A heart-healthy Valentine

MANILA, Philippines - The very first time I remember going on a pseudo Valentine date was when I was in third year high school. I had dinner at Shakey’s with my best guy friend. Over a couple of root beers and a family size heart-shaped pizza, we commiserated with each other on our non-existent love lives. Silly as it was, the fact that it was Feb. 14 made us feel desperate to have someone to love.

I had to laugh when recently I saw a Facebook page called, “Valentine’s Day Is Another Way of  Saying Single Awareness Day.”

Even now that I’ve gotten married, this occasion still has that unique effect of making me feel anxious, like I should be planning something exciting and romantic. My friends tell me I’m not alone.

Year after year, we rack our brains thinking of new ways to celebrate. If you’re running out of ideas, on a budget or not too thrilled about the prospect of braving traffic or the crowds this year, maybe you’d like to try what I’m planning to do: Prepare a special dinner for two at home.

In celebration of the love month, I’ve asked my chef sister, Barni Alejandro-Rennebeck, to share with us recipes for an intimate Valentine dinner. Lifted from our health food catering business, The Sexy Chef’s latest vegan diet program Eat Clean Detox Plan, 350 Calorie Meals Menu and Event Catering Menu, these dishes are good for the heart, literally and figuratively.

Mediterranean Salad with Pine Nuts and Cranberries With Balsamic Dressing

(two servings)

3 cups romaine lettuce

¼ cup turnips, sliced into thin matchsticks

¼ cup carrots, sliced into thin matchsticks

¼ cucumber, sliced into thin matchsticks

2 tbsp. toasted pine nuts

2 tbsp. dried cranberries

Balsamic Dressing

¼ extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

salt, black pepper

1. Arrange the lettuce, turnips, carrots and cucumbers on a salad plate.

2. Sprinkle with dried cranberries and pine nuts.

3. Whisk all dressing ingredients together until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the salad.

Shrimp Alfredo

Good for two

240g. whole-wheat spaghetti, cooked

2 tsp. olive oil

100g. shrimp, peeled and tails removed

4 tsp. reduced fat butter or canola spread

4 tsp. onion, minced

2 tsp. garlic, minced

½ cup low-sodium chicken broth

¼ cup cream

2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

1 tbsp. flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Salt and black pepper to taste

1. In a non-stick pan with olive oil, sauteé the shrimp until half cooked. Remove from the pan and transfer to a plate

2. In the same pan, melt the butter and sauteé the onion and garlic until soft.

3. Add the broth, cream and parmesan cheese. Mix well.

4. Return the shrimps into the pan and let it finish cooking in the sauce.

5. Toss in the noodles and coat well.

6. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley.

Cookies and Cream Cheesecake

(Makes 1 3x3” mini cake)

Crust:

½ cup ground Murray Sugarfree Sandwich Cookies Chocolate/Oreo cookies

2 tbsp lite butter

Filling:

2 cups lite cream cheese

2 eggs

2 tbsp. maltitol syrup

½ cup isomalt F

2 tbsp. cornstarch

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tbsp. ground Murray Sugarfree Sandwich Cookies Chocolate/Oreo cookies

1. Heat oven to 350°F.

2. Mix ½ cup crushed cookies with butter; press onto bottom and sides of the two 3x3” springform pans.

3. Beat cream cheese, maltitol and isomalt in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add vanilla; mix well. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Stir in chopped cookies. Pour into crust.

4. Bake 55 min. to 1 hour or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing.

Refrigerate four hours.

Barni and I are thrilled that for almost a decade, our celebrity friends and other busy, figure-conscious Pinoys have turned to The Sexy Chef for healthy meals conveniently delivered to their doorsteps. We provide an easy solution for those seeking to shed pounds and maintain a healthy weight through proper nutrition but don’t have the time to prepare their own diet meals.

For our Valentine treat, those enrolling on our 14-day heart-healthy weight loss programs Sugar Buster and Fat Burn Diet plans will get free thermal lunch bags. Buy them as a pair (any two persons ordering together or purchasing two programs at once) and get two free massage gift certificates from Neo Spa. You may choose to reserve a Couples’ Room and enjoy them together with your loved one. Purchase dates are from Feb. 1 to 15 only but may be availed until Feb. 28.

For convenient, affordable healthy meal delivery, call The Sexy Chef at  0917-7992433 or 721-7399 or e-mail at [email protected]. To learn about our many different diet programs, visit www.thesexychef.ph