5 Ways To Infuse Chocolate Into Your Valentine’s Day Menu
Blog post by Lindsay Mustard, Holistic Nutritionist
With love day right around the corner, its time to get your menu in order! This year we are going all out in the chocolate department and creating a chocolate-infused menu for your special night!
Why chocolate? More like why not? Chocolate has been known as a stress-relieving, libido boosting and aphrodisiac food for years. Besides being one of the sexiest foods on the planet, chocolate is also a brain booster! Research has shown that consuming dark chocolate regularly helps with the production of amino acids that boost serotonin and phenylethalaminie levels in the body. This has a direct correlation with our mood, overall feelings of happiness and emotional responses. So if you want to put your partner in the mood, or just in a better mood in general - feed them chocolate!
This year we’re kicking off the night with a chocolate infused martini to help get you in the mood! Not a fan of martinis but you need a little pick me up? Try combining 3 Zazubean dark chocolate squares with 1-2 espresso shots and an ounce of steamed milk for a chocolate espresso shot! There’s nothing like a little caffeine and chocolate to fuel your long night! We’ll be following those drinks up with a Chocolate, Pear and Cherry Mixed Green Salad! This sweetness from the pears and cherries beautifully compliments the bitterness of the greens, dark chocolate and the balsamic vinegar! Once you’ve consumed your daily recommended intake of greens for the day (no one needs to know it had chocolate in it!), you’ll make your way to the main event - Chocolate Chipotle Infused Striploin Steak! YUM! Pair it with a side of steamed vegetables and roasted potatoes, and you’ll have your partner melting in the palm of your hand faster than chocolate in the summer heat! Once you’ve savoured every bite of the steak, dessert is next! This year we are sticking with the classic chocolate dipped strawberries. Nothing says sensual like trying to bite into a fresh, chocolate dipped strawberry without making a mess! We’re joking. Napkins are included with your dessert! Last but not least, the evening wraps up with a warm and cozy cup of dark hot chocolate made from scratch. Yes, from scratch! We said this was a Valentine’s Day to remember right? ;)
Whether you follow this menu perfectly, or come up with one of your own - make it a special one! Tell your partner how you feel about them, shower them with love and share a piece of chocolate or two. Do that, and we promise it’ll be a night to remember!
Valentine’s Day Menu
Cocktail: Chocolate Infused Martini
Appetizer: Chocolate, Pear and Cherry Mixed Green Salad Main: Chocolate Chipotle Infused Sirloin Steak
Dessert: Gourmet Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
Drink: Homemade Dark Hot Chocolate
Chocolate Infused Martini
Source: Delish
Serves: 2
Ingredients
1 tsp melted chocolate
50ml Irish cream liqueur
50ml coffee liqueur
1 tbsp chocolate syrup
100ml vodka
handful of ice
Directions:
Dip a pastry brush into the melted chocolate and brush up the side of two glasses. Chill until set.
Pour the Irish cream liqueur, coffee liqueur, chocolate syrup and vodka into a shaker with a handful of ice and shake hard until the outside of the shaker feels very cold. Strain into the glasses.
Chocolate Pear and Cherry Mixed Green Salad
Source: Taste of Home
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
3/4 cup cut French green beans (haricots verts)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 ounce dark chocolate candy bar, chopped
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
4 cups fresh arugula
1 medium pear, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup frozen pitted sweet cherries, thawed and halved ● 1/4 cup dried cranberries
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped pecans
1 tablespoon minced dried apricots
2 teaspoons thinly sliced fresh mint leaves
Directions:
Heat oven to 350°. In an 8-in. square baking dish, toss beans with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast until tender, 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven. Toss with balsamic vinegar; refrigerate, covered, 1-1/2 - 2 hours.
Meanwhile, in a microwave, melt chocolate; stir until smooth. Pulse melted chocolate, red wine vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a blender until smooth.
Divide arugula evenly between 2 salad bowls. Drizzle with chocolate mixture. Top with pears, cherries, cranberries and beans; sprinkle with pecans, apricots and mint leaves.
Chocolate Chipotle Sirloin Steak
Source: Taste of Home
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons dark chocolate, melted
2 tablespoons chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce ● 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 pounds beef top sirloin steak
Directions:
Place the first 5 ingredients in a blender; cover and process until blended. Rub over beef. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Grill beef, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from heat for 8-10 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a thermometer should read 135°; medium, 140°; medium-well, 145°).
Gourmet Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
Source: Tastes Better From Scratch
Serves: 8
Ingredients:
10 ounces dark chocolate, melted
2 pounds fresh strawberries stems attached
Directions:
Start by washing the strawberries and then drying them VERY well. It's so important to dry the strawberries well because, as you may know, chocolate and water do not work well together! If the strawberries are the least bit wet the chocolate will not stick!
Next pour the milk chocolate chips and white chocolate chips into their own microwaveable bowls.
Pour the nuts and coconut onto their own small plates. Line a sheet pan with parchment or waxed paper.
Microwave the milk chocolate for 30 seconds intervals, removing and stirring at each 30 second interval, until the chocolate has melted. Repeat with the white chocolate chips until they are melted. Stir often, making sure not to burn the chocolate!
Holding a strawberry by the stem, dip into the milk chocolate, lift and twist slightly, letting the excess chocolate fall back into the bowl. At this point you may dip the strawberry in coconut or nuts (or leave it plain) and then place the strawberry on the parchment paper. Repeat with the rest of the strawberries.
For a white chocolate drizzled strawberry, dip a fork in the melted white chocolate and drizzle the white chocolate over the dipped strawberries.
Chill the strawberries until the chocolate sets, about 15 minutes.
Homemade Dark Hot Chocolate
Source: Momables
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
¼ cup dark chocolate, chopped
½ cup coconut sugar
⅓ cup hot water
⅛ teaspoon salt
4 cups milk (dairy or non-dairy)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
In a medium saucepan, combine the dark chocolate, sugar, water, and salt over medium heat.
Cook, stirring constantly until smooth and bring to a simmer. 3. Reduce heat, and stir in the milk, do not boil.
Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour into mugs and serve immediately.