Valentine's Day Recipes

Love Salad

1 each	yellow beet (steamed, peeled and sliced thin)
1 each	red beet (steamed, peeled and sliced thin)
10 each	raspberries
10 each	cherry tomatoes (washed and cut 1/2 lengthwise)
1 each	yellow pepper (large dice)
1 oz	mache lettuce, baby lettuce or spinach

1. Place all ingredients in a bowl except for the greens.
2. Toss with 2 tbsp raspberry dressing (see below).
3. Place 1 tsp dressing on bottom of plate.
4. Place 1 oz greens over dressing.
5. Place 1/4 of the veggies on top.
6. Garnish with gogi berries and sunflower lettuce (optional).

Raspberry Vinaigrette

1 tbsp	shallot (chopped small)
3/4 cup	frozen raspberries
1/2 cup	agave or honey
1/4 cup	raspberry vinegar
1 tbsp	Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp	sea salt
to taste	cracked black pepper

1. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse.

Quinoa Paella over Tomato Basil

Feel free to replace the seafood with chicken or just eat the vegetables minus the seafood…

Seafood

1/2 lb	shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1/2 lb	sea scallops (slice in half lengthwise)
2 each	lobster tails

1. Rub seafood with the following ingredients and allow sitting in refrigeration for at least 1 hour.

1 tbsp	lemon zest
1 tbsp	Italian parsley
1 tbsp	shallots (chopped)
1 tbsp	olive oil
to taste	sea salt and black pepper

Quinoa Pilaf

1 cup	quinoa
2 cups	vegetable broth, chicken broth or water
3 threads	saffron
2 stalks	celery (peeled and diced small)
1 each	leek (white part only; diced small and washed)
1 tbsp	shallots (chopped)
1 tbsp	garlic (chopped)
1 small	onion 9diced small)
1 tsp	olive oil
1/4 cup	peas
1/4 cup	kale (chopped)

1. In a sauce pan place olive oil and heat.
2. Sauté onions and shallots for 1 minute.
3. Add garlic and leeks; cook for 15 seconds.
4. Add quinoa.
5. Add stock and saffron.
6. Season with balck pepper.
7. Bring up to a boil.
8. Turn down to a simmer, cover and let cook for 15- 20 minutes.
9. Turn off heat.
10. Add peas and kale.
11. Cover and let site for 5 minutes. Toss with a spoon

While quinoa, is cooking sear seafood separately in 3 different sauté pans or on a griddle (the lobster takes the longest, scallops take 4 minutes only and the shrimp maybe 5 minutes)…you can broil the lobster tails if you prefer.

Tomato Basil

3 each	large tomatoes
1 tbsp	garlic (chopped)
1 tbsp	fresh basil
to taste	sea salt and black pepper

1. Place an x on the bottom of the tomatoes with a knife.
2. Place tomatoes in a large pot of boiling water for 30 seconds and then in a bowl of ice water.
3. Remove skins, cut in half and remove seeds.
4. Dice tomatoes and place in a bowl.
5. Add garlic and basil.
6. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
7. Warm in a sauce pan when ready to serve.

To set up

1. Place warm tomato basil on bottom of plate.
2. Place 4 oz of quinoa pilaf in center of plate.
3. Place lobster (removed from shell) on top of paella.
4. Place 3 pieces of shrimp and 3 scallops around lobster clockwise.
5. Garnish with asparagus spears (optional).

 

Devil's "Fool" Cake with Cocoa Frosting

1 1/2 cups	natural cane sugar
1 cup	all purpose flour
1 cup	Dutch process cocoa powder
1 tsp	baking powder
1 tsp	baking soda
2	egg whites
5 oz	low-fat silken tofu
¾ cup plus 2 tbsp	unsweetened applesauce
1/2 tsp	pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder. Place egg whites, tofu, applesauce and vanilla in food processor and puree.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine tofu mixture with dry ingredients. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
4. Pour into a lined, heart-shaped pan or mold, spray with canola oil spray, then bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes (insert a skewer to test doneness).
5. Serve with cocoa frosting. (see below)
6. Decorate with edible gold leaves/sheets.

Cocoa Frosting

8 oz	low-fat silken tofu
3/4 cup	confectioners sugar
1/2 cup	Dutch process cocoa powder
1 tsp	pure vanilla extract
1 tsp	rice syrup or maple syrup
	edible gold leaves/sheets

1. In a blender combine tofu, confectioner’s sugar, cocoa, vanilla and rice syrup or maple syrup. Blend until smooth.
2. Chill for 30 minutes.