Vegan Heart Healthy Recipes For Valentine’s Day

Is there anything more important than having your heart in great shape this Valentine’s Day?

This Valentine’s Day, consider skipping the overpriced, over processed, insanely crowded restaurants and relax at home with a made from scratch, plant-based meal. And some red wine, of course, since we all know red wine can contribute to great heart health!

Please your taste buds this February 14^th (and every other day, for that matter) with these delectable vegan recipes, specifically crafted to improve your heart health.  All recipes are given below.

• Beets are a great choice for a healthy heart and are the perfect V-Day color. This Sweet Beet Heart Risotto is full of beets and red wine and absolutely perfect for this holiday of love. Beets are rich in nitrates and antioxidants which are crucial in improving blood pressure and blood flow to the heart. It’s also known to improve stamina, which can come in handy Valentine’s night!
• Beans and sweet potatoes also contribute to cardiovascular improvement. B vitamins, folate and niacin are found in beans, and sweet potatoes are full of beta-carotene and vitamins A, C and E. This White Bean, Cranberry and Kale Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe is a great Valentine’s choice and makes for a fancier, prettier food presentation.
• With walnuts being high in omega 3’s and vitamin E, and spinach being rich in B vitamins and magnesium, it makes these two a well-balanced heart healthy pair. This Spinach and Walnut Spaghetti Squash entrée is a lighter pasta substitute and will impress any V-Day date.
• Satisfying your sweet tooth has never been so guiltless, with this Raw Blueberry Pie with Coconut Almond Crust. The blueberries make it full of nutrient-dense beta-carotene and flavonoids and the almonds deliver a boost of omega 3’s and polyunsaturated fats to your heart. Impress your better half with this uber healthy treat.
• This decadent dessert is a triple threat! Black beans, beets and pure cocoa powder make these sneaky brownies as heart healthy as it is delicious. Dark chocolate and raw cocoa are extremely high in anti-oxidants and flavonoids

SWEET BEET HEART RISOTTO

2 3/4 cups vegetable broth

2 cups fruity or red wine (sangria or pinot noir are good)

4 medium beets, scrubbed and sliced

1 cup organic Arborio rice

1 cup shredded Daiya cheese (optional-makes it alot creamier though!)

1 yellow onion, chopped

1/2 cup chopped organic walnuts

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp olive oil, divided

1 tbsp honey or liquid sweetener

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• Toss beets in 1 tbsp oil, honey, salt and pepper and lay on a baking sheet
• Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes on each side
• In a saucepan, cook onions and garlic in 2 tbsp oil over medium heat for 8 minutes
• Meanwhile, combine broth and wine in a smaller saucepan and bring to a boil-reduce to simmer after it reaches a boil
• Add rice to onions and garlic and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring frequently
• Begin adding in wine/broth mixture one cup at a time, and stirring frequently until liquid is absorbed
• Keep adding liquid one cup at a time, until it is all absorbed
• Once done, remove from heat and pour into bowl and stir in cheese
• When beets are cooked, remove from oven and dice
• Add to risotto and stir well
• Smush risotto into heart shaped cookie cutters and serve

WHITE BEAN, CRANBERRY & KALE STUFFED SWEET POTATOES

6 sweet potatoes

1 bunch green kale, torn into pieces

1 1/2 cups cannellini or great northern beans

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup chopped dried cranberries

1 shallot, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cayenne pepper minced

2 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Pierce sweet potatoes with a fork, lay on baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour (maybe a little longer if your potatoes are huge like mine were)
• Meanwhile, cook cayenne pepper, shallot and garlic in oil in a frying pan over medium heat for 3 minutes
• Add kale and continue cooking and stirring for 5 minutes
• Add remaining ingredients and cook for another 5 minutes or until kale is wilted
• When potatoes are done, stuff them with kale filling and serve

SPINACH & WALNUT SPAGHETTI SQUASH

1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeds removed

4 cups baby spinach

2 leeks, sliced

1 ½ cups chopped walnuts

1 cup chopped dried cranberries

¼ cup pure maple syrup

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp, plus 2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp organic brown sugar

1 tsp sea salt, plus ¼ tsp

¼ tsp black pepper

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Stir together 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp sea salt, brown sugar and black pepper and brush over sides and hollowed out portions of the spaghetti squash halves
• Place face down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes
• Meanwhile, heat a small saucepan over medium heat for 2 minutes
• Add walnuts, maple syrup and ¼ tsp sea salt and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring continuously until the walnuts are fragrant and caramelized-pour into mixing bowl
• In another medium saucepan, cook leeks in 2 tbsp of oil over medium heat for about 6 minutes
• Add garlic and spinach, cover, and let cook for 3 more minutes, or until spinach is wilted
• Pour into mixing bowl with the walnuts and stir in cranberries
• Once squash is cooked, scrape out the middle with a fork into thin strands and stir in walnut/spinach mix
• Serve immediately  and with vegan alfredo sauce if desired

RAW BLUEBERRY COCONUT PIE

CRUST

2 cups raw organic almonds

1 cup chopped dates, soaked for 1 hour

1 tsp coconut oil

1/2 tsp cinnamon

FILLING

5 cups organic blueberries

2 bananas

1/2 cup shredded coconut

2 tbsp honey or maple syrup

Ground walnuts for topping

• Pulse almonds in a food processor until ground fine-add in dates, coconut oil and cinnamon until well blended
• Press crust into pie or casserole dish
• Pulse 3 1/2 cups blueberries, bananas and honey/maple syrup in the food processor until creamy
• Remove from processor and stir in remaining blueberries and coconut
• Pour into pie crust and top with ground walnuts
• Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving

BLACK BEAN BEET BROWNIES

2 1/2 cups black beans

1 1/2 cups pitted dates, chopped

1/2 cup beet puree

1/2 cup pureed fruit or jam

1/2 cup raw cacao powder

1/2 cup carob powder

1/2 cup brown rice flour

1/3 cup vegan chocolate chips

1 tbsp pure vanilla

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• In a food processor, pulse together the beans, beets and jam until smooth
• Add dates and continuing processing
• Add all remaining ingredients and pule until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed
• Pour mix into a greased 8X8 baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes

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