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Call me unromantic, but I’m not a big fan of Valentine’s Day. Babysitters can be hard to find, and most restaurants are full, as this is one of the most popular days of the year when you go out with your partner.
Personally, it is much more reassuring to prepare a healthy romantic dinner for two at home and have a date after the children are in bed. With some planning and a few unique touches, a romantic dinner at home can feel as special as an evening out. And you may even have some money left over to spend on gifts!
If you’re an introvert like me and like the idea of an evening date, scroll down to my favorite healthy romantic dinner menu and shopping list!
Reasons to make a romantic dinner at home
I am the first to say that mom and dad should come first and give priority to meetings. I also know that the idea of cooking and washing dishes after dinner during the week, when you already do it most days, probably doesn’t sound the most appealing.
My answer is to choose very simple recipes and let the quality of the ingredients speak for themselves. We usually choose a delicious dinner with steak for the main course, vegetables and a bottle of red wine as an appetizer.
The stay can still be special (and totally delicious!) And now I actually prefer it for the following reasons:
- No babysitter required
- It saves money
- Everything we want can be on the menu (when you don’t pay the babysitter, you can spill the food!)
- We have to choose the music
- Special diets are easily adapted
- There is an open bar (with much better wine than I can get in a restaurant)
- No stress when choosing clothes
- Dancing is always an option
We can even watch a movie after dinner, but we can watch it in our pajamas.
My favorite romantic dinner at home for two: menu and recipes
Here is our favorite menu for a romantic dinner at home for two. Even with first-class ingredients, it is still much cheaper than eating out and at the movies. We change the menu a little every year, but we think this delicious dinner is hard to beat because of its taste and simplicity. They are so simple that they don’t even require recipes.
Menu for a healthy romantic dinner
- Grilled Cajun Shrimp
- Porterhouse steaks with balsamic reduction sauce (or a little first rib)
- Roasted cauliflower with butter and cheese
- Spinach salad with homemade dressing
- Fruits with homemade chocolate fondue
Here is the full menu, shopping list and, of course, how to do it:
Recipe for a romantic dinner for two
Everything you need to plan and prepare a romantic dinner for two at home.
Ingredients
Remove
- 1 head Cauliflower (or 1 bag frozen)
- 2 TBSP butter
- spices (I love garlic, salt, pepper and herbs)
- 4 ounce cheese (grated)
Dessert
- fresh fruit (such as strawberries, pineapple, raspberries and clementines)
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 ounce dark chocolate (70% cocoa or more)
- 1 TBSP Amaretto (or Frangelico, optional, but highly recommended)
drink
- 1 bottle Red wine (or sparkling water with floating raspberries or pomegranate seeds if you don’t drink wine)
Instructions
Things to do in advance:
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Set the table.
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Prepare the salad and put it in bowls with additional desired salad vegetables or garnishes and cool until serving. Don’t add the dressing yet.
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Make the salad dressing (just put the ingredients in a jar and shake while mixing) and prepare it with the salad.
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Cut the fruit and arrange them in a fondue plate, storing them in the refrigerator until after dinner.
To make dinner:
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Preheat oven to 425 ° F.
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Cut the cauliflower into large inflorescences.
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Melt the butter and toss it with any spice you want with the cauliflower. I like a little garlic powder, salt and pepper.
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Put the cauliflower in a casserole and cover.
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Put in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring once.
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Spread cheese on top for the last 5 minutes.
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Turn off the oven and leave it warm until the steak is ready.
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While the cauliflower is cooking, grease another casserole with oil.
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Place the shrimp in it in one layer.
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Pour 4 tablespoons of melted butter.
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Season the shrimp with garlic powder, salt, black pepper and cayenne spice or cayenne pepper.
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Put it in the oven for a total of 8-9 minutes, turning it in half once.
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Remove from the oven when ready.
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Once the cauliflower and shrimp are in the oven, season the steak on both sides with plenty of sea salt and crushed pepper.
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Place it in a preheated grill pan or skillet and grill for 4-6 minutes.
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Turn and repeat on the other side.
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Remove the grill pan from the heat and let the steaks rest, covered freely, for 12-15 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 130 ° F.
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Remove from the pan and let rest for at least another 5 minutes before serving.
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Once the steaks are removed from the pan or grill pan, pour balsamic vinegar over the pan and heat over low.
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Allow the vinegar to simmer for a few minutes to deglaze the pan.
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Pour the sauce from the pan into two small immersion bowls.
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Distribute the steaks, cauliflower and shrimp evenly between two plates.
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Save the balsamic reduction on the side for immersion.
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Serve with salads and wine or carbonated water with raspberries.
To make dessert:
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Cut fresh fruit into bite-sized pieces.
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After dinner, make the fondue by heating thick cream in a small pan until boiling.
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Turn off the heat, break the chocolate into pieces and add it to the warmed cream.
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Leave to stand for 2 minutes and stir slowly to stir the chocolate.
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When the chocolate is completely melted, add Amaretto or Frangelico as desired and serve with fondue forks (or plain) and sliced fruit.
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Enjoy a romantic dinner with the knowledge that you give your love health!
Notes
For this romantic dish, you can easily replace cauliflower with green beans, zucchini, squash or sweet potatoes and garnish it with feta cheese or parmesan, depending on what you already have on hand.
Nutrition
calories: 1759kcalcarbohydrates: 73gprotein: 60gThick: 106gSaturated fats: 59gPolyunsaturated fats: 7gMonounsaturated fats: 32gTrans fat: 1gcholesterol: 332mgsodium: 1573mgpotassium: 3095mgfiber: 15gsugar: 38gvitamin A: 15509IUVitamin C: 221mgcalcium: 774mgIron: 15mg
Other ideas for a healthy romantic dinner
Over the years, we have tried many different ideas for a romantic dinner, from exquisite French recipes to home-made pizza (heart-shaped). A variety of pasta was our favorite dinner dish (my husband is Italian), but when I started avoiding a lot of grains for health reasons, we started thinking about a healthier meeting menu.
Here’s proof that health can be delicious:
And what about one of these desserts?
Is the mouth still flowing?
Bonus: Most of the suggestions above are also single pan or can be made in a slow cooker or Instant Pot some time ago. Which means more time to spend with your loved one!
What is your ideal romantic date? Will you try this one? Talk to me below!
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