A Healthy Valentine’s Day Menu You’ll Fall In Love With

Who said the day of love had to be celebrated with chocolates? Nutritionist Kelly Healey has created a Healthy Valentine’s Day Menu sprinkled with touches of love-heart red, and featuring three dishes we’re absolutely crazy about!

RECIPE 1: ANCIENT GRAIN SALAD 

Kick off your healthy valentine’s day menu with a  delicious, nutty and highly nutritious salad. The star of this side is pomegranate. Often considered an aphrodisiac, this ruby-red fruit has been linked with temptation, fertility and sex. The belief stems from the myth that the first pomegranate tree was planted by Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess of sexual love.
Much like the historical story behind it, the grains of this salad also have ancient roots.However, they have been recreated into a contemporary dish that you’ll absolutely fall in love with. 

Serves: 2

Preparation time: 50 minutes

Ingredients 

130g farro, soaked for 30 minutes 

100g quinoa 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

250g haloumi, cut into thick slices 

1 × 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed 

1 bunch mint leaves, roughly chopped 

1 bunch coriander leaves, roughly chopped 

50g pistachios, chopped 

1 pomegranate, seeds extracted 

Dressing 

2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses 

zest and juice of 1 lemon 

80ml extra-virgin olive oil 

Method

1. Cook the farro and quinoa according to the packet instructions. Drain and leave to cool.
2. Add the dressing ingredients to a jar and shake to combine.
3. Heat the oil in a grill pan set over a medium heat. Add the haloumi and cook until nicely charred, about 2–3 minutes on each side, then transfer to a large serving bowl together with all the remaining ingredients.
4. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

RECIPE 2: Baked Ricotta & Spinach Cannelloni

The passionate Italians have given the world much to fall in love with (fashion! food! Every face – and body – of Dolce & Gabbana’s Light Blue Perfume!). 

So it’s unsurprising that an Italian Inspired dish would feature on Kelly Healey’s Healthy Valentine’s Day menu.

In this version, zucchini slices replace the traditional carb-laden pasta, but a rich red passata sauce means there’s no love (or flavour) lost here!

Serves: 2

Preparation time: 1 hour

Ingredients

4 zucchinis

200g baby spinach leaves

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

300g ricotta

1 garlic clove, grated

1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Passata

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 x 400g tin diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 small handful of basil leaves

Method

1. Using a mandoline or a very sharp knife, cut the zucchini lengthways into thick ribbons. Transfer to a large saucepan of boiling salted water and blanch for 1–2 minutes until soft, then refresh in a large bowl of iced water. Set aside.
2. For the passata, warm the olive oil in a small, ovenproof dish, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes until translucent. Add the diced tomatoes, sugar and basil leaves and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for a further 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
4. Meanwhile, make the stuffing. Add the spinach and oil to a saucepan set over a medium heat and cook until wilted, then remove from the pan and leave to drain on paper towel. Once cool, squeeze out any excess liquid, then transfer to a large bowl with the ricotta, garlic and chilli flakes and mix everything together well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. To make the cannelloni, take one zucchini ribbon and place a tablespoonful of the ricotta mixture at one end. Roll the zucchini up, then place this roll directly into the dish in which you made the sauce. Continue to roll zucchini ribbons until you have filled the dish, being sure to arrange the ribbons so that the ends are held in place by the adjoining rolls (it should be quite a tight fit once they are all in as this will help them to keep their shape).
6. Transfer the dish to the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the cannelloni is bubbling, and nice and golden brown.
7. Serve the dish at the table, using a spatula to gently lift out the individual zucchini rolls and divide them among plates, and spooning out any excess sauce to drizzle over the top. Serve with your favourite side salad.

* Perfect Pairing: Who needs roses when you can have rosé? The perfect plus one for this dish, is a bottle of La Chapelle Gordonne Tête de Cuvée Côtes de Provence Rosé.  Fairyfloss hued and finished with the flavours of sweet sorbet, this drink is made with sexy fruit notes such as raspberry, watermelon and lychee. 

RECIPE 3: Bircher Four Ways 

Whether you want to serve your loved one Breakfast in Bed, or a sweet treat to complete your meal, Kelly Healey’s Bircher Gour Ways makes is a perfect addition to your Healthy Valentine’s Day Menu It features known natural aphrodisiacs like cinnamon and vanilla, as well as a sprinkle of berries – perfect for topping or popping into your lover’s mouth !

Serves: 1

Preparation time: 5-10 minutes

Ingredients 

200g Greek yoghurt
3 tablespoons oats
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

Raspberry Bircher 

125g raspberries, plus extra to serve 

12 chopped almonds, to serve

Apple Bircher 

1 large apple, washed, peeled and cut into chunks 

6 chopped walnuts, to serve 

Mango and coconut Bircher 

1 mango, diced
2 medjool dates, diced
1 tablespoon coconut flakes 

Strawberry and blueberry Bircher 

75g strawberries 80g blueberries
1 tablespoon linseeds, to serve 

5. chopped Brazil nuts, to serve

Method
1.  For the raspberry Bircher, wash the raspberries well, then transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Pour the raspberry puree into a large bowl.

For the apple Bircher, cook the apple pieces in a saucepan in boiling water until soft.Drain and set aside to cool, then transfer to a blender and blitz to a smooth puree. Pour the apple puree into a large bowl. 

For the strawberry and blueberry Bircher, wash the strawberries and blueberries well, transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Pour the fruit puree into a large bowl.

For the mango and coconut Bircher, add the mango pieces to a blender and puree until smooth. Pour the mango puree into a large bowl. 

2.  Add the remaining ingredients to your chosen Bircher puree and stir together well, then pour the mix into serving bowls, cover and leave overnight (during which time the oats will soak up the fruit and yogurt). 

3.  When ready to eat, take out of the fridge and garnish with your chosen Bircher toppings. Serve cold or at room temperature. 

Kelly Healey is a Melbourne-based naturopath and nutritionist. With a Bachelor of Science in Natural Health Medicine and an Advanced Diploma in Nutrition, Kelly has lived and practised overseas, including Thailand and the UK where she was based for 13 years. Kelly moved back to Australia in 2018 where she now lives with her three children.

Specialising in women and children’s health, Kelly has helped thousands of people around the world meet their health goals with simple and effective lifestyle and dietary changes.

Eat for Life stockist: kelly-healey-naturopath.myshopify.com