We’re going to share our favorite recipes to help you
make a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner for your sweetheart—or even just for
yourself. Remember, it’s important to love yourself, too!
But first, we’re going to talk about fats. Because fats get a bad rap and fats
are an important part of any Valentine’s Day celebration. Think chocolate.
So, here we go.
Registered
Dietitians also get a bad rap.
We’re often considered the ‘food police,’
professionals sucking all the pleasure and joy out of eating. When people find out we’re Registered
Dietitians, they hide their plate of french fries or chocolate bar, saying, “I
don’t usually eat like this…”
We’re here to change the way you view Registered
Dietitians—and the way you view food—and fats.
We don’t focus on what you can’t eat—we focus on what you can eat. And what you can and should eat is real,
delicious food—including fats—in moderation, of course.
Fats are an essential part of our diet and are
necessary to help our bodies absorb fat-soluble vitamins (Vitamins A, D, E and
K). They are a great source
of energy and essential to glowing skin and shiny, healthy hair.
We know all of the nutrition information out there can
be confusing, so we’ll try to make this as simple as possible.
There are three main fats that we eat--unsaturated
fat, saturated fat and trans
fat. All real foods are
made up of a combination of unsaturated and saturated fats, with very little
naturally occurring trans fats.
Unsaturated fats are made up of
both monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats, including omega-3 fatty
acids. From a health
standpoint, monounsaturated
fats give you the biggest
bang for your buck and may be the best choice for heart health. Monounsaturated fats lower total
cholesterol and may actually help to raise HDL (good) cholesterol. Sources include avocados, many nuts
(like almonds, peanuts, cashews and hazelnuts), olive oil, canola oil, peanut
oil and olives—all good and good for you!
Polyunsaturated
fats also help lower total cholesterol. Sources of polyunsaturated fats
include trans-fat free margarine and mayonnaise, walnuts, some oils (corn,
flaxseed, grapeseed, safflower, soybean), and seeds (flaxseed, pumpkins seeds
and sesame seeds).
Omega-3 fatty acids are also a
type of polyunsaturated fat, and are found mainly in cold water fish like
salmon, herring, mackerel and halibut. Omega-3
fatty acids may help to lower blood pressure and reduce the level of
triglycerides (fat) in the blood.
Saturated fats are those fats
that are solid at room temperature—with sources like bacon, butter, cream, hard
cheeses, coconut and fat in meats. Saturated
fat has taken a beating over the years, named as a primary culprit in the
development of heart disease. This
relationship is debatable, and the evidence between saturated fat and heart
disease actually suggests that highly processed foods (think hot dogs, lunch
meats and processed bacon and sausages) that are also high in saturated fat, are likely to
blame.
We approve of using naturally derived saturated fats
(like butter, lard or coconut oil) over artificial fats. Butter is always, always a better
choice than margarine or any sort of fake butter. Butter contains Vitamins A and D, and
fatty acids--butyric acid and
lauric acid—shown to have numerous health benefits, including boosting HDL
(good) cholesterol in the blood. Coconut
oil is also high in lauric acid, and can be a delicious baking alternative for
those looking for a vegan cooking source.
On the other hand, trans fats—contained in many
margarines and processed baked goods— should always be avoided, when
possible. Trans fats are vegetable oils that have been
chemically processed to turn a liquid fat into a semi-solid state and can raise
total cholesterol and have been linked to heart disease. To recognize trans fats, it is
important to read labels! Look
for the word “hydrogenated” on the ingredient list—if the food has a
hydrogenated oil in the ingredient list, it contains trans fats.
And, since this is Valentine’s Day, what about
chocolate?
The fat in chocolate—cocoa butter—is made up of both
monounsaturated and saturated fats. The
monounsaturated fat in cocoa butter is oleic acid, the same heart-healthy fat
found in olive oil. Research
shows the saturated fat in cocoa butter has a negligible effect on cholesterol
levels. So go ahead, eat
small amounts of chocolate—with at least 70% cocoa content—when the craving
strikes
Real food is always better than fake food. Or at least, we can’t think of a
reason to ever eat something fake. When
it comes to fats, we trust cows and pigs and plants more than chemists.
Hopefully this primer has helped you understand a
little bit more about fats. If
your eyes glazed over through the details, just remember this: Eat real food—including fats—in
moderation, and enjoy them with those you love.
And now, for Valentine’s Day recipes that will make
your sweetie’s heart—and your heart— happy.
Pomegranate & Beet Salad
Beets are very
high in antioxidant-rich flavonoids, which studies show may help to prevent
cancer. Beets are very
nutrient dense, high in folate, which is crucial for brain functioning,
metabolism of carbohydrates and fats, and very important during child-rearing
years. Betalains, the red
and yellow pigments in beets, may help to reduce inflammation in the body.
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| Image reprinted with permission from eatwellmealplans.com and www.healthyaperture.com |
Serves 4
2 medium beets
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons
pomegranate juice
2 tablespoons
champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon
Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon
honey
2 tablespoons
olive oil
Sea salt and
black pepper, to taste
1 head butter
lettuce leaves
1/2 cup
pomegranate seeds
Preheat oven to 400°F. Place beets in baking dish with
water. Cover dish with foil
and roast beets until beets are tender, about 50 minutes – 1 hour. Cool. Peel
beets and cut into 1/3-inch-thick wedges.
Whisk pomegranate juice, vinegar, mustard, honey and
olive oil in a large bowl to blend. Season
vinaigrette with salt and pepper. Add
sliced beets and pomegranate seeds to vinaigrette in bowl. Toss.
Top butter lettuce leaves with beets and drizzle with
vinaigrette.
Pan-Seared Wild Salmon with Red Currant Salsa Verde
Salmon is a
rich source of omega-3 fatty acids (a type of polyunsaturated fat), which can
help lower triglyceride levels and reduce the risk of heart disease. Olive oil is a source of
monounsaturated fat, which can help lower total cholesterol and raise HDL
(good) cholesterol.
Serves 4
4, 4 ounce
wild salmon fillets
Zest of one
lemon
Sea salt and
freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon
olive oil
Heat a cast
iron or heavy-bottom skillet over medium high heat. Coat the skin of the salmon with olive
or canola oil. Place
the salmon, skin side down, in the cast iron skillet. Cook for 4 minutes. Turn the fish over. Cook another 4 minutes for medium
salmon and 5 minutes for salmon that is completely cooked through. Remove from heat. Serve with Red Currant Salsa Verde.
Red Currant Salsa Verde
2 tablespoons currants
½ cup
flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon
fresh oregano, chopped
2 tablespoons
capers
Zest and juice
of one lemon
Sea salt and
freshly ground pepper, to taste
Pinch of red
pepper flakes
2 tablespoons
of olive oil
In a small bowl, cover red currants with boiling
water. Let set about 5
minutes to soften, and then drain.
In a medium bowl, combine parsley, oregano, capers,
currants, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Whisk in olive oil. Serve over seared wild salmon.
Cauliflower Puree
Cauliflower is
a cruciferous vegetable, which are high in antioxidants and may have
cancer-fighting properties. Cauliflower
is an excellent source of Vitamin C, with 1 cup containing almost as much
Vitamin C as an orange. And Vitamin C is a known mood-booster!
Serves 4
1 large head cauliflower
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons
olive oil
½ teaspoon sea
salt
¼ teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
Cut
cauliflower into florets and place florets and garlic clove in a steamer
basket. Fill a medium pot
with about 2 inches of water. Bring
to a simmer and place steamer basket with cauliflower and garlic over
pot. Cover and steam about
20 minutes, or until cauliflower is very tender.
Put the florets and garlic in a food processor. Add
the olive oil. Puree until
smooth. Season with sea
salt and black pepper.
Add back to the cooking pot and keep warm over low
heat until ready to serve.
Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberries
While chocolate is best enjoyed in moderation, studies
show that having a serving of dark chocolate is actually good for your heart.
Dark chocolate can help lower blood pressure and reduce LDL (bad)
cholesterol. The cocoa bean
is high in a subclass of antioxidants called polyphenols that help to
counteract the damaging effect of free radicals in the body. Dark chocolate also contains
serotonin, a natural mood-boosting anti-depressant and helps to stimulate the
pleasure-inducing endorphins.
Serves 12
6 ounces dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa)
12 large
strawberries
Chop the chocolate into pieces and place in a small
glass bowl in a microwave for 20 seconds. Stir the chocolate and continue to
microwave for 20 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until the chocolate is
smooth and shiny. Do not
overcook.
Dip each strawberry into the chocolate and place on a
sheet pan covered with parchment paper. Set
aside until chocolate hardens, about 30 minutes.
Enjoy this meal this Valentine’s Day, with the one (or
ones!) you love.
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