Whether you are getting things ready for Valentine’s Day, or you just want to share a special evening, it’s possible to a healthy and romantic dinner at the same time. If you Google romantic meal ideas, you’ll typically find a large number of heavy foods made of cream sauces and cheeses.
Romantic Dinner Ideas Can Be Healthy Ones Too
However, this doesn’t mean that making a healthy and romantic dinner is impossible. In fact, there are dozens upon dozens of different recipes you can make that are both delicious and good for you.
The following healthy and romantic dinner ideas can help you to put a very special evening together without expanding your waistline at the same time:
Roast chicken and vegetables
A roasted chicken with carrots, potatoes and other veggies is a beautiful, filling and even comforting meal. It may seem simple but it’s that simplicity that can best work in its favor. The key is to perfectly cook the chicken so it won’t be dry and to wrap the veggies in foil with a light touch of olive oil. Sprinkle both the chicken and the veggies with herbs and it will be as beautiful as it is flavorful and healthful.
Citrusy salmon
If you want something that tastes rich without being overwhelmingly heavy, then this is the meal for you. A fillet of salmon with crisped skin a citrus topper such as lemon tastes absolutely beautiful. Serve with brown rice and sauté kale that has been lightly drizzled with the juice of the same citrus fruit. The perfect dessert to follow is some fresh pineapple with pomegranate seeds and fresh mint leaves.
Shrimp with lemon-herb risotto and haricots vert (green beans)
Risotto may look and sound fancy, but it’s really just a matter of paying attention and continually stirring. Top it with some grilled shrimp and steamed green beans sprinkled with toasted pine nuts. It will all taste rich, luxurious and earthy but you’ll be serving up a healthy meal at the same time.
Tuna spring rolls
A good quality tuna steak may be on the pricy side, but you don’t need a big piece if you’re making spring rolls or even summer rolls. Add a bit of luxury and nutrition to this tasty dish and serve with a pineapple sauce. Grill pineapple pieces on skewers for a truly luxurious flavor touch full of vitamins, antioxidants and a boost in healthy enzymes as well.
Healthy Romantic Dinner Ideas Don’t Have to be Complicated
Romantic dinner ideas don’t need to be complicated or time consuming. Even if you choose not to eat out at your favorite local restaurant, instead cooking your meal at home, it’s still something you can do without breaking a sweat. There are two key steps to take to keep things healthy, tasty, and under control:
- Plan ahead – Deciding what to have, what ingredients you’ll need, and how you’ll prepare it will make all the difference in reducing the time and frazzle it will take to create something wonderful. Buy ingredients no later than the day before, unless it’s something that absolutely must be freshly made that day. That way, you won’t face any last-minute scrambles to get what you need on the big day.
- Think simple – Simplicity in romantic dinner ideas is a skill. We tend to think that something delicious and luxurious also needs to involve lots of cooking techniques, fancy ingredients, and unexpected combinations. However, choosing very high-quality ingredients and preparing them simply to draw out their best features is often more powerful than attempting molecular gastronomy for the first time. It can also often appeal to your partner’s sense of nostalgia, which is a powerful sense for enjoyment.