Let’s not make dessert complicated this Valentine’s Day. For the easiest, tastiest dessert, all you need are three ingredients and three steps: cinnamon crackers, bananas and chocolate; then melt, roll and freeze! These are ingredients you most likely already have in your pantry, and if you don’t they’re certainly easy to find at any grocery store. The dairy-free chocolate-covered bananas are made extra-special with a crunchy coating of crushed cinnamon crackers. If you have kids, invite them to help out in the kitchen by peeling bananas or crushing the crackers. With such a tasty and simple recipe, this might just become a year round dessert staple.
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Whip up a deliciously romantic menu for your Valentine’s date. These dishes will surely set the mood; pick a few of your favorites and serve them by candlelight.
Sexy Cocktails
Mouthwatering Mains
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Instead of curling up with a pint of ice cream while watching a romantic comedy on Valentine’s Day, try a lower fat ice cream-alternative instead. This special sundae recipe uses low-fat ricotta cheese to lessen up the calories, while maintaining a creamy taste. Top your “sundae” with crunchy add-ins like KIND Healthy Grains Clusters along with a sprinkle of dried fruit and coconut flakes for a fun, crispy texture. (Save any extra granola and fruit for snacks later on during the week with milk or on top of yogurt.) A sprinkle of dairy-free chocolate makes this sundae gleefully indulgent. So go ahead, dig in all you want.
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Are you planning on cooking a romantic dessert for your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day or want to spread the baked goods love to your friends and family? Here are some yummy, gluten-free desserts from a few amazingly talented bloggers and bakers. These desserts use some surprising ingredients like quinoa and buckwheat flour to make these sinfully sweet treats healthy for those who avoid gluten. You don’t have to be a master baker to create a mouthwatering dessert either — some of these recipes are just as simple as a delicious spin on pancakes! From fudge to cakes and even s’mores, these desserts will make everyone fall head over heels for gluten-free treats!
Valentine’s Day Round Up: 29 Gluten-Free Recipes
- Chocolate Almond Cake with Chocolate Butter Icing by Jeanne Sauvage of The Art of Gluten-Free Baking
- Raw Vegan Banana Chocolate Hazelnut Nutella Mousse Crepes by Tess Masters of Healthy Blender Recipes
- Gluten-Free Eclairs by Karen Morgan of Blackbird Bakery
- Devil’s Food Cupcakes from the Gluten-Free Mommy
- Allergy -Free Chocolate Rice Crispy Treats by Cybele Pascal of The Allergy-Friendly Cook Read more »
The perfect Valentine’s Day pair is chocolate and nuts. This homemade chocolate bark is super simple to make. Just combine dairy-free chocolate chips and your favorite nut: hazelnuts, pistachios, pecans, walnuts — whatever you like. Chocolate Love Bark is also kid-friendly; ask kids to help you choose the nuts and sprinkle them onto the melted chocolate. This dessert is perfect for bringing to a Valentine’s Day party or for gifting; it keeps well wrapped up in plastic wrap or in a container.
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These lightened-up goodies are the perfect way to show your sweetie you care without busting their waistline.
The Guidelines
Each of these desserts has 400 calories or less, 20 grams of total fat or less, 10 grams of saturated fat or less, and a max of 400 milligrams of sodium per serving. Dessert should be a special treat and most definitely can be enjoyed on Valentine’s Day. If you’re trying to watch your figure, cut calories even further by sharing dessert or cutting the portion in half.
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Had one too many last night? We aren’t recommending you tie one on regularly, but when that unexpected hangover strikes, look to these foods and drinks.
Booze and the Body
Heavy consumption of alcohol not only affects your waistline — think of how many calories you’re drinking! Guzzling too many cocktails also causes dehydration, stimulates appetite, interferes with sleep and causes dips in blood sugar. So it’s easy to see why you might feel so lousy the morning after.
Fluids
Replenish fluids by drinking plenty of water. Beverages like orange juice, coconut water, cranberry juice, tomato juice (no Bloody Marys!) or even a sports drink will help replenish lost electrolytes. Foods with high water content foods like fresh fruit and soup will also help contribute to better fluid balance.
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A Christmas meal isn’t complete without a “sweet” element — but who says the sweet stuff is just for dessert? This year, add some sweetness to your dinner table and have a not-so-traditional side dish: cranberry-glazed carrots. It’s as simple as taking cranberries and carrots and combining them together for one delicious dish.
Including orange juice and zest is also a way to kick up the flavor – in a way even the kids will enjoy! To ensure this dish is not-too-sweet, add fresh mint to help bring balance.
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Veggies don’t have to be hard to cook or hard to eat. This Christmas, add some extra nutrition to your holiday dinner. This roasted pecan broccoli is a colorful, quick and easy dish to whip up.
Broccoli is delicious and something I always stock up on. More importantly, it is loaded with nutrients that are good for your overall health. Broccoli has been known to help fight against certain cancers and strokes. An added bonus: broccoli is low in calories, so eating more of it during the splurge-happy holidays isn’t likely to affect your waistline. The pecans in this recipe offer a bonus too: they contain disease-fighting nutrients and antioxidants. Plus, pecans hold multiple good-for-you fatty acids that are essential in an everyday balanced diet. So go ahead, let this roasted pecan broccoli side dish be the healthiest decision you’ll make all December.
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Looking for tasty vegetarian recipes this holiday season? From appetizers to mains to desserts, these 35 recipes will leave everyone (including meat lovers) begging for seconds.
The Criteria
The terms “healthy” and “vegetarian” may seem synonymous but that’s not always the case. All the selected recipes meet our healthy criteria for calories, fat and saturated fat. In addition, in order to meet the nutrient requirements of a vegetarian, a variety of recipes that include whole grains, lean proteins, nuts, seeds, fruits, and veggies were selected.
Although there are various types of vegetarians, we stuck to the basics. These recipes don’t include any meat, poultry, fish or seafood. Some do include dairy and eggs and would be appropriate for a lacto- or lacto-ovo-vegetarian.
Appetizers
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