Valentine’s Day Recipes for Your Sweetheart

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching, and whether you’re looking forward to a romantic date night or an evening with friends, it’s a chance to spread some love.

It’s easy to get caught up in plans of a flashy date night and expensive gifts, but the truth is Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be extravagant to show someone how much you care. In fact, nothing says “I love you” like thoughtfully preparing a home-cooked meal. And what’s more romantic than a cozy date night in?

We’ve put together a list of 4 delicious Valentine’s Day recipes to help give you some inspiration. From morning to night, these mouth-watering meals are sure to win hearts this Love-Day. Treat your sweetheart, your friends, or yourself to something special this Valentine’s Day.

Fluffy Coconut Pancakes To Start the Day Off Right

Recipe By Ambitious Kitchen

Breakfast in bed, or breakfast of champions. Whatever your vibe this Valentine’s Day, start the day off right by treating your special someone to a yummy morning treat. We love these Fluffy Coconut Flour Pancakes from Ambitious Kitchen, topped with wild blueberry syrup. Bonus points for heart-shaped pancakes.

INGREDIENTS:
¼ cup Viva Naturals Coconut Flour
¼ tsp baking soda
2 tbsp your favorite natural nut butter of choice (peanut or almond butter work well)
2 eggs, slightly beaten
½ tbsp honey or maple syrup
½ medium very ripe banana, mashed (about 1/4 cup mashed banana)
¼ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, plus more if necessary
For the syrup:
⅔ cup wild organic blueberries
2 tbsp pure maple syrup

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl whisk together coconut flour and baking soda; set aside.
2. In a separate medium bowl, mix together the nut butter, eggs, honey, banana and almond milk together until smooth and well combined. Add wet ingredients to the flour mixture and mix together. Note: If you find that the batter is WAY too thick (almost paste-like), you can add in a teaspoon or two of milk until it is smooth, but still THICK. It will be like a thick brownie batter.
3. Lightly coat a large nonstick skillet or griddle with butter or Viva Naturals Organic Coconut Oil and place over medium low heat (coconut flour is sensitive to burning so medium-low heat is best). Drop about 3 tablespoons of the batter onto the skillet; you may need to use a spoon to spread out the batter just a tiny bit. It's important not to place more than 3 tablespoons of batter at a time; the pancakes can be hard to flip if they are too large, so smaller pancakes are best. Plus mini pancakes are adorable, duh. It's very important to cook until bubbles appear on top and the edges are well cooked.
4. Flip cakes and cook until golden brown on underside, 2 minutes. If you find that the pancakes are browning too quickly then you need to lower your skillet heat a bit. Wipe the skillet clean and repeat with more melted butter or Viva Naturals Organic Coconut Oil and remaining batter. Makes 2 servings, 3 pancakes each.
5. To make the syrup, place maple syrup and blueberries in a saucepan over medium heat. Wait until mixture begins to simmer and boil, and stir every few minutes.
6. Once mixture begins to breakdown and blueberries cook down, about 5 minutes, remove from heat and serve warm over pancakes immediately.

Sweet Strawberry Ricotta Bruschetta For An Early Evening Bite

Recipe By Taste of Home

Slightly sweet and refreshing, this creamy ricotta bruschetta is topped with heart-shaped strawberries. Enjoy this quick and delicious nibble before your romantic Valentine's Day main dish, or bring it along for the girl’s night potluck. However you’re spending your V-Day, this fresh and fruity appetizer is sure to win hearts.

INGREDIENTS
24 slices French bread baguette (1/2 inch thick)
3 tbsp butter, melted
3 cups fresh strawberries, chopped
3 tbsp minced fresh mint
3 tbsp honey
½ cup ricotta cheese
2 tbsp seedless strawberry jam
1-1/2 tsp grated lemon zest

DIRECTIONS

1. Brush bread slices with butter; place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375°F for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the strawberries, mint and honey; set aside. In another bowl, combine the ricotta, jam and lemon zest. Spread ricotta mixture over toast; top with strawberry mixture.

Mouth-Watering Creamy Mushroom Pasta For the Main Event

Recipe by Andy Baraghani at Epicurious

Nothing says “I love you” like a bowl of creamy, savory pasta. This Valentine’s Day, show your sweetheart how much you care by making them this mouth-watering Mushroom Spaghetti dish from Epicurious. With a mix of flavor-packed mushrooms, zesty lemon, and decadent cream, this is the perfect pick for your romantic at-home Valentine’s Day date.

INGREDIENTS:
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb mixed mushrooms (such as maitake, oyster, crimini, and/or shiitake), torn into bite-size pieces
Kosher salt
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
1 lb spaghetti or bucatini
½ cup heavy cream
Zest and juice of ½ lemon
⅓ cup finely chopped parsley
2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
½ oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about ½ cup), plus more for serving
Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pot over medium-high. Cook half of the mushrooms in a single layer, undisturbed, until edges are brown and starting to crisp, about 3 minutes. Give mushrooms a toss and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until all sides are brown and crisp, about 5 minutes more. Using a slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to a plate; season with salt. Repeat with remaining 2 tbsp oil and mushrooms and more salt.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low and return all of the mushrooms to the pot. Add shallots and cook, stirring often, until shallots are translucent and softened, about 2 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions.
4. Using tongs, transfer pasta to pot with mushrooms and add cream and 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Increase heat to medium, bring to a simmer, and cook, tossing constantly, until pasta is al dente and liquid is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
5. Remove pot from heat. Add lemon zest and juice, parsley, butter, ½ oz. Parmesan, and lots of pepper and toss to combine. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
6. Divide pasta among bowls and top with more Parmesan.

Chocolate Fondue Bar for a Delectable Dessert

Recipe By Mel at Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Of course, it wouldn’t be Valentine’s Day without a sweet treat. To cap off a day of delicious eats, we recommend a classic chocolate fondue for your Valentine’s Day date night. Whip up this sweet chocolatey sauce and make a fondue bar, complete with fruit, cookies, and Rice Krispies® marshmallow squares for dipping.

INGREDIENTS
10 oz (283 g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped 
⅓ cup milk
⅓ cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract, see note for other variations
Lots of dipping options, strawberries, bananas, small Rice Krispies® marshmallow squares, vanilla cookies, etc.

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a saucepan, combine the chocolate, milk and cream and heat on low, stirring often, until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Don’t let it come to a boil; keep it on low heat.
2. Once melted, stir in the vanilla extract. If needed, stir in heavy cream or milk a tablespoon at a time to adjust for a thinner consistency. Pour the mixture into a fondue pot or small slow cooker to keep warm while serving.
3. Serve with dippers of your choice. We love: marshmallows, vanilla cookies, strawberries, Rice Krispies® marshmallow treats cut in little squares, bananas.
4. Any extra chocolate leftovers will keep well in the refrigerator – just reheat on low to have yourself another chocolate fondue experience.

Whether you’re looking for dishes to cook for your sweetheart, your friends, or yourself this Valentine’s Day, these recipes are sure to win hearts. Fancy dinners and restaurant date nights are nice, but nothing says “I love you” like the care and dedication it takes to make someone a home-cooked meal.