Valentine’s Day often is celebrated with an elaborate meal including lavish steaks, sauces and desserts. But on a day symbolized by heart imagery, perhaps a better way to convey a feeling of love would be to prepare delicious lighter alternatives.
There are many ways to serve a special Valentine meal that are both delicious and easy to prepare while also being healthy, said Loretta Wojtan, a registered dietitian and nutritionist who is the manager of nutrition and food service at Palos Community Hospital in Tinley Park.
“Some of the key points of a heart-healthy diet is to limit the amount of saturated fats,” primarily in fatty meats, butter, lard, whole dairy and cheese, she said.
People can still enjoy steak, for example, but the cut of meat and the portion size are important, she said.
“A filet mignon is a wise choice, because it is already a small steak,” she said, adding that is quite lean.
Wojtan recommends preparation methods like baking, broiling and grilling because they require less oils and fats. An electric indoor grill is a great tool, she said, because it promotes lean cooking with easy cleanup, especially if the grill model has removable plates to put in the dishwasher.
Other lean meats include boneless, skinless chicken or turkey breast, and lean pork loin. Wojtan said pork tenderloin is one of her favorite meals to prepare at home because it is lean, takes about 40 minutes to bake at 350 degrees and is the right portion of food for two adults, she said. It can be marinated in a variety of ways, including a simple smear of Dijon mustard.
Fish, especially thicker steaks like Chilean sea bass, offer a melt-in-your-mouth flavor and texture that is not unlike a beef steak — only without the saturated fats. The American Heart Association recommends at least two servings of fish each week.
“Fish is a good source of protein, and unlike fatty meat products, it’s not high in saturated fat,” according to the American Heart Association website, www.heart.org. “Fish is also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids,” which benefit the heart.
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One of the more popular meals served at Palos Community Hospital is a spice-rubbed salmon, Wojtan said. She mixes a blend of coriander, paprika, ginger, cinnamon, cayenne and a little Kosher salt in a bowl. Then, first spraying the orange flesh side of the fish with a light olive oil, she rubs the spice blend on that side. Searing the fish in a skillet with a light coating of olive oil, she places the spiced side down into the pan for about four minutes to create “a nice brown crust,” she said. Then she turns it over for another three minutes, until the internal temperature is 145 degrees.
The spices are “not excessively hot,” and even if the salmon was previously frozen and had to be thawed, the spice blend makes the fish “pop” with flavor, she said.
At Dicola’s Seafood, 10754 S. Western Ave., in Chicago’s Beverly community, Geri Dicola said that although the shop’s offerings change according to what’s available, they have “lots of lobster tails, king crab legs and snow crab” for Valentine’s Day. They offer wild-caught shrimp that has “way more flavor and is better for you” than farm-raised shrimp, she said.
“The difference is monumental,” she said.
Her favorite marinade for many types of fish is sesame oil, tamari (a gluten-free Japanese soy sauce), orange juice, sesame seeds and fresh-grated ginger. After marinating the fish for a couple of hours, she then grills it quickly at a high temperature, she said. Good-quality fresh fish can be more flavorful than what is commonly available frozen and therefore requires less seasoning, oil, butter, batter or effort.
“I like my fish to taste like fish,” Dicola said, explaining that she very often simply sears it in a pan coated in olive oil, then finishes baking it in the oven.
Wojtan also said filling up with a creative salad with mixed greens and topped with flavored vinegars tends to reduce the hunger for more meat. Steamed vegetables sauteed in garlic and light olive oil, or sprinkled in lemon juice or fresh lemon zest, offer big flavor without the fats.
As with meat, healthy deserts are largely about portion control, Wojtan said. Baking chocolate bundt cakes in small, individual-sized pans predetermines the amount served, she said. Small cakes, made with dark chocolate and served with a strawberry sliced in a fan, can create a lovely Valentine’s desert, she said.
“Dark chocolate is good for the heart,” she said.
Another flavorful option is sliced strawberries soaked in Grand Marnier with a bit of sugar and lemon juice, then served in a goblet, she said. Desserts can be just as magnificent for a special occasion when they are heart-healthy, she said.
Erin Gallagher is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.