BLOGGER'S FAVOURITE VALENTINE DINNERS

All of these recipes are for special occasions; most are lower-fat/cholesterol, healthier than normal and part make-ahead.  

1.   BEEF 

Korean-style Spicy Seared Beef is a delicious, exotic combo of tender juiciness,  heat & a hint of sweetness.  It's perfect for a wallet-conscious Valentine Day...

Korean Style Beef Slices, spicy, sweet & tender

'This excellent beef with Sesame Noodles made a darned good meal!'  Taster 

Korean Beef Slices don't need an expensive cut of meat and relies on ingredients found in most kitchen cupboards.  It's easy to make and can be part-prepared in advance.  

That said, the marinade works with every budget, enhancing all beef cuts from sirloin to rump to the frugal hanger steak and casserole steaks.  It also works with cuts of pork and chicken. 

Tender cuts of meat take a minimum half hour of marinading.  

The recipe first posted in 2017 and used beef short ribs (not as pricy then as now) even though they release a great deal of fat during cooking.  But slicing the meat thinly, marinading it overnight, cooking it very fast and draining the fat in a colander gave exceptional results. The meat had heft  -- in a good way -- and wonderful layers of flavour: the natural sweetness of pear, the savoury marinade, the gentle heat. 

Cost: min £4-5

Feeds: min 2-3

(Feb 2022) sample prices Sainsbury's online: £13.50 for 2 short ribs (1.5k); stir fry beef strips at £3.50 for 350g/13oz; extra lean casserole steak at £5 for 500gm/17.6 oz 

 

2.  SEAFOOD

Creamy Seafood Pasta: make ahead Healthier High-Fibre Indulgence uses spelt pasta but there's an option for common wheat

Seafood Pasta with Wine & Cream Sauce, Italian Style
'Subtle layers of flavour.  Wouldn't have tried this normally but half-fat, lower-carb is a winner.' Taster

This recipe is so mouthwatering and easy (and makes so much sauce!) you'll probably have it on standby for special occasions.  

To simplify life, the pasta's components are partially cooked the day before serving; restaurant techniques are used to refresh the ingredients.  It is presented hot, with perfect textures. 

 
The rich, luxurious cream sauce is half-fat.  Plenty of vegetables reduce the carbs in each serving and add decorative pops of colour.  Spelt spinach tagliatelle* - more greenery - suits those averse to common wheat (but any pasta in any shape or colour will work well). 

Frozen seafood makes the dish wallet-friendly (though fresh fish can be substituted - at a cost!).  

Cost: £5'ish to max ???
Serves: 2-3 but multiplies easily

Comments
'This is really lovely, full of subtle layers of flavour.  I'd normally avoid creamy sauces but this one's low-fat, and the low-carb element is a draw, too.' Retired Writer

*Planet Organic, health food shops, specialist delis
**Iceland Premium Seafood Collection £8/ish700gm
***M&S  £2.50

3.  VEGETARIAN

Sublime, memorable Hot Avocado Pilau Avocado Pillau/Pilaff is vegetarian but teams well with roast chicken...

                           Sublime Hot Avocado Pilau                     (first posted 5/11/2015)

'When I first tried this, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven.' Taster

This wonderful vegan dish is super-special.  Warm, rich and comforting, it has multiple layers of exquisite flavour & texture.

It is also a great solution to waiting around for avocados to ripen and then finding they've gone past their best.  Heated, the avocado softens, becoming even more buttery and beautiful.

67 prefers brown rice for this recipe -- its flavour, nuttiness and health-giving properties give the dish a delightful oomph. As long as the brown rice is cooked properly - instructions below - it will be fine.  White rice is also good, as is orzo, the easily digestible rice shaped pasta.  

This is the hot version of the popular Avocado Pilau Salad.   

Cost: £4.00

Feeds: 3-4 as main; 6 as side

Comments:

'I just loved the warmth and butteriness of the avocado, the contrasting crunch of pine nuts and the gorgeously savoury rice punctuated with the firm mushrooms and bits of tomato.  I never tire of making it.'  Blogger

4.  VEGAN 

Baked Mushroom Risotto: healthier risotto -- but still a knock-out indulgence 

updated Feb 2022

'Unlike other risottos, it's light even with brown rice.''the mushroom flavour emerged beautifully.' Tasters

This risotto is not one of your ladle-by-ladle, pain-in-the-butt slightly arty risottos with the centre of each rice grain still uncooked.  It is not loaded with butter and white carbs.

This risotto is a lower-cholesterol, high-fibre risotto and it's cooked in the oven.  Some of the preparation needs to be done in advance and makes life a lot easier for cook.  Brown rice replaces white to add fibre and slow down the absorption of carbs.  67 didn't bother with Arborio but a white rice would be fine. 

Cost:  £4.00
Serves: 6 as a side, 4 as a main

Comments:

'Risotto's are usually very heavy; this one's not.  It's light and good.  I had no idea you used brown rice.''Excellent hot; the mushroom flavour emerged beautifully.' Tasters

                       

These recipes have been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.  

FAT-FREE EGG SALAD SANDWICH WITH SAVOURY TWIST, high fibre, frugal

Finally, a tasty egg salad sandwich free of mayo...

Honey and mustard add piquancy to a no-fat egg sandwich

Weight Watchers published its annual list of recipes recently and this one caught 67goingon50's eye.

It appealed because it has virtually no fat, its flavours are unexpected and delightful, and the texture is unusual - in a good way.  

And with eggs being an inexpensive source of good protein and most of the ingredients probably already in your fridge & cupboard, it's budget friendly, too. 

Reader, it was delicious - as breakfast, lunch or a snack.

Good wholemeal bread, preferably seeded, is recommended but really any  will do.

Ingreds: 

1 hardboiled egg, coarsely chopped

Dressing

1 tbsp fat-free thick yoghurt

1 tsp wholegrain mustard with honey OR any mustard with a shot of honey or maple syrup

1 tsp white of spring onion, finely chopped

squeeze lemon or lime juice  

2-3 lettuce leaves, washed & dried, whole or finely sliced

1/4 avocado finely sliced and drizzled with lemon juice

finely sliced radishes (opt)

1 large or 2 small slices wholemeal bread, seeded preferred

Cost: depends on cupboard but around 75p?

Feeds: 1 but multiplies easily

Method:

CHOCOLATE CHIP OATMEAL VALENTINE COOKIES, dairy-free option, slightly healthier indulgence; make-ahead, easy

There is no way a chocolate chip cookie can be healthy, even if it includes oatmeal....

updated 9/24

Oatmeal adds a healthy high-fibre twist to Chocolate Chip Cookies 

...and the only way to go with this mix of chocolate and oatmeal is to treat them as a slightly healthier treat and behave accordingly.

That said, the crisp, slightly chewy cookies are high in fibre (slowing down the absorption of sugar and aiding digestion) and the oatmeal adds a lovely nubbly texture that is very appealing.  67 added orange zest and replaced vanilla with orange essence to add a hint of citrus.

This recipe is easy and perfect for encouraging newbies and kids to bake. Check that the individual ingredients have been measured out correctly (each  in a separate small bowl or paper case) before proceeding with mixing, forming, baking and freezing. If using a hand mixer, a little help may be needed at the end stages when the dough is thick and a little unwieldy.

The recipe makes 40'ish cookies but the recipe halves nicely.  Bake some straight away and freeze the rest for later.  Whenever the desire strikes for a fresh cookie or two (or three!), dip into the  freezer stash and bake. (Note: small quantities of cookies bake up beautifully in a air-fryer) (see tips below)

Cost: £5'ish (9/2024)

Makes: about 40 med cookies

Ingred:

    225gm/9 oz soft unsalted butter (zap in microwave 20 secs if necessary) (For vegan margarine; measure it while solid, just out of the fridge , then soften)
    140gm/5oz soft brown sugar
    135gm/5.2 oz white sugar

    2 large eggs, lightly beaten
    1 tsp orange extract (or vanilla extract)
    zest of one orange (opt)
     
     240gm/8.5oz plain flour 

     150gm/5.2oz oatmeal
       1 tsp salt
       1 tsp baking soda

   up to 200-300gm/7-10.5 oz regular or dairy-free chocolate chips (67 used 150gm)
          
Method:

ELEANOR MAIDMENT'S CELERIAC & LEEK VICHYSSOISE: low-carb, high fibre, easy, vegetarian wi. vegan option

Like Vichyssoise, only much lower in carbs...

Comfort food par excellence: thick, fabulously tasty, satisfying soup of leek and celeriac AND with less than half the carbs of Leek & Potato 

One of the Blogger's favourite soups - before weight and health concerns - was the rich, thick, creamy potato and leek soup (Vichyssoise), traditionally cold but also eaten hot.

It's been off the 67 menu for years...though remembered with fondness.

So it was a delight to find this recipe for a leek and celeriac version from Eleanor Maidment, recently published in the Sunday Mail's You magazine.

Celeriac - the 'Ugly' root veg - has half the carbs of potatoes and is seen by the weight conscious as a great substitute for potato.   67 has been experimenting with celeriac in recent times in soups, as mash or fries.  

The recipes prove Celeriac is not an inferior version of potatoes; it has an appeal all its own. It has a nutty, celery-like flavour that's both subtle and powerful enough to wake up the tastebuds.

Eleanor Maidment's recipe is a winner; 67goingon50 made only a few minor changes to reduce fat and allow for a vegan option.

Cost: £2.50'ish

Makes: 5 large bowls

Ingreds:

25gm/just under an oz of dairy or plant butter

1 tbsp olive, or other vegetable, oil

500gm/17.5oz white of leeks, halved vertically, cut in chunks, washed well & drained

300g/10.5oz peeled celeriac, in smallish cubes

1 litre chicken or veg stock

squeeze lemon or lime juice

4 tb double cream (opt)

Garnish

Crispy fried leek leaves

Plain fat-free plant or dairy yoghurt

Method:

1. Heat a large lidded pan with oil & butter on med heat; add leeks; cover; cook 6-8 mins stirring  occasionally until soft
2. Add celeriac; cover; cook a further 10 mins, stirring now and again
3. Add stock; bring to a boil; cover; simmer 8 mins or until the celeriac is easily pierced with a fork
4. Cool 5 mins; add lemon juice; process until smooth
5. Tip back into pot; add cream if using
6. Serve piping hot, garnish with crispy leeks or trails of yoghurt

Crispy leek garnish

1. If you have the green leaves of the leeks, cut off a 5cm piece at the tender end; slice in fine strips
2. Heat 1-2 tbsp olive oil over med heat; add leek strips
3. Fry 5-6 mins, watching closely to prevent burning until crisp
4. Drain on kitchen paper; add salt 

Comments:

'I was blown away with the flavour and texture of this soup; it was blissfully  comforting and satisfying.  Best of all, it tastes delicious all on its own; carnivores probably won't need - or want- their own garnishes.'  Retired writer 

Tips: 

When buying leeks, remember that the dark green leaves are tough and normally used for stock.  Some supermarkets sell the white part of the leek only.  If buying un-trimmed leeks, double the amount stated in the recipe and freeze the green bits for stock.  

Celeriac Notes

Not cheap but not outrageously expensive either, a 20oz/3/4 kilo celeriac  cost about £3.00.  It keeps well in the bottom of the fridge for a few weeks.  It is delicious in salads & soups and is often substituted for potatoes in stews, mash or fries.  

Newer celeriac can be peeled with a peeler but others need a knife to remove the tough outer covering.  Take a big slice off the gnarly bottom so the celeriac is stable. Run the knife in thin slices between the peel and the celeriac, as if you were preparing a pineapple. 

 

The recipe has been adapted by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.