A Totally Pink Meal For Your Valentine’s Day Pleasure

With the lockdown extending into Valentine’s Day, I couldn’t leave you all hanging without an at-home alternative to your usual lavish celebrations. I thought it would be extra fun to have a theme this year… so, in the spirit of the season,  I went with pink. That’s right, get ready to indulge in the most commercially colourful Valentine’s dinner of your life. We’ve got three dishes, and they’re all as pink as a peony.  So put on your favourite pink-fit and get cookin’! (Oh, and heads up, you’ll want to do your prep in the afternoon to let things marinate.)

Appetizer: For the Love of Slaw! 

The slaw:

• 1 cup shredded red cabbage 
• 1 cup shredded radicchio 
• 2 red beets, peeled and julienned (thin sticks) 
• 2 candy cane beets, peeled and julienned 
• 1 red apple, julienned 
• ¼ cup dried cranberries 
• ¼ cup toasted almonds 
• 1 pack dried instant ramen noodles

The dressing: 

• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp canola, avocado, or sunflower oil 
• 6 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tsp honey 
• 2 tsp soy sauce or tamari
• 2 tsp fresh ginger, grated or minced
• 2 clove of garlic minced, minced
• Sriracha to taste
• Salt and Pepper to taste 

1. Prepare the dressing by mixing all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Split the dressing in half, because you’ll use this as the base for your marinade later!
2. Toss the cabbage, radicchio, both beets, apple, and cranberries in a large bowl with most of the dressing you put aside for your salad, but save some to serve.
3. Let the slaw marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to two hours. 
4. When it’s time to serve, toast and add the almonds, and crumble the instant noodles. Then, add the reserved dressing and give it a toss! 
5. Enjoy! 

Entree: I Love you So, Miso!  (serves 4)

• 1 lbs fillet of salmon, trout, or tuna  
• Salad dressing
• ½ cup mirin
• ¼ cup white miso paste
• 2 tbsp sugar 

1. In a saucepan, combine the other half of your salad dressing with the mirin. Once both are heated, but not boiling, whisk in your sugar and miso until it dissolves. 
2. Let the marinade cool completely. 
3. Place your fish in a baking dish, pour in the marinade and give it a little massage. 
4. Let the fish marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
5. Cook the fish in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, unless you’re making tuna– then sear it in a greased frying pan for 3-6 minutes each side!  Serves four.

Dessert: Strawberry Fields Forever (serves 4)

• 1 pint strawberries 
• 1 pint strawberry (or any) ice cream 
• ¼ cup chocolate: semi-sweet, white, dark, milk, whatever floats your boat! 
• 1 tbsp coconut oil 

1. Place the whole strawberries in the fridge 30 minutes before you’re ready to start crafting your sundaes. 
2. Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave in thirty second increments, mixing well between each, repeating until creamy. 
3. Scoop your ice cream into a bowl.
4. Dip however many strawberries your heart desires in your magic chocolate and watch as it hardens to create a shell! 
5. Place your strawberries on top of your ice cream and drizzle with more of your chocolate love potion. 
6. Believe in the magic! 

Thanks, and whether you are celebrating alone or with others, have a safe and colourful Valentine’s Day!