Healthy Romantic Date Menu

I’m not a big fan of going out on Valentine’s Day, as it is one of the most popular days of the year to go out, so most restaurants are packed. I personally think it is much more romantic to cook a delicious meal at home and eat after the kids are in bed. We might watch a movie, but we get to watch it in pajamas without the smell of fake butter and MSG. My husband dislikes Valentine’s Day anyway, so there are no complaints from him.

The following romantic date menu and recipes are some of our special occasion splurges, but even with premium ingredients, it is still much cheaper than eating out and going to a movie. Our menu this year:

Porterhouse Steaks with Balsamic Reduction Sauce, Grilled Cajun Shrimp, Roasted Cauliflower with Butter and Cheese, and a Spinach Salad with Homemade Dressing. For dessert, Fruit with homemade Chocolate Fondue.

How to Prepare the Perfect Romantic Meal

Ingredients (Shopping List)

Entree

2 grass-fed steaks – porterhouse, ribeye, or strip, or split one
12 wild-caught Gulf shrimp
4 TBSP butter, melted
spices of choice – salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning, or cayenne
½ cup balsamic vinegar

Side

1 head of cauliflower or 1 bag frozen
2 TBSP butter, melted
spices of choice – garlic, salt, pepper, herbs, etc.
4 ounces raw cheese, grated

Salad

small bag of organic spinach
homemade salad dressing (½ cup olive oil, 2 TBSP red wine vinegar, a squirt of dijon mustard, salt, pepper, oregano, marjoram, garlic to taste)

Dessert

strawberries, pineapple, raspberries, and clementines
¼ cup organic heavy whipping cream
1 dark chocolate bar 70% cocoa or higher, organic is best
1 TBSP Amaretto or Frangelico (optional)

Beverage

a bottle of nice wine or sparkling water with floating raspberries if you don’t drink

Instructions

Things you can do in advance: Set the table. Prepare salad and put into bowls with any desired vegetables or toppings and refrigerate until serving. Make salad dressing (just put ingredients for dressing into jar and shake until blended) and have ready with salad. Cut fruit and prepare on platter for fondue, keeping in refrigerator until after dinner.
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Cut cauliflower into large florets and coat evenly with melted butter and minced garlic, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and put into casserole dish and cover.
Put in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring once. Top with cheese for last 5 minutes. Turn off oven and leave in to stay warm if finished before steak.
Meanwhile, butter another casserole dish and place shrimp in a single layer. Drizzle with 4 TBSP of melted butter. Season with garlic, salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning or cayenne. Place in oven for 8-9 minutes total, flipping once halfway through. Remove from oven when done.
Once cauliflower and shrimp are in oven, season steak on both sides with a generous amount of sea salt and cracked pepper. Put onto preheated grill pan or skillet and grill 4-6 minutes. Flip and repeat on other side. Remove grill pan from heat and let steaks rest, covered loosely, for 12-15 minutes until they reach an internal temp of 130°F. Remove from pan and let rest at least another 5 minutes before serving.
Once steaks have been removed from skillet or grill pan, pour balsamic vinegar onto the pan (might need low heat) and let reduce for a couple minutes to deglaze the pan. Pour into small bowls for dipping.
Put steaks onto plate, side with cauliflower and shrimp. Keep balsamic reduction on side for dipping. Serve with salads and wine or sparkling water with raspberries.
After dinner, make the fondue (might need to digest a while first!) by heating heavy cream in a small pan until simmering. Turn heat off, and add chocolate bar (break into pieces as you go). Let sit 2 minutes, and whisk slowly to stir in chocolate. When chocolate is completely melted, add Amaretto or Frangelico if desired and serve with fondue forks (or regular forks) and cut fruit.
Enjoy a romantic dinner with the knowledge that you are giving your love the gift of health!

What is your ideal romantic date? Will you try this one? Talk to me below!