For beginners in a relationship
Whether you’ve just started dating someone and are trying to avoid the stress of a happy relationship or want to stick to your New Year’s resolution to live a healthier lifestyle, here are some light, romantic recipes to share with your special someone!
Chicken tray with ginger, soy and broccoli -Sweet and spicy, just like you! Impress your man with this ready-made (but healthier!) dinner.
Scallop pasta with lemon and garlic Personally, I love scallops when they are on the menu, especially with light pasta. This dish goes perfectly with light white wines such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay to complement the garlic taste.
Shrimp fajita dishes – To be honest, my favorite thing about this recipe is the delicious chipotle style rice. I recently tried making this, and I don’t know if I can go back to regular white rice again.
Easy Lemon Rosemary Chicken -I didn’t think I’d say this about chicken, but this dish is beautiful. The secret is to cook with the lemon the recipe calls for, then cook a separate lemon (you can even grill it if you’re in a time crunch) and garnish a skillet or chicken dish with it.
Skirt steak with chimichurri sauce -If you’re like me, I don’t like using our grill and prefer to cook seared meat in a pan, which is why I’m a big fan of braising steak, and chimichurri sauce takes it to the next level. Although this recipe seems like it has a lot of ingredients, the great thing is that you probably have most of them at home already. Chimichurri sauce can easily be blended to perfection in a food processor, blender, or even a magic bullet!
For veterinarians
Are you dating a true foodie or are you simply ready to enjoy Valentine’s Day with your long-time best friend? Here are some recipes that veer on the heavier but delicious side!
Slow Cooker Beef Ragu with Pappardelle – What I love about this dish is that you can make most of it in the slow cooker throughout the day so it’s less work when you’re ready to cook dinner and enjoy your evening. And if you’re looking for a fun activity to do with your husband on Valentine’s Day, I highly recommend making pasta from scratch. It’s easier than you think and requires very few ingredients. Plus, thick pappardelle noodles are very easy to cut.
Calabrian Chili Roasted Red Pepper Pizza – The way to your man’s heart? It will probably be through pizza, and this certainly won’t disappoint either of you. Skip takeout and enjoy making your own pizza at home (customization welcome!)
Beef lasagna recipe -aka “Guaranteed to Put You Down” Lasagna by Mattie Matheson. Silly moniker aside, this is the most labor-intensive of my recipe recommendations, but I can guarantee it’s worth it. It’s one of the best homemade meals my husband and I have ever made together and has turned us into big fans of Chef Matty. This is not a recipe for the faint of heart or stomach, but it is a truly delicious and ‘treat yourself’ recipe in this cold weather. The other great thing about lasagna is that you can make it the day before, so it’s prepped and ready to bake in the oven the day before.
Grilled steak in butter sauce – Again, an easy red meat dish that can be prepared on the stove and served with a side of vegetables or mashed potatoes if your man has an appetite!
Cast iron paella – After eating our way through Spain on what seemed like a paella tour a few years ago, I couldn’t help but order this every time I saw it on the menu – but only if it was cooked and served in a cast iron skillet. This is the only recipe on this list that my husband and I haven’t tried yet, but I will be making it for Valentine’s Day this year!
Parmesan chicken meatballs with creamy polenta – Polenta looks like a side dish, but it’s easier to prepare than pasta and also serves as a filling.
Concluding thoughts
While cooking can be intimidating or even stressful at times, especially with Valentine’s Day falling in the middle of the work week this year, there are definitely ways to make it easier. Sometimes it’s just a matter of deciding on a simpler recipe and going from there. The reason I love these recipes is that most of them don’t require a lot of ingredients, and those that do tend to be ingredients you already have in your pantry. If you, like my husband and I, love food almost as much as you love each other, what better way to celebrate this romantic day with your sweetheart at home? in good health!
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