Valentine’s Recipes

On Valentine’s Day we get to share and celebrate the love we have for ourselves and others. What better way to celebrate than to enjoy rich, luscious, nutrient-dense foods that leave us feeling energized for life.

Remember: The recipes don’t have to be complex. A simple recipe can feel special by presenting it on a nice platter or adding a garnish.

To help you make this delicious dinner a reality, we’ve listed our top 10 recipes in a menu format below…

Valentine’s Recipes: Appetizers

Mini Cheese Stuffed Savory Muffins or “Chaffles”

1. Mix together all ingredients listed in our Grain Free Waffle recipe, except for the fruit sauce and vanilla extract (page 223 of Always Hungry?). Add 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese to the batter. If you like spice, you may add 1 tsp of chili powder to the batter OR 1-2 chopped jalapeño peppers (without seeds is less spicy, with seeds is more spicy). If preparing these as “Chaffles”, continue to follow the recipe as is.
2. If preparing these as muffins, start by preheating your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease mini muffin tins OR use silicone muffin tins for easier clean up.
3. Divide the batter evenly into regular or mini muffin tins (will make approximately 35-40 mini muffins, depending on the specific size of your muffin tins).
4. Press about a teaspoon of additional cheese into the center of each muffin. Our favorites are: goat cheese, cheddar cheese, and mozzarella.
5. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the batter is cooked through (test by poking a wooden skewer into the muffins just off-center – of course, the cheese will be melty, but the batter should be fully cooked through).
6. Let cool for 5 minutes and enjoy!

Meatball Mozza Skewers

1. Follow the recipe for our Meatballs on page 149 of Always Delicious. 
2. Once the meatballs are cooked, place them on a skewer. Alternate this pattern: one meatball, one cherry tomato, one mozzarella ball (and repeat until the skewer is filled).
3. OPTIONAL: Serve the skewers with Basil Walnut Pesto (page 297 of Always Delicious), Tzatziki (page 304 of Always Delicious) or a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

Smashed Parmesan Brussels Sprouts

These brussels sprouts are crispy, cheesy, and oh-so-good! This recipe is from Coach Kenzie’s Always Nourished Community (with 115+ online recipes and counting). Grab the recipe >>

Valentines Recipes: Main Courses

Pesto Fish (or chicken) Pasta

1. (Makes 4 servings) Start with preparing our Pesto Baked Fish recipe on Page 143 of Always Delicious. If you prefer, you can substitute the white fish for equal amounts of chicken breast.
2. While the fish (or chicken) is baking, cook 8 ounces (2 oz per person) of chickpea pasta in lightly salted water. The pasta should yield about ⅔ cup cooked pasta per serving (or, whatever amount your brand states is equivalent to approximately 35 grams of carbohydrates).
3. Toss the pasta in an additional ¾ cup of the Basil Walnut Pesto (page 297 of Always Delicious).
4. Serve each person ¾ cup of the pesto pasta and 4-5 oz of the chicken/fish.
5. Add a side salad of plenty of fresh vegetables topped with 1 tbsp of our Lemon Olive Oil Dressing (page 269 of Always Hungry?) OR another dressing of your choice from our books (use an amount equivalent to about 7-10 grams of fat for Phase 1 ratios).

Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs

This delicious garlicky chicken recipe is yet another from Coach Kenzie’s Always Nourished Community. Check it out here >>

Melt in Your Mouth Lamb Shanks

This recipe feels only uses 5 ingredients – yet it brings a surprising depth of flavor. The cooking method Chef Dawn uses makes for a beautifully tender and juicy piece of lamb. Grab the recipe >>

Valentines Recipes: Desserts

Wine Poached Pears WITH Cashew Cream

1. Follow the recipe for our wine poached pears on page 325 of Always Delicious.
2. While the pears are boiling, prepare our Cashew Crème recipe on page 323 of Always Delicious.
3. Serve one poached pear with a generous dollop of the cashew cream for a decadent restaurant-worthy dessert!

Chocolate Dipped Fruit

This blog post from Chef Dawn is SO tasty and simple. Use any fruit you like and dip it in dark chocolate for a delicious shareable dessert for you and your significant other to enjoy. Grab the recipe >>

Hazelnut Bites

Coach Kenzie’s recipe does have protein powder – but you won’t even know it! The richness from the chocolate and peanut butter makes a decadent truffle-like treat. Experiment with different nut butters to see which combination you like most (or, if you’re a peanut butter lover, you can double up with all peanut butter!). Grab the recipe >>

Breakfast (Day-After or Special Morning Treat)

Strawberry, Coconut, and Pistachio Chia Seed Pudding 

1. Follow the recipe for our On-the-Go Breakfast Parfait on page 107 of Always Delicious with the following adaptations.
   1. Swap the ¼ cup half and half with ¼ cup canned coconut milk (optional)
   2. Swap lemon zest with ¼ tsp of vanilla (or, to your taste)
   3. Add ½ tsp cinnamon to the cottage cheese/chia mixture
   4. For the fruit sauce – use ¾ cup frozen chopped strawberries
   5. Replace the cashews with 1 tbsp unsweetened coconut and 2 tbsp toasted pistachios

Which Valentines recipes in this post are your favorites? Comment below or post in our Facebook Group – we always LOVE to hear your thoughts!