Valentine's Day Recipes

Valentines Day is on February 14th every year  and a great way to get to your partners heart is through food, you don't need to buy those expensive  pieces of jewelry or those sugary candies, a wonderful way to celebrate Valentine's Day is with a home cooked meal, here are a few ideas on what to prepare. Start your Valentine's day with a tasty breakfast or brunch.

DASH DIET VALENTINES DAY BREAKFAST

Valentine French Toast

Cut out bread slices with a 3-3/4-in. heart-shaped cookie cutter; discard trimmings.

Ingredients: 

1⁄2 cup milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons white sugar
1⁄4 cup unsweetened applesauce
6 slices whole wheat bread

Preparation: 

In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, cinnamon, sugar and applesauce.
Mix well.
Lightly soak the bread one slice at a time until mixture is slightly absorbed.
Cook on lightly greased skillet or griddle over medium heat until golden brown on both sides.
Add fruit of your choice, blueberries, kiwi and strawberries are delicious, serve hot.
For another Valentines' Day Breakfast treat try this Chocolate Berry Smoothie, it's outstanding.

DASH DIET VALENTINE'S BRUNCH

DASH Scrambled Egg and Mozzarella Breakfast Pizza

Ingredients

2 Eggs
1 whole wheat English Muffin
2 mushrooms, sliced
2 green onions, finely chopped
4 tablespoons diced green or red bell pepper
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/4 teaspoon pepper oregano or Italian seasoning,
4 teaspoons pizza sauce
1/2 cup shredded low-moisture, part-skim Mozzarella cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Split English muffin in half and toast; set aside.
Heat a small non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, green onions and bell pepper.
Cook, and stir continuously for 2 minutes, or until vegetables are softened. Stir egg substitute, pepper and oregano into vegetable mixture. Cook, stirring continuously until egg substitute is set, about 2 minutes. Spread 2 teaspoons of pizza sauce onto each English muffin half.
Spoon a quarter of the egg mixture over pizza sauce then sprinkle with a quarter of the cheese. Spoon the remaining egg mixture and cheese evenly on top of the muffins.
Place the muffins on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Pumpkin Mashed Potatoes

Here is low sodium Pumpkin Mash Potato recipe , combining the pumpkin and potato gives you less calories. Its a winner for Thanksgiving or your Christmas meal without all those rich ingredients in it. This is a great way to get your antioxidants and vitamin A , C  and E with  just some of the health benefits of pumpkin'


Ingredients

1 pound medium peeled potatoes
2 cups of cooked mashed pumpkin
1 tablespoon garlic
2 tablespoon of reduced fat cream cheese
1/8 teaspoon sage
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
½ cup fat free milk
½ tablespoon butter

Directions

1. In a covered large saucepan, cook potatoes and garlic in enough boiling water to cover for 20 to 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender; drain. Mash with a potato masher or beat with an electric mixer on low speed until nearly smooth.
2. Beat in mashed pumpkin, cream cheese, butter, ground sage, 1/4 ground pepper. Gradually add milk, beating until light and fluffy.
3. Return to saucepan; heat through.
4. Garnish with fresh parsley or sage.

Servings Per Recipe: 4


PER SERVING: 159 cal., 5 g total fat (3 g sat. fat), 13 mg chol., 206 mg sodium, 26 g carb. (4 g fiber, 4 g sugars), 4 g pro.

Prosciutto Brussel Sprouts

Prosciutto Brussel Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are rich in many valuable nutrients. They are an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin K. The are an excellent source of protein , iron and potassium these are not generally all found in one vegetable.They are a  great source of numerous nutrients, they are really a super vegetable.

It’s not easy to make Brussel Sprouts taste good, but I have found this recipe which is my go to recipe when Brussel Sprouts are in season, add a little Prosciutto- a thinly sliced Italian bacon - and you won't believe how good Brussel Sprouts taste.

Ingredients

• 
  • 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, any loose outer leaves trimmed and the sprouts halved, or quartered if large
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 5-6 slices of Prosciutto,(Italian Bacon) cut into thin pieces
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • White pepper
  • Balsamic vinegar (optional)

Preparation
Fill a medium saucepan with several inches of salted water and bring to a boil. Add the sprouts and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse immediately under cold water. Drain well.
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan (not nonstick) over medium-low heat. Add the prosciutto and sauté until browned in spots, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the sprouts, spreading them out so that they are, for the most part, in a single layer.
Add the white pepper. Then cook until the sprouts are nicely golden in spots and fork-tender, about 12 minutes, turning them occasionally. If the sprouts begin to brown all over and stick to the pan, add a splash of balsamic vinegar to the pan to help loosen the browned bits.

Transfer to a serving dish, add a splash of balsamic vinegar (if desired) and serve.

Guacamole

You don't need a special occasion to make this very simple Guacamole.
This mild guacamole can be customized easily to suit a variety of tastes. Place small bowls of chopped jalapeño or serrano chiles, cilantro, garlic, tomato, onion, and seasonings around the guacamole bowl and let everyone build their own perfect dip.

Ingredients

4 ripe, fresh avocados, seeded, peeled, cut in chunks
1 tablespoon lime juice
½ small sweet white onion, minced
1 ripe Roma tomato, seeded and diced
Pepper and a little hot sauce to taste

Instructions 

1. Mash avocados with lime juice in a bowl, leaving some chunks.
2. Gently stir in remaining ingredients and serve immediately.

Green Egg Casserole

Green Egg Casserole

This is one of my favorite St Patrick Day breakfast recipes, but it really is a good overall healthy low sodium breakfast recipe.

Ingredients

• 8 large eggs - beaten
• 1 cup chopped spinach
• 1/2 cup low-fat milk
• 2 cups bread cubes or small torn pieces of bread
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup grated low fat Swiss or Monterey jack cheese (optional)
• Pepper to taste (optional)
• Jalapeno peppers if you like it spicy
• 3 Shallots chopped
  

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare one large casserole dish or two eight-inch dishes with a light coating of cooking spray.
In a medium bowl combine all ingredients (except cheese) until bread pieces are well soaked.
Pour mixture into casserole dish and cook for 15 minutes. Sprinkle cheese over partially set eggs.
Cook for an addition 20 minutes or until eggs are fully set.

Delicious Side Dishes

Looking for some delicious side dishes for that special occasion,  here is a low sodium green bean recipe for you to enjoy.

Low Sodium Roasted Green Beans

While you have the oven on try including this really easy low sodium Green Bean recipe, it’s so much better for you than those heavy Green bean casserole dishes.

Ingredients

• 4 cups fresh green beans stems removed
• 1 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/4 tsp white balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 2 lemons
• Ground Pepper
  

  Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, and minced garlic.
Add the beans to the bowl and toss to coat the beans liberally on all sides.

Cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Arrange green beans in a single layer on the sheet.
Cut the lemons in half and place cut side down in the four corners of the baking sheet to roast with the beans. Grind pepper over beans to taste.

Roast for 15 minutes, or until green beans become lightly brown and crisp on the outside.
Remove from the oven and place in your serving dish.

Squeeze the roasted lemon halves over the dish (be careful to catch any seeds) and serve immediately.

Looking for some delicious side dishes for that special occasion,  here is a low sodium green bean recipe for you to serve.

Stuffing

TASTY LOW SODIUM TURKEY STUFFING

Stuffing is an all important side dish when cooking your Turkey for that special occasion and here is a low sodium.

Here is a tasty Turkey Stuffing recipe that will keep your bird moist, try adding some apple

Low Sodium Turkey Stuffing Tip

It is actually better to make a separate dish to serve up your stuffing because when you cook it in the cavity of your bird, it is difficult to judge if the stuffing is actually cooked when the turkey is cooked, especially if you have added a sausage meat to your stuffing.
Ingredients

• 
• 3 tbsp. grape seed oil
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 2 apples, diced
• 2 oz. dried Shitake mushrooms
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup roughly chopped pecans
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• fresh or dried rosemary, thyme, parsley, paprika and sage
• Ground Pepper to taste
• 
  
• Directions

Soak the shiitake mushrooms in hot water, chop roughly, and reserve the soaking liquid.
Heat the oil in a large skillet and cook the onions and celery on medium heat until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in the mushrooms, apples, dried cranberries and pecans, cook 4 or 5 more minutes, stir in the broth and mushroom liquid and bring to a simmer. Toss with the bread cubes and herbs and pepper.
Bake in a 375-degree oven for about 45 minutes

Cover with foil if top gets too brown and enjoy your tasty Turkey Stuffing, it is more delicious the next day when all those herbs and spices have had time to soak into the bread.

Tip
Bake stuffing in muffin tins
Stuffing is a Turkey Day staple but there’s no reason to cook too much of it (you’d rather cook too much turkey). Bake them in muffin tins so they’ll be perfect for individual portions.

Cranberry Sauce

Here are a couple of Cranberry Sauce recipes, one made a day or two before the big day and is made in your slow cooker. And another recipe that no cooking is required, it is a quick and easy way to make your own cranberry sauce by adding a few extra condiments you may already have in your pantry and you can actually make a tastier and healthier Cranberry Sauce.

Cranberry Sauce in your Slow Cooker Recipe

Ingredients

• 
• 1 12 oz bag Fresh Cranberries
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed Orange juice
• 1/2 cup Water
• 1/4 cup Honey
• 1 stick Cinnamon
• pinch Ground Cinnamon
• pinch Ground Ginger
  Instructions

In a slow-cooker, add all ingredients and toss to combine.
Cook on low for 3-4 hours
Near the end of the cooking time, use tongs to remove the cinnamon stick. Then use a wooden spoon to break up the cranberries. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
This recipe has only 3 mg of sodium per 2 tablespoon of cranberry sauce.

Cranberry and Orange Sauce

Make sure you make plenty as the sauce is wonderful with your leftover Turkey to next day. There is no cooking required.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. orange juice
• 1 tsp. orange peel, finely grated
• 1/2 can mandarin oranges
• 1/2 cup pineapple
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1/2 cup toasted pecans
• 2 tbsp. red Zinfandel
• canned cranberry sauce

Directions 
Stir all together.

Serve and enjoy!

Turkey

CAJUN TURKEY

Turkey can be a plain here is a wonderful recipe to spice up your bird, the secret to a flavorful and moist turkey is in the brine. Then we make a beautiful rich flavorful and great flavored gravy. It is a good idea to do this the night before your turkey dinner. Fresh herbs really are the best choice if you have them in the garden.

CAJUN TURKEY SPICE MIXTURE

• • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon mustard powder
  • 4 teaspoons cayenne pepper

Get your All in One Cajun Spice Mix Here

Preparation

To make the Cajun Turkey spice mixture, in a small bowl, mix all the ingredients to blend. This gives your Cajun turkey a lovely golden brown finish.

• CAJUN Turkey and gravy

  • 
  • 6 quarts cold water
  • One 12-ounce bottle amber ale beer, room temperature
  • 3 rosemary sprigs, divided
  • One 14- to 16-pound whole turkey
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
  • 2 green bell peppers, seeded, coarsely chopped
  • 2 yellow onions, coarsely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
  • 4 cups homemade turkey stock or reduced-sodium chicken stock
  • 3 thyme sprigs
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

To brine the turkey:

In a large pot, bring 1 quart of water to a boil over high heat. Add the beer, sugar, and 1/3 cup of the spice mixture and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add 2 rosemary sprigs and remove from the heat.
Pour the hot brine into a container large enough to hold the turkey and add the remaining 5 quarts of cold water to cool the brine. Place the turkey into the brine, making sure it is entirely submerged.

Cover the container tightly with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 12 hours or overnight
When you are ready to cook the turkey preheat the oven to 350˚F.

Remove the turkey from the brine and discard the brine, reserving the rosemary sprigs, and then pat the turkey skin dry with a clean towel. Stuff the main turkey cavity with half of the chopped celery, bell pepper, onion, and reserved brined rosemary sprigs, and tie the turkey legs together with butcher's twine, this make the turkey cook more evenly.

In a small heavy saucepan, melt 1/2 cup (1 stick) of the butter. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of the spice mixture.

Place the remaining celery, bell pepper, and onion in a large roasting pan with a rack. Set the roasting rack in the pan and place the turkey on the rack. Brush some of the spiced butter all over the turkey.
Cover the pan with aluminum foil and roast the turkey for 1 hour and 40 minutes. Baste the turkey and continue roasting uncovered for about 1 hour and 20 minutes longer, or until a meat thermometer reads 160°F when inserted into the part of the thigh nearest to the thigh and hip joint.

Transfer the turkey to a carving board (do not clean out the roasting pan), and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before carving.

Turkey Tip

Roast your turkey breast down for at least half the time the turkey is roasting in the oven. Breast meat is lean and tends to overcook, but when upside down it is protected from the direct heat of the oven plus it gets basted from the natural juices that drip down to the bottom of the pan.

Set the roasting pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the chicken stock, thyme sprigs, and remaining rosemary sprig to the pan drippings in the roasting pan, and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring often to scrape up the brown bits. Strain the pan juices, and discard all the solids. Spoon off the fat that has settled to the top of the pan juices.
In a medium heavy saucepan, melt the remaining 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) of butter over medium heat. Stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons of the spice mixture (reserve any extra spice mixture for another use) and cook for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant and toasted. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring often, for about 2 minutes. Whisk in the pan juices and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the gravy thickens slightly. Season the gravy to taste with salt and pepper.
To serve:
Carve the turkey and serve it with the gravy.

Low Sodium Turkey Gravy

There is no need to add so many calories in your gravy, here is a low sodium gravy that makes your meal taste so moist and delicious.

Ingredients

• 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 bouquet of herbs (3 springs time, 1 sprig rosemary, 2 bay leaves, 4 sprigs sage, 2 sprigs fresh oregano tied with kitchen twine into a bundle)
• 2 cloves roasted garlic (optional)

• Low sodium soya sauce
• pepper, to taste
• 3/4 tsp. xanthan gum

Directions

1. Let all of the ingredients simmer (minus the xanthan) over low heat for about 10 minutes with the lid on so it doesn't evaporate.
2. Turn off the heat and let it cool down slightly.
3. Transfer hot liquid to a blender and while the blender is running, sprinkle the xanthan into the mixture to thicken.
   
   TIPS
   Process the gravy
4. Nobody wants lumps in their gravy. To spare yourself complaints or gossip, put your gravy through a food processor.
   
   Keep gravy in a thermos
5. Few things are better than warm gravy over a properly prepared turkey but cold gravy can be the weak link that holds dinner back from greatness. Keep gravy warm in a thermos before you’re ready to serve it.
   
   

Low Sodium Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Here is a  low sodium Roasted Green Bean and Caramelized Onion recipe that is perfect for a Thanksgiving side dish a low sodium version of this great dish.

Try this Creamy Garlic Mashed Cauliflower recipe , it is very low in sodium and so tasty.

Finally Corn on the Cobb but this is made in your slow cooker and is absolutely fantastic and so easy.
Lets not forget dessert here is an Apple Pie recipe that is just a great way to finish your Thanksgiving day