VALENTINE'S DINNER . . . FOR FOUR

I can't remember the last time my husband and I went out for Valentine's Day. I think it was an early seating at some popular place more than 10 years ago. They'd clearly brought in extra tables and I was closer to the person next to me on the banquette than my husband across the table. So much for romance.

So now I prefer dinner at home with my best men. Purely for my own enjoyment I set the table with my china, linens, and the red dishes my Grandma gave me, make something special that everyone loves, and light the candles. We have a lovely time together eating and giving gifts (from me to the boys, from all the boys to me). For about 20 minutes. And then its time for swimming lessons. Ahh, the romance.

I like to think I'm inspiring my boys to create traditions with their families someday. That doing something special and doing it every year will sink in. That maybe they will be the occasion-creators in their families. If nothing else, I hope they will learn it is a joy to do things for others.

Owen's Valentine's Day dinner request was Diablo Shrimp, his all-time favorite meal and my good friend Heidi's creation. With a bit of post-heart-attack modification, it's a special treat for all of us.

Happy Heart Day! Please do what you need to keep your heart healthy so you can share your life with those you love.

Heidi's Diablo Shrimp

1/4 cup olive oil (Heidi's original recipe is 1/2 cup butter, which I assure you is divine. But olive oil is good too and the way it must be around here)
1 tbsp. garlic, minced (must be fresh, do not cheat and use jarred like I often advise)
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 cup white wine (Pinot Grigio being my white of choice!)
1 lb. peeled devined uncooked shrimp (my boys love shrimp so much I often use 1.5 lbs.)
1 lb. linguini
thin slices of lemon
5 oz. fresh baby spinach
parmesan cheese

Combine olive oil/butter, garlic, and cayenne. Cook until garlic is soft. Add wine and cook until reduced by half. Allow to cool a little. Cook pasta in the meantime and reserve some pasta water in case you need to thin the sauce.

Return oil and garlic to the heat and add the shrimp. Cook until nearly opaque, then add the spinach. Cook until heated through and wilted. Serve over the pasta with lemon slices and parmesan.

RECIPE: SPICY PEANUT SESAME NOODLES

Adapted from the Joy of Cooking
Serves 4-6

2 cups peanut butter (creamy, chunky, your choice)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup rice vinegar
2 tbsp. garlic puree or equivalent roughly chopped fresh garlic
3 serrano peppers, cut into pieces (more or less to your spice preference)
3 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil (divided)
2 tbsp. chili oil
1 cup brewed black tea
1 lb. lo mein or spaghetti noodles
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into thin strips
Chopped cilantro

Start the pasta water. Blend peanut butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, peppers, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Scrape into a bowl and stir in 1/2 cup sesame oil, chili oil, and tea. Drain pasta, toss with 2 tsp. oil, and place in a large, shallow pasta bowl. Top with sauce and toss. Garnish with cucumber and cilantro.

We are having this with steamed broccoli on the side.

RECIPE: PESTO WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES

This is my invention, combining the Light and Tasty Pesto from the American Heart Association cookbook, with a roasted vegetable preparation from a Real Simple dish I made last week. Serves 6.

Pesto Sauce

4 ounces fresh spinach leaves
1/2 cup firmly packed basil leaves (jam as many in there as you can, you want lots!)
1/2 cup firmly packed fresh parsley
1/4 chicken or vegetable stock (I used chicken stock for its almost-non-flavor. Veggie stock sometimes tastes pretty strong. Experiment and see what you like.)
2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted in your oven for a few minutes at 350
1/4 cup grated or shredded good parmesan
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, smashed
Salt and pepper to taste

Roasted Vegetables

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
2 sprigs thyme
a few grinds black pepper
veggies of your choice: I'm using red bell peppers, artichoke hearts, red onion, and cremini mushrooms
2 tsp. red wine vinegar

To make the sauce:
Put everything but the salt and pepper in your food processor and whirl until smooth. If the pesto is too thick (which would be surprising), add some more stock or water 1 tbsp at a time.

To roast the veggies:

Place the mushrooms on a rimmed baking sheet and everything else on another rimmed sheet. (You don't want these together because the mushrooms release too much liquid.) Toss each with 1/2 tablespoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, a sprig of thyme, and a few grinds of black pepper. Roast, rotating the sheets once, until tender and a little bit browned, 13 to 15 minutes. Drizzle with the vinegar and toss gently.

Toss sauce and veggies together with hot cooked linguine.

RECIPE: PAPPARDELLE WITH GOAT CHEESE AND ONIONS

Real Simple photo. Click to see original recipe.

This pasta will cure whatever ails you. 

12 ounces pappardelle or fettuccine

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, sliced

2 bunches Swiss chard, stems discarded and leaves cut into 1-inch strips*

kosher salt and black pepper

4 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water; drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chard and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, tossing frequently, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes more.

Add the chard mixture, 3 ounces of the goat cheese, ¾ cup of the reserved cooking water, and ½ teaspoon salt to the pasta and toss until the goat cheese melts and coats the pasta (add more cooking water if the pasta seems dry). Serve sprinkled with the remaining ounce of goat cheese.

* My store was out of chard each time I made this, so the first time I used baby spinach (making the recipe even faster - open package, dump in pan) and the second time I used kale. Both yummy.

Calories 419; Fat 13g; Sat Fat 5g; Cholesterol 13mg; Sodium 765mg; Protein 18g; Carbohydrate 57g; Sugar 3g; Fiber 7g; Iron 7mg; Calcium 140mg

RECIPE: RIGATONI WITH CAULIFLOWER AND SPINACH

This is adapted from a recipe I saw made on Guy Fieri's show on Food Network. Every time I go to Exercare (for phase III of cardiac rehab), Food Network is playing on the TVs. This is amusing to me, as I've watched demonstrations of gruyere-bacon-potato tortes, ground pork lau lau, and all manner of desserts, sauces, and roasts that I can't eat. But this one looked like it was healthy and tasty, and it was. Thanks Guy.

Serves 8

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets*

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon sliced garlic

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock

1 bunch fresh spinach (about 3 cups)

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (best quality)

3 tablespoons capers, with 1 tablespoon juice

1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

1 pound rigatoni

Bring a large stock pot of water to a boil over medium heat, then add the cauliflower. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saute pan, and saute the garlic and red pepper flakes for 1 minute. Remove the cauliflower from water with a large strainer and add it to the pan with the garlic-red pepper mixture. Saute until starting to brown (it took mine about 10 minutes). Deglaze the pan with the stock, add in the spinach, cover and let wilt for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and capers with juice and reduce the heat. Remove the cover and let simmer for 5 minutes.

Return the cauliflower water to boil, adding more water, if necessary, to cook the pasta. Add the pasta add cook to al dente. Remove the pasta from the water and add it to the pan with the sauce, adding a little pasta water, if needed.** Serve immediately with a little parmesan cheese, if desired.

* Before you dismiss this recipe because you don't like cauliflower, know that pan-roasted cauliflower like this is nutty, sweet, and perfectly tender-crunchy. Absolutely delicious. Trust me on this one.

** To facilitate freezing the leftover sauce separately, just add a little more stock to your sauce to make it saucier, and then sauce each plate of pasta individually instead of tossing all together. One serving of sauce has just 83 calories, 3.5 grams of total fat, and 0.5 saturated.

RECIPE: EGGPLANT MARINARA

There's a lot awesome about this recipe, including that its made in your slow cooker, features more shopping than chopping, and has literally no fat (unless you garnish with the optional olives and cheese). It also tastes really light and fresh and yummy.

Serves 6-8

1 medium eggplant, peeled and chopped into 1-2 inch dice

1 medium onion, chopped

28 oz. can diced Italian-style tomatoes (with juice)

6 oz. can tomato paste

4 oz. can sliced mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup dry red wine

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

a few grinds of black pepper

2 tbsp. chopped parsley

sliced black olives and parmesan cheese, for garnish if desired

Put everything except the parsley, olives, and cheese in the slow cooker and stir. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for about 4 hours. Blend to desired consistency with immersion blender (or remove to a blender, but let it cool a bit first), or leave chunky if you like your sauce that way. I blended to avoid questions about what was in it! Add parsley and taste to correct seasonings. Serve over pasta with black olives and cheese on top.

RECIPE: KALE RED PEPPER PESTO

This is a new recipe, modified from one I found on the very cool blog Eating Rules. I tried it out with pasta for lunch today with my friend Kate. We decided it was a winner.

1/2 cup walnuts, roasted

1 medium red bell pepper, roasted (or 4-5 pieces of jarred roasted red peppers)

3 tbsp olive oil

2-4 large cloves garlic, roasted

4 cups packed green kale (about 1/2 bunch)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

To roast the garlic: Peel the outermost layers of a large garlic bulb and wash the bulb. Place on a square of tin foil and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap up an droast in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes to an hour, or until very soft. Save the rest of the roasted garlic for another recipe, or spread it on bread and eat it up with your dinner! You can skip this step and use fresh garlic, but your pesto will be much more strongly garlic flavored with a bite. Roasting mellows it alot.

To roast the walnuts: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and spread the nuts evenly in a small pan, like a cake or pie pan. Roast until the nuts look a bit oily and are very aromatic, about 4 minutes. Set aside to cool.

To roast the pepper: Place it directly on top of a high flame on the stove and let it cook for a few minutes. You’ll hear it crackle as the skin begins to char. Use metal kitchen tongs to turn the pepper as each side chars. It should be mostly, but not completely black. Then place the pepper in a ziploc and let steam for at least 5 minutes, or until cool enough to handle. Cut the pepper into a few pieces and remove the white membranes and seeds. Set aside.

Wash, dry, and remove any tough stems from the kale.

In a food processor, make the pesto by blending the kale with the roasted pecans, roasted pepper, and roasted garlic. Once it’s smooth, gradually pour in the olive oil and blend until it’s fully incorporated. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

To serve on pasta I used about 2/3s of this batch of pesto and 1/2 cup warmed chicken stock to toss with my cooked spaghetti. I added diced fresh tomatoes, and red pepper flakes (I find there are few recipes not improved by red pepper!), added more salt and pepper, and served with parmesan. This made about 4 servings. I froze the rest in cubes. I think they'll be a great addition to a soup or sauce for potatoes or cauliflower. Since there is no cheese in this pesto, it is not at all sticky.

RECIPE: KALE PUTTANESCA

Spicy, saucy, and bold, just like puttanesca should be. I first tried this recipe during our vegetarian experiment last winter (I left out the anchovy paste then, but I think it is a good addition if you eat fish.)

Kale Puttanesca
Serves 4

8 oz. whole wheat spaghetti
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 large onion, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic (or 1 tsp garlic puree in a jar)
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tbsp capers
1/2 tsp anchovy paste
14 oz. can petite diced tomatoes, and their juice
3 cups coarsely chopped kale (or as much as you like)
1/2 cup slivered fresh basil leaves
4 oz. can sliced black olives, drained
Black pepper to taste

While pasta water is heating and pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook and stir until onion has softened and is beginning to turn golden brown, about 5 minutes. (I found it necessary to add a little stock to keep the garlic from burning while the onions carmelized; it also speeds up the caramelization a bit.)

Stir in capers, anchovy paste (if using) and diced tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Add kale and basil; simmer over medium-low heat until kale is wilted and tender, about 10 minutes. Add olives and turn off the heat until your pasta is done.

Drain pasta and place in pasta bowl. Pour sauce over the pasta and toss. Top with parmesan if desired.

If you really want to up your superfood score, add a 6 oz. can of tuna to the sauce with the tomatoes. 

RECIPE: TURKEY MEATBALLS IN SPICY MARINARA

This is from Ellie Krieger's book "The Food You Crave," and also found on Food Network.

For the meatballs:

1 pound ground turkey meat

1 slice fresh whole-wheat bread, crusts removed, pulsed into crumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

1/2 cup finely grated carrot

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 large cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves

1 egg, lightly beaten (I used 1/4 cup Egg Beaters)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 (28-ounce) can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes, liquid included

1 teaspoon finely minced canned chipotles in adobo sauce, or more to taste (I actually used less, for mass appeal)

2 teaspoons chopped oregano leaves

1 sprig fresh rosemary

Salt

1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves

First, make the meatballs. Mix all ingredients together and form into 2.5 inch meatballs (this is is a big meatball!). Bake at 350 for about 10-15 minutes until lightly browned on the outside and nearly cooked through (but not all the way).

While the meatballs are baking, make the sauce. Saute the onion in the olive oil until translucent (about 3 minutes) then add the garlic and cook one more minute. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, chipotles, oregano, rosemary, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until thickened. Add the basil and correct seasonings to taste. (I also blended the sauce a bit with my immersion blender, because I like marinara sauce to be smooth and all ingredients of even size, not chunky. But that's up to you!)

Add the almost-done meatballs to the sauce and simmer another 10 minutes until meatballs are completely cooked and have soaked up some of the sauce.

Serve over whole wheat pasta (I'm partial to Barilla Pasta Plus) with some parmesan on top. A serving is 1 1/3 cups pasta and sauce, and 2 big meatballs. You will be full. Total fat 10.5 grams, saturated 3 grams.

RECIPE: MUSHROOM AND RED WINE SAUCE

Best over papparadelle, fettucini, or rigatoni, this sauce recipe is from the Joy of Cooking. I also think it would be great over chicken, or of course, a steak.

I was just reading through recipes, looking for a different kind of pasta sauce, and noticed that these ingredients mean it is easily heart-healthy. This one takes a while - give yourself a good hour plus to finish it. Not really an after-work, weeknight meal!

1 1/2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, minced
Zest of 1/2 lemon
4 fresh sage leaves, chopped small
8 ounces mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (I used some regular button and some baby portobellos)
1 clove garlic, mincd
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup chicken (or vegetable stock if you are vegetarian, though I'd try to find a mushroom stock if you can; the advantage of chicken stock is its nearly non-flavor)
Salt and pepper to taste

Soak the mushrooms in 1 1/2 cups of hot water for at least 20 minutes. Scoop out the mushrooms (don't dump the soaking water!) and rinse and drain. Set aside. Strain the soaking water in a colander lined with paper towels and reserve.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, lemon zest, and sage and cook until the onions are soft. Add the porcinis and the fresh mushrooms, and increase the heat to high. Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are golden brown (its okay if some are stuck to the pan). Add the garlic and cook one more minute. Add the soaking liquid and bring to a fast simmer. Reduce until the mushrooms are glazed. Add the wine and reduce again to a glaze. Add the chicken stock, salt, and pepper and serve over pasta with parmesan.

If this serves 4 people, I estimate 7 grams total fat, only 1 saturated (not counting the little bit in the parmesan).

RECIPE: LIGHT AND TASTY PESTO

Pesto, light? Pesto, reheatable? Pesto that holds at a buffet party without getting sticky? I would not have believed it if I hadn't made this, twice. This is from my new American Heart Association Cookbook. Their name for it is Perfect Pesto, and it kinda is.

Serves 6

4 ounces fresh spinach leaves
1/2 cup firmly packed basil leaves (jam as many in there as you can, you want lots!)
1/2 cup firmly packed fresh parsley
1/4 chicken or vegetable stock (I used chicken stock for its almost-non-flavor. Veggie stock sometimes tastes pretty strong. Experiment and see what you like.)
2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted in your oven for a few minutes at 350
1/4 cup grated or shredded good parmesan
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, smashed
Salt and pepper to taste

Put everything but the salt and pepper in your food processor and whirl until smooth. If the pesto is too thick (which would be surprising), add some more stock or water 1 tbsp at a time.

Taste and correct the seasonings. Serve tossed with hot pasta and some more parmesan on top; red pepper flakes are also good. You could also add some cooked chicken or shrimp to make a heartier meal, and diced fresh tomatoes on top are pretty, tasty, and add more nutrition. Total fat just 5.5 grams; only 1 saturated.

RECIPE: LIGHTER MAC & CHEESE

From Cooking Light Magazine

Serves 8

Sounds weird, is good. Trust me. The sweet nuttiness of the squash combines with the salty, tangy cheeses to create a great approximation of cheddar Bechamel, but with only 6 grams of saturated fat for a really generous serving (vs. 36 grams for the real stuff). I've had other squash mac-and-cheese dishes and this one is the best one I've tasted so far.

3 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about a 1 lb. squash)

1 1/4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 cups skim milk

2 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons fat-free Greek yogurt

5 ounces shredded Gruyère cheese

4 ounces grated pecorino Romano cheese

1 ounce finely grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1 pound uncooked cavatappi

Cooking spray

1 teaspoon olive oil*

1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
 

Combine squash, broth, milk, and garlic in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat. Place the hot squash mixture in a blender and add salt, pepper, and Greek yogurt. Remove the center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape) and place a towel over the opening. Blend until smooth.

Preheat oven to 375°. Place blended squash mixture in a bowl; stir in Gruyère, pecorino Romano, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir until combined. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well. Add pasta to squash mixture, and stir until combined. Spread mixture evenly into a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine oil and breadcrumbs and sprinkle evenly over the pasta. Lightly coat topping with cooking spray. Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley.

*Next time I make this I'm going to try half olive oil, half truffle oil.

RECIPE: ROASTED TOMATO SPAGHETTI

Serves 4 hearty eaters, with a bit left for you for lunch the next day
Adapted from Real Simple magazine

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped red onion
1 tsp crushed garlic (from a jar)
1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives (about 12)
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
28-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes with juice
kosher salt and black pepper
1 pound spaghetti (I use Barilla Pasta Plus, for more protein and omega-3s.)
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Heat oven to 450° F. 2. In a large ovenproof skillet or baking pan over low heat, combine the oil, onion, garlic, olives, anchovy paste, crushed red pepper, and oregano.

Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, for two minutes. Remove from heat, pour the tomatoes over the top, and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Transfer to oven and roast for 20 minutes until the sauce is hot and bubbly and the onions are soft. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti according to the package directions.

Transfer the roasted tomato mixture to a food processor or blender and pulse once or twice to your desired consistency.Toss with the spaghetti and parsley. 

Variation I'm going to try: This robust sauce, similar to puttanesca, would stand up well to tuna. I'm going to add some next time to get in another fish serving and up the omega-3s even more. 

Nutritional Information

Calories   639 ;   Calories From Fat   141 ;   Fat   16g ;   Sat Fat   2g ;   Cholesterol   0mg ;   Sodium   853mg ;   Protein   19g ;   Carbohydrate   105g ;   Sugar   15g ;   Fiber   8g ;   Iron   5mg ;   Calcium   114mg