Valentine's Day Dinner

                        Valentine's Day Dinner

Salad: Celery Root and Beet Salad

I would recommend making this salad a day ahead.  It took me a little while. 

Serves 2-4   Takes about 2 3/4 hours total  about 45 min of prep time

3 medium beets, trimmed, leaving 1 inch of stems attached  (save the greens for sauteed greens)

1/2 lb celery root

Juice of 1 Meyer or regular lemon

1/4 cup minced shallots

1/8 cup coconut milk  (to save on calories use nonfat coconut milk; for a richer taste choose coconut milk with a higher fat content; canned coconut milk usually has a richer taste then carton coconut milk)

1/2 tsp no salt seasoning

1 tbs fresh ground pepper

 Options:  top with chopped walnuts and fresh chives and or parsley  Serve over Tender Ruby Red Greens or Red Leaf Lettuce

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Put oven rack in the middle of your oven.

Wrap the 3 beets in aluminum foil tightly and roast until tender about 1 1/4 hours.

While the Beets are roasting, peel the celery root with a sharp knife or vegetable peeler.  You can cut them into match sticks or use your food processor attachment to make rounds, shreds or any shape you would like.

Whisk together Lemon juice, minced shallots, coconut milk, no salt seasoning, and pepper and whisk until combined well.  Then add the celery root and mix together well.  Put aside.

Once the beets are roasted and cool enough to handle, remove the skins and stems.  Cut beets into match sticks or whatever shape you would like.  Then add to the celery root and mix well.  

Refrigerate overnight but let stand at room temperature for about 1 hour before serving.

When serving you can serve as a side dish or put over salad greens.  

(Note:  we thought adding a few Mandarin oranges would add to the flavor of this dish.  Also, save the beet green tops for cooking with the Red Chard side dish)

Main Dish: Mushrooms with Madeira Green Peppercorn Sauce and Capers

16 oz of  Baby Bella  mushroom, sliced

1/2 tbs fresh ground pepper more if you like it spicy

1/4 cup finely chopped shallots

2 tbs fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup Madeira wine

1/2 cup of vegetable broth demi-glace (see recipe below)

1 TBS green peppercorns

1/4 cup capers ( more or less depending on how much you like capers)

1/4 cup fresh tarragon

1/8 cup to 1/4 cup fresh curly parsley

2 cloves garlic minced

1/4 cup canned coconut milk

1. Use a small amount of  Madeira wine and/or vegetable broth to saute the garlic and shallots.  Saute over medium heat, stirring until golden brown, about 2 minutes or so.

2.  Add mushroom and continue cooking until the mushroom soften and lose their moisture.  

3.  Add more Madeira Wine, 2 tbs lemon juice and de-glaze skillet by boiling, stirring and scraping up any bits.  Continue until liquid is reduced by half,  this takes about 1 minute.  

4.  Add vegetable demi-glaze  and boil, stirring until sauce is slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

5.  Stir in peppercorns, capers, coconut milk and fresh parsley. 

to make vegetable demi-glaze:  

1/4 cup dry sherry

1/2 cup vegetable broth  + 3 Tbs

1 tbs of arrowroot powder

1 tbs Tahini

Dissolve 1 TBS  arrowroot powder in  3 TBS vegetable broth. 

In a small sauce pan heat 1/4 cup of Madeira wine and 1/2 cup vegetable broth until boiling.  Boil the broth and wine until reduced by half.  Then reduce heat and slowly add the arrowroot mixture very slowly until thickened.  Lightly boil for about 5 minutes whisking frequently.  

Serve over cauliflower "mashed potatoes" (see recipe below from Dr. Fuhrman)  or brown rice or regular white potatoes 

www.DrFuhrman.com

Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:
6 cups fresh or frozen cauliflower florets
4 cloves garlic, sliced
10 ounces fresh spinach
1/2 cup raw cashew butter
soy, almond or hemp milk, if needed to thin
2 tablespoons Dr. Fuhrman's VegiZest or other no-salt seasoning blend, adjusted to taste
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions:
Steam cauliflower and garlic about 8 to 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and press out as much water as possible in strainer.

Place spinach in steamer, steam until just wilted and set aside.

Process cauliflower, garlic, and cashew butter in a food processor until creamy and smooth. If necessary, add soy milk to adjust consistency
Add VegiZest and nutmeg. Mix in wilted spinach.

Side Dish: Red Chard with Oranges

Serves 4

2 shallots diced

2 cloves garlic, diced

2 bunches Red chard  or use 1 bunch Red Chard and your left over beet greens.

(remove the leaves from the stems and dice the stems, and chop the leaves)

1 organic orange, zested and juiced

Pinch of allspice

pinch of Ceylon cinnamon

2-4 tbs dry sherry

Saute the shallots, garlic and chard stems in 2 tbs of sherry, stir constantly.  Saute for about 3 to 5 minutes adding more sherry if necessary.  Next, add the orange juice and orange zest, cinnamon and all spice to the pan.  Then add 2 tbs of Sherry, the chard and beet green saute for about 3 more minutes to wilt the greens.  

serve

Drink: Fresh Watermelon and Cucumber Juice

serves 2

http://www.seriouseats.com/

16 oz. of fresh watermelon juice from about 6 cups of fresh watermelon

3/4 cu (6 oz) fresh cucumber juice from 1 large cucumber

1 1/2 tsp fresh mint juice from about 15 mint leaves

2 tbs (1 oz) fresh lime juice from 1 to 2 limes 

Put all ingredients through juicer or high speed blender

Dessert:  Strawberries with Chocolate Dip

1/2 cup coconut cream (just use the more solid part at the top of the can)

1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of cocoa

1/2 cup Medjool dates pitted and chopped use up to 1 cup for a sweeter dessert

1/3 cup macadamia or almond nuts

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup coconut milk

In a high speed blender add the medjool dates, macadamia nuts and coconut milk and blend until smooth.  

In a small sauce pan melt the coconut cream on low heat, when almost melted add the cocoa powder and the blended mixture.  Stir well.  When the mixture is all melted and very blended your chocolate dip is ready.

You can either serve the dip in small bowl with a side of fruit or you can dip your strawberries in the chocolate and refrigerate for a little while before serving.  Note: You can use any type of fruit

                        HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY