6 Ridiculously Easy Meal Ideas for Valentine’s Day: Low Calorie Chocolate Cake, Charcuterie Boards and More
Written by Hannah Abdulla, RD
Whether it is date night, singles night or solo night you will need some special treats for Valentines Day. Our team has compiled a list of some of our favorite drink, dessert and appetizer recipes just for you. Check them out and let us know what you think!
Credit: inspire_creare
Cheese Fondue with Veggies
Trust us, we are all for chocolate on Valentine’s day. But, we also like to make sure we are getting adequate nutrients on our favorite holidays and that means eating some veggies too. This Cheese Fondue with Veggies recipe by WellPlated is delish! We like to slice carrots, radishes, broccoli and even apples to dip in our fondue.
Valentine’s Day Charcuterie Board
If you are a frequent reader of the recipe posts on our blog you probably know by now that we are going to mention produce and protein. This recipe includes both! Over here at TMN, we are obsessed with charcuterie boards. They are fun, easy, and versatile. We also love that you can add healthy fats like nuts, produce like fresh berries or sliced apples, and sliced meats and cheeses so we can get in a bit of protein. Check out this recipe to see how to make a Valentine's Day themed charcuterie board.
Caprese Phyllo Cups
Okay, one more appetizer and we will get on to the chocolate recipes. We love this appetizer because it is easy to throw together with minimal ingredients. Not to mention, who doesn’t love a caprese salad?! This recipe is technically a no-bake recipe and the ingredients are chilled. We recommend tossing them in the oven a bit to warm the tomato and melt the mozzarella!
Now for the chocolate! Valentine's Day may be a hyped up holiday for couples, but sometimes we are solo and need a dessert for one. We like this recipe because it offers several substitutions. The blogger mentions swapping the oil for applesauce if you’re looking for a low calorie dessert. The blogger also allows you to use the milk of your choice, so our vegan clients may try oat milk or soy milk instead of cow's milk.
Fruit Kabobs with Chocolate Drizzle
At TMN we try to share recipes that we think our readers and clients will like. However, a lot of our clients are moms so we try to post things their kiddos will eat too. If our mom-clients can make one nutritious recipe for the entire family, it makes life a bit easier for them and they are better able to meet their goals. With that said, are these not the cutest kabobs ever, or what? This recipe does not include the chocolate drizzle, we decided to throw that in because everything's better with chocolate. We recommend buying the Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Melts and lightly drizzling it over the skewers once they are assembled.
Strawberry Cocktail (With or Without Alcohol)
No holiday is complete without a festive drink in hand. We are loving the versatility of this beverage and how it can be made with or without alcohol. For a spiked beverage, follow the recipe as listed. For a spirit-free beverage simply omit the vodka and add extra seltzer. To make this drink even more flavorful, opt for a strawberry seltzer instead of the plain.
About the Author
Hannah Abdulla BS, RD
Contributing Writer
Hannah is a Raleigh, NC-based Registered Dietitian and is currently working towards her MS in Nutrition Science from Meredith College.
She enjoys writing about fad diets and adding fun recipes to the blog. If she’s not studying or keeping up with her family, she’s trying out new local restaurants downtown. Catch more of her on The Millennial Nutritionist Podcast.