
• 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 2 skinless wild Alaskan salmon fillets (6 ounce size)
• 3 tablespoons commercially prepared pomegranate glaze
• 1/4 cup fresh pomegranate seeds