3 heart-healthy dishes

Meals you’ll love for the month of love

This assortment of healthy and beautiful dishes covers diverse dietary preferences so that no one is left out—a true display of love. The passion behind these recipes will surely leave you falling head over heels!

Smoked Salmon Carpaccio

This beautiful starter speaks to one’s heart. With a solid dose of salmon and a stunning array of little vegetables, it’s a delicious dish for Valentine’s Day.

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Servings: 6

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Silky pea puree

• 2 cups frozen peas thawed
• ¼ cup low-sodium vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon ground pepper

Smoked salmon carpaccio

• ¼ pound thick asparagus spears about 6
• 2 small green zucchinis or cucumbers
• 1 8 ounce package cold-smoked sliced salmon
• ½ cup frozen peas thawed, for garnish
• 1 tablespoon capers drained and rinsed, for garnish
• Fresh dill, lemon zest, and pea tendrils for garnish

Method

 

1. In high-speed blender, add pea puree ingredients. Pulse mixture until blended, scraping down sides of blender with a spatula. Continue to blend until a smooth puree is formed. It needs to be thick enough to hold its shape when dolloped or smeared onto serving plates. To ensure silky-smooth finish, press pea puree through a sieve into a bowl. Add more seasonings, to taste, if you wish.
2. Trim stems of asparagus spears. Using vegetable peeler, shave spears into long strips. Set aside. Shave unpeeled zucchini or cucumbers into long strips.
3. Artfully arrange 2 or 3 pieces of smoked salmon shaped into rosettes onto each of 8 individual salad serving plates. Intersperse with shavings of asparagus and curls of zucchini or cucumber. Stud plates with a few peas and some capers. Dollop with pea puree and garnish with dill and pea tendrils.

Notes

Each serving contains: 98 calories; 9 g protein; 3 g fat (1 g sat. fat); 10 g total carbohydrates (4 g sugar, 4 g fiber); 658 mg sodium

Middle Eastern Kebabs with Couscous and Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

A bit of West meets East with buffalo and coconut flavors married with red peppers in this dish. Served over couscous, it’s a world of deliciousness in a single healthy dish.

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Servings: 4

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Kebabs

• ¼ cup coconut sauce, coconut aminos, or low-sodium tamari sauce
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 garlic clove peeled, smashed, and minced
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 pound sirloin tip water buffalo, bison, or beef cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 red onion cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 yellow bell pepper seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces

Pearl couscous

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup Israeli (also known as pearl) couscous
• 1 ½ cups low-sodium vegetable stock
• ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley

Roasted red pepper coconut cream sauce

• 1 12 ounce jar roasted red bell peppers drained
• ½ cup coconut cream
• ¼ cup low-sodium vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1 garlic clove peeled, smashed, and minced
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• Generous pinches of ground black pepper, allspice, and nutmeg
• Toasted coconut flakes for garnish (optional)
• Baby nasturtium for garnish (optional)

Method

 

1.  In bowl, combine coconut sauce, aminos, or tamari, with vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt, and cayenne. Whisk together to blend. Add cubes of meat and stir in until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Stir occasionally. The longer it marinates, the more tender the meat becomes.
2. In medium saucepan, heat oil. Add couscous and stir with wooden spoon over medium heat until it becomes toasty and golden, about 2 minutes. Slowly add vegetable stock to prevent it from sputtering. Turn heat to low. Cover and cook for about 12 to 14 minutes or until couscous is tender and stock is absorbed. Remove from heat and stir in parsley.
3. To blender, add roasted pepper, coconut cream, vegetable stock, tomato paste, maple syrup, garlic, and seasonings. Whirl until smooth. Transfer to small saucepan and cook over medium heat until bubbly, about 5 minutes. Cover, set aside, and keep warm.
4. Drain marinade from meat and discard. Bring meat to room temperature before grilling, about 45 minutes. If using bamboo or wooden skewers, soak in water for at least 45 minutes before using. Grease barbecue grill and preheat to 400°F.
5. Thread drained cubed meat, onion, and yellow pepper among 4 metal or soaked bamboo skewers. Place skewers on grill. Grill covered, for 5 to 7 minutes for medium rare, or 145°F when tested with a meat thermometer. Turn skewers once. Grill a minute or 2 longer for medium 160°F doneness. Remove and cover loosely with a tent of parchment for kebabs to rest for a few minutes.
6. To serve, add couscous onto plate. Straddle kebabs overtop and spoon warm roasted red pepper sauce overtop. Garnish with toasted flaked coconut and baby nasturtiums, if you wish.

Notes

Each serving contains: 576 calories; 43 g protein; 23 g fat (10 g sat. fat); 51 g total carbohydrates (8 g sugar, 6 g fiber); 361 mg sodium

Mousse au Chocolat

Mousse—a perfect ending to a delicious meal, yet so much more. Our mousse can stand alone as a decadent treat served anytime of day. It’s made from the creamiest soy in combination with dark chocolate and espresso for an added kick.

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Servings: 6

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 10.5 oz package soft plain tofu brought to room temperature
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon espresso instant coffee powder
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 5.5 oz dark chocolate bar, 70% cocoa
• Flaked salt optional
• Sweetened plain yogurt, shaved dark chocolate, raspberries for garnish (optional)

Method

 

1. Drain tofu and place in high-speed blender or food processor. Add maple syrup, chia seeds, coffee powder, and cinnamon. Blend until smooth. While mixture rests, melt chocolate in saucepan over medium-low heat or in microwave, stirring until smooth and fully melted. Cool slightly.
2. In blender with creamy tofu, turn motor to low and gradually drizzle in melted chocolate until fully blended and creamy. Spoon or pipe into 6 – 4 oz ramekins. Top each with a pinch of flaked salt if you wish. Place ramekins on tray, cover securely, and slide into refrigerator to chill.
3. When ready to serve, drop a dollop of sweetened plain yogurt on top with shavings of grated chocolate and a couple of raspberries for garnish, if you wish.

Notes

Each serving contains: 158 calories; 6 g protein; 8 g fat (4 g sat. fat); 18 g total carbohydrates (15 g sugar, 2 g fiber); 20 mg sodium

By Irene McGuinness

Article Courtesy of Alive Magazine