Colourful dinner ideas for a delicious Valentine’s Day

Colourful dinner PURPLE CAULIFLOWER THAI GREEN ideas for a delicious COCONUT CURRY WITH CARROT NOODLES via Inspiralized.com Valentine’s Day Ingredients: • florets from 1 head of purple cauliflowerConsider cooking any of these three vi• 1 tablespoon virgin, unrebrant recipes for you and your partner • fined coconut oil ¾ cup diced white onion to enjoy • 2 garlic cloves, minced • 1/2 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger ELENI KOPSAFTIS • 2.5 tablespoons Thai green curry paste • 1 14oz can coconut milk In Jan. 2020, The Ontarion released a survey on social media. Guelph residents were asked to share their ValDirections: 1. Mix soy sauce, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, miso paste, brown sugar, white wine, and red • • • salt and pepper, to taste juice of half a lime 1 large carrot, peeled into long thin strips entine’s Day plans, and the results pepper flakes together in a • 1.5 tablespoons chopped parsrevealed that most were planning bowl to make a marinade. ley a simple dinner at home. 2. Place salmon fillets in a shal-

Many indicated that Ontar- low dish. Add enough mariio’s stay-at-home order was re- nade to cover, reserving the sponsible for their dining plans. remaining marinade. MariHowever, even though we’re in nate salmon in the refrigeralockdown, Valentine’s Day doesn’t tor, about 10 minutes. have to be dull. 3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees

If you don’t live with your F (230 degrees C). Lightly partner but have the resources, oil a cast iron skillet or grill you can still enjoy dinner together pan and place in the oven by dropping off a plate of food at while it preheats. (A countheir doorstep, and/or hosting a tertop induction oven can virtual dinner date night. If you be used in place of the oven. Directions: don’t have a partner, a nice meal Preheat on the medium-high 1. Bring a medium saucepan is still viable for treating yourself grill setting.) halfway full of water to a or your roommates. 4. Remove salmon from mari- boil. Once boiling, add in the

Here are a few unique and nade, reserving the marinade, cauliflower florets and cook colourful dishes you can prepare and place skin-side up on the for 2-3 minutes or until more on Feb. 14. hot cast iron skillet; cook un- easily pierced with a fork, but til bottom of salmon is lightly still slightly tender. Drain

SALMON WITH PURPLE browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip into a colander, pat dry and

PUREED POTATOES AND salmon and continue cooking set aside.

FRENCH GREEN BEANS until fish flakes easily with a 2. In a large saucepan, heat the via Carrie Portman fork, 8 to 10 minutes more. oil over medium heat. When on Allrecipes.com (For the countertop induc- the oil heats, add in the ontion oven, add salmon to grill ion, garlic and ginger. Cook Ingredients: pan, reserving marinade, and for about 3 minutes or until • ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce cook, skin-side down, for 1 onion becomes translucent. • ¼ cup vegetable oil 1/2 minutes. Flip salmon Then, add in the curry paste • ¼ cup white miso paste and cook until fish flakes and stir continuously un• ¼ cup brown sugar easily with a fork, 2 1/2 to til paste covers the onions. • 1 tablespoon dry white wine, 3 minutes.) Then, add in the coconut or to taste 5. Pour reserved marinade into solids from the first half of • 1 pinch red pepper flakes a saucepan and heat until the coconut milk can. Season • 2 (3 ounce) fillets salmon fil- boiling; remove from heat. with salt and pepper and cook lets 6. Heat milk and 2 tablespoons about 2 minutes until bub• 1 pound purple potatoes, cut butter together in a saucepan; bling. into small chunks bring to a simmer. Pour milk 3. Then, add in the rest of the • ¼ cup 2% milk, or to taste mixture over potatoes, a few coconut milk (the oil). Lower • 2 tablespoons butter, sof- tablespoons at a time, and to a simmer and add in the tened, or to taste mash using a potato mash- cauliflower. Cook the mixture • salt and ground black pepper er until potatoes are desired for 10 minutes and then add to taste chunkiness. in the lime juice and carrot • 1 tablespoon olive oil 7. Heat olive oil in a large skil- noodles and cook for another • ½ pound French green beans, let over medium heat. Add 5 minutes or until carrot nootrimmed green beans and garlic; cook dles soften to al dente. • 1 clove garlic, chopped and stir until beans turn 4. Serve garnished with parsley. • 1 teaspoon butter bright green and are lightly browned in places, about 5 minutes; stir in 1 teaspoon butter, salt, and pepper. 8. Serve mashed potatoes and green beans alongside salmon. Drizzle reserved cooked marinade over the top.

Have fun in the kitchen this Valentine’s Day by making a meal full of colour. CREDIT: PEXELS

PEANUT-KALE BLACK RICE BOWL

via Kathy Patalsky on HappyHealthyLife.com

• 4 cups kale leaves, torn (about one half of a large bunch of kale) • 1 1/2 cups cooked black or purple or “forbidden” rice • 1 tbsp peanut butter, organic • 2 tsp maple syrup, grade B (or agave or brown rice syrup) • juice of a lime • pinch of salt and pepper • optional: pinch of fresh grated ginger or cayenne for spice • garnish: crushed raw jungle peanuts and lime wedges

1. Cook your black rice. Use about one part rice for every two parts water (see instructions on your rice package). 2. Drain rice of any excess liquid and place in the fridge to set and chill overnight for best texture. 3. Combine dressing ingredients in a small cup. Warm the dressing in the microwave for about fifteen seconds. 4. Place all washed, dried, and torn kale leaves in a large mixing bowl and pour warmed dressing over top.

Massage the dressing into the kale. The kale should wilt a bit and soften as it becomes marinated with the peanut dressing. 5. Fold in the rice. Toss well.

Serve with crushed peanuts over top and lime wedges.