Valentine’s Day Dinner for 2

If you need some ideas for a special dinner with your sweetheart, Registered Dietician Sarah Montgomery has just the thing. From the shopping list to the sides and dessert, everything you need for a delicious healthy meal is here.

Menu

Appetizer – Strawberry Bruschetta

Main - Skillet Lemon Chicken with Spinach

Side 1- Roasted Broccoli

Side 2 – Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts

Dessert – Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

Shopping List

Produce

• 1 lb. strawberries
• 1 small container of fresh basil
• 1 bell pepper
• 1 head of garlic
• 1 lemon
• 1 bag of baby spinach
• 1 head of broccoli or 1 bag of brussels sprouts

Pantry

• Olive oil
• Honey
• Balsamic vinegar
• Cornstarch
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Vanilla extract
• 1 small bag powdered sugar
• Salt
• Pepper

Bakery

• 1 baguette

Dairy

• 2 ounces fresh goat cheese, ricotta, or burrata
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese
• 2 ounces cream cheese

Meat

• ½ lb. boneless, skinless, chicken thighs or breast

Other

• 1 bottle dry white wine
• 1 small box of graham crackers (or premade graham cracker crumbs)

Appetizer

Strawberry Bruschetta: Prep time 10 minutes

Ingredients

For the baguettes -

• ½ baguette, sliced into ½ inch thick pieces
• 1 tbsp olive oil

For the bruschetta -

• ½ lb strawberries, washed, trimmed, and diced
• ½ tbsp olive oil
• ½ tbsp honey
• ½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 ounces of fresh goat cheese, ricotta, or burrata depending on your preference
• ¼ cup fresh basil washed and sliced into ribbons
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F
2. Line up the baguette slices on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil
3. Bake for 8-10 minutes until lightly browned
4. While the baguette is baking, combine the strawberries, olive oil, honey, balsamic vinegar in a medium bowl and stir until combined
5. Smear your cheese of choice on the baguette slices, then top with the strawberry mixture. Finally, add the basil ribbons to the top of each slice. Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy

Main

Skillet Lemon Chicken with Spinach: Prep time 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ lb. boneless, skinless, chicken thighs or breast cut into bite-sized pieces
• ½ cup diced red bell pepper
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2-4 cloves minced garlic
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• ½ teaspoon cornstarch
• ½ medium lemon, zested and juiced
• 5 cups lightly packed baby spinach
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the chicken, bell pepper, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally until the chicken is just cooked, about 7-10 minutes.
2. While the chicken is cooking, whisk together the cornstarch and wine in a medium bowl
3. Add the garlic to the pan once the chicken is just cooked through. When the garlic is fragrant, add the cornstarch and wine mixture, then the lemon zest and juice to the pan. Bring to a simmer.
4. Once simmering, add the spinach in by the handful and stir, cooking until wilted (about 2 minutes).
5. Plate, and top with the grated parmesan

Sides

Roasted Broccoli: Prep time 5 minutes

Cook time 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. broccoli
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F, while the oven is heating wash the broccoli and cut it into bites
2. Spread the broccoli out on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper and drizzle with oil and add salt and pepper to taste
3. Mix the broccoli around on the sheet until evenly coated then roast for about 20 minutes (remove from the oven when the broccoli is your desired level of roasted)

Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts: Prep time 10 minutes

Cook time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. brussels sprouts
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp onion powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Wash and dry the brussels sprouts, cut off the dry ends, and cut the brussels sprouts in half
2. Add the brussels sprouts to a bowl and coat with olive oil and sprinkle on the garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper
3. Toss the brussels sprouts into the air fryer at 360 F and cook for about 9 minutes, tossing them halfway through (take out at your desired level of brownness)

Dessert

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries: Prep time 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 10-15 strawberries, washed, with the ends cut off, and slightly hallowed out
• 2 ounces cream cheese (can be whipped or regular)
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar
• 2 sheets graham crackers, crumbled (or premade graham cracker crumbs)

Instructions

1. Wash, dry, cut the end off, and hallow out (slightly) the strawberries
2. In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar and mix until well combined (can whip if desired for a lighter filling)
3. Spoon or pipe the cream cheese filling into the strawberries until full
4. Crumble the graham cracker in a bag, and place the crumbles onto a plate
5. Dip the strawberry tops in the graham cracker crumbs
6. Serve!

Special thanks to the experts below for sharing their recipes.

Appetizer – strawberry bruschetta Strawberry Basil Bruschetta - The Healthy Epicurean

Main - skillet lemon chicken with spinach Skillet Lemon Chicken with Spinach (eatingwell.com)

Side 1- roasted broccoli Perfect Oven Roasted Broccoli - Budget Bytes

Side 2 – air fryer brussels sprouts Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts - Budget Bytes

Dessert – cheesecake stuffed strawberries Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries - I Heart Vegetables