Valentine’s Dinner At Home
If You Love Steak
The summer after college, one of my favorite things to do with friends was to have these elaborate cooking nights. We would trade off locations, pick a movie and make meals that would introduce new foods to my friend D but would also challenge myself and my friend Daniel. Ina Garten’s filet mignon recipe was a hit. And it’s still one I reach for today when I want to impress or just fancy a nice grass-fed & finished filet at home.
Recently, I’ve been pairing it with air fryer Brussel sprouts with garlic aioli. We love La Crema and their sprouts are a regular pick when we go. So I knew I needed to create it at home. The recipe for this will be up later this week along with my rose chocolate-covered strawberries aka the perfect dessert for this meal.
The Menu:
Filet Mignon with Mustard & Mushrooms
Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts with Garlic Aioli Sauce
Rose Chocolate Covered Strawberries (coming soon)
Wine Of Choice: Rose
If You Love Chicken
I will admit and often do, that one of the things I miss most with a more paleo-based lifestyle is the ease of ordering out. There’s just something so comforting about ordering Chinese takeout on a cozy night in. Thankfully, I discovered Danielle Walker’s Instant Pot Orange Chicken recipe a few years ago and it’s SO good. This is definitely one of the easiest recipes to make, however, be sure you don’t try to halve the recipe because it will trigger the burn sequence on the instant. And for my side, I would pair this with the easy option of a cauliflower recipe because why not. I don’t tend to find I need something to curb my sweet tooth with this recipe since it has its own sweetness. But it does pair well with a nice dry Chardonnay.The Menu
Cauliflower Rice (Regular Or Fried)
Wine Pairing: Chardonnay
IF YOU LOVE FISH
Living in Florida, you would think that I would eat fish far more often than I actually do. Maybe this is something to add to my birthday goals list for the next year. Nevertheless, I do have a few staple recipes that I reach for when I’m craving a simple salmon dish. And it’s perfect for Valentine’s dinner at home! There’s something about this dish that always makes me want a classic side of roasted broccoli. Whether it’s the fact that I think another flavor would get in the way with the Dijon from the fish or that I just love the ease of it. Either way, you can’t go wrong with a classic. As for dessert, affogato is a regular pick when I want to have just a little something sweet without too much effort. For this, you’ll need, 1 shot of espresso and 1-2 scoops of non-dairy ice cream. Add them together, drizzle with a bit of paleo mocha syrup* or caramel syrup* and enjoy! If you don’t have an espresso machine, this can be done with coffee concentrate (heated) or a bit of strong coffee.THE MENU:
Oven Roasted Broccoli
Affogato
Wine Pairing: TBH, I would add a dash of Non-Dairy Baileys to the Affogato.
IF YOU’RE VEGETARIAN
Years ago, I fell in love with the Skinny Taste’s minestrone recipe. It’s certainly made a few appearances on Instagram over the years. But it’s just one of those nostalgic recipes that always brings me joy. Plus, if you’ve been gluten & dairy free for a while, this is the perfect time to test out a version that you’ll surely fall in love with. Now the OG recipe isn’t gf or df. I’ll also be doing my own version with the instant pot for the blog soon. But if you’re looking to make this one work for you there are two things I’d recommend swapping out. Opt for cassava flour pasta to keep it gluten-free and vegan parmesan to keep it dairy-free. Violife makes a version that you can shave to get that traditional parm feel and tastes delicious. For dessert, I would go with a classic like apple pies. If you’ve been around WSS for long you’ll know I’m a big fan of mini desserts. So I would highly recommend my mini apple chia seed pies.The Menu:
Wine Pairing: Merlot or Pinot Noir
IF YOU’RE VEGAN
I’ve been thinking about this recipe a lot recently because it’s been ages since I’ve made it. And it was one of my absolute favorite discoveries when I was plant-based. It incorporates brazil nuts which can be on the pricer side depending on your budget. But this makes it perfect for a Valentine’s dinner at home splurge! I will suggest that you use fresh rosemary rather than subbing in dried if you can. When you blitz together the brazil nut cheese, you’ll get the added release of rosemary oil infusion into the mix. And it’s lovely. Truthfully, I always feel so full after eating this because it’s packed with so much fiber-y goodness. However, there’s always room for chocolate in my stomach. If you want to keep the theme of Valentine’s Day going, stay tuned to the blog this week because I’ll be sharing my beloved chocolate peanut butter hearts.The Menu:
Baked Sweet Potato with Rosemary Brazil Nut Cheese & Veg
Chocolate Peanut Butter Hearts (coming soon)
Wine Pairing: Prosecco
