Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and you want to do something different than taking the love of your life to a fancy restaurant or ordering a take-out. Plus, it’s a Monday, so you will probably be tired after a long day at work and may not have time to whip up an elaborate menu.
What if you have an option to spread a fancy 7-Course Valentine Menu in an hour or two? Some of these dishes can be prepared a day before or picked from your pantry and fridge to assemble. The Valentine Special Gourmet Spread is hearty, healthy, and crafted with love.
All you need to do is set up a table with fresh flowers, scented candles, decorate the place with balloons and streamers, bring out your finest cutlery, dim the lights, put on some romantic music, dress your best, and get ready for a fine-dine experience.
Let’s Start the Journey of Love...
Course 1 - Interesting Hors d’oeuvres
Arrange a Charcuterie Board or a Cheeseboard with sliced strawberries, a variety of cheese, crackers, olives, baked nachos, chips, toast, and Guacamole or your favourite dip.
You can quickly assemble Mini Heart Sandwiches by cutting brown bread in heart shape and filling it with cream cheese, cucumber, and seasoning. Garnish with a slice of olive or a sprig of mint.
Course 2 - Steaming Hot Soup
A piping hot bowl of Herbed Pumpkin Soup or Basil Tomato Soup is perfect for adding warmth on a chilly February evening.
Herbed Pumpkin Soup takes about 20 minutes to make. You will need 2 cups pumpkin puree, ½ cup chopped onions, 2 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp minced garlic, ½ tsp ground cloves, ½ tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp ginger powder, 1 tsp basil powder, seasoning, and garnish. Heat olive oil in a pan, saute garlic, onion, pumpkin puree. Add all the other ingredients, simmer for a while, season, garnish, and serve.
Click here for the Basil Tomato soup recipe.
Course 3 - Hearty Appetizer
Pistachio, Feta, and Pomegranate Crostini can add a perfect salty, nutty, and sweet touch to your Valentine's menu.
Slice a crusty baguette and assemble it by topping it with some salted feta, nutty pistachios slivers, ruby red pomegranate pearls, and finish with a drizzle of honey. You can lightly toast the bread in olive oil or butter, based on your preferences.
Course 4 - Crunchy Salad
Refreshing and Evergreen Salad with basil is easy to assemble with readily available fresh veggies in your refrigerator and a few ingredients in the pantry.
Course 5 - Soulful entrée
A delightful plate of Pesto Pasta takes 10 minutes to prep and 20 minutes to cook. Pasta is a soul food loved by people of all ages across the globe.
Course 6 - Delightful Dessert
Strawberry Brownie Skewers Drizzled with Chocolate Sauce is a perfect dessert for a romantic evening. Bake your brownie a day before and assemble your skewer a few minutes before serving. You can serve it with a side of ice cream or cream cheese.
You can also whip up Chocolate Mousse a day before and refrigerate. You will need 1 can coconut cream, 1 ripe avocado, ¼ cup cocoa powder, 3 tsp maple syrup or organic honey, ½ tsp vanilla extract, 1-2 tsp peanut butter, 1-2 tbsp coconut flakes, 1 tsp Ashwagandha powder, ½ tsp Himalayan pink salt. Whip all the ingredients together except coconut flakes and salt in a food processor or with a hand blender until smooth, refrigerate the mix, garnish with coconut flakes and Himalayan pink salt, serve chilled in a wine glass.
Course 7 - Mini Mignardise
Homemade Truffle Balls are perfect to close the evening and can be made in under 20 minutes a day or two in advance. Blend 10 pitted dates and 2 tsp ashwagandha powder. Add a handful of preferred dry fruits and nuts in the dates paste, and knead well. Refrigerate till firm, roll into small balls. Dip in a sauce prepared by microwaving ½ cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips in 1 tbsp organic coconut oil. Roll them in sesame seeds and sea salt mixture, place them on a cooling rack and refrigerate until the chocolate sets.
So Get, Set, and Impress your love with a homemade spread this Valentine’s Day!
Leave a comment