IT’S FEBRUARY! You know what that means: an entire month devoted to love and appreciation towards those that matter most to us… and my birthday… Whether you are single, committed or in something ‘complicated’ this month calls for a lot of chocolate, and boo let’s be real, that’s not good for the figure we are trying to maintain. We all want to get that something extra on Valentine’s Day, and I don’t mean weight.

It’s super easy to give into our temptations, especially with all these holiday bake sales and promotions going on. But hey, I’ve said it before and I am going to say it again: eating right doesn’t mean you must sacrifice flavour and indulgence. It means you need to be conscious of what you eat, how you eat it, and make smarter decisions.

Now hear me out, I know you are probably booking these fancy restaurants to impress bae, or even just planning a dinner date with your best friends. But let’s face it, for whatever occasion that can get quite costly and it’s not like school is getting any cheaper, thanks Doug Ford! What I recommend is a cute night in, Netflix, food and chill…or just food…because the dinner menu I’ve got planned will have you coming back for more without breaking the bank…or your belt!

OKAY! Facts are facts Canada, everyone loves Italian food. Who can’t resist a thick piece of salami, or a sweet mouth-watering piece of tiramisu?  I know I can’t, I mean just think of all the pasta-bilities! Uh oh! Yikes, you think we hit a snag, right? Italian food is filled with butter and cheese and all that fatty goodness, so how can we be making a healthy Italian feast? Well, hold nonna back because my recipes are lower in fat but don’t sacrifice flavour.

On today’s menu, we have:

Chicken piccata with a lemon and caper butter sauce
Garlic and herb mashed potatoes
Linguine alfredo
Simple side salad
Dark chocolate mousse

Now, if your mouth isn’t jumping for joy, if your salivary glands aren’t upregulated just at the thought of this feast, reread the menu because this meal will bring all the people to your backyard. So, let’s get started.

Chicken Piccata:

Ingredients: 6 mushrooms, 1 medium onion, 2 garlic cloves, 2 chicken breasts, ½ cup flour, 1tblspn rosemary, paprika and thyme, 1 cup broth, 1/3 cup chopped parsley, 1 tblspn butter, 1 tblspn capers, 2 tblspn lemon juice.

1. Prep the mushrooms (optional), onion and garlic for the butter sauce by chopping them however you like.
2. “Butterfly” your chicken breast by simply cutting each breast in half horizontally. If the breasts are super big, cut into 3 pieces.
3. Using a meat mallet (or a flat pan like I do), take out all your aggression and pound each slice until it is equally flat on all sides. Ensure to use a piece of plastic on top and under the chicken beforehand.
4. On a plate mix the flour, rosemary, thyme, paprika and salt. Pat down the chicken so each side is evenly coated in the flour mixture. Set the chicken aside.
5. In a pan, add 1 tblspn of olive oil and sear each chicken breast on both sides until golden brown (4 min each side).
6. Take the chicken out and place on the side. Add in chopped onion and mushrooms and sauté until soft. Then add in garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
7. Add 1tblspn of the leftover flour mixture and sauté for 2 minutes. Add chopped parsley (optional).
8. Add in low sodium broth (any kind will do). Whisk until sauce becomes thick. Add 1 tblspn of butter and capers, 2 tblspn of lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste.
9. Place chicken back into the pan and cover. Simmer for 5-10 min. Serve.

Garlic and Herb Mashed Potatoes:

Ingredients: 4 large potatoes (any kind), 1/3 cup chopped parsley, 1tsp rosemary, 1 garlic clove, ½ cup milk, 1 tblspn butter, salt and pepper to taste.

1. Wash and peel potatoes (sweet potatoes are a healthy and nutritious option). Keep skin on if preferred.
2. Cut into small chunks and add into salted and boiling water until tender with 1 garlic clove.
3. Strain all the water and add in a handful of chopped parsley, and rosemary.
4. Add milk, butter (optional) and salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Linguine Alfredo:

Ingredients: ½ pack of linguine pasta (whole wheat), 1 small onion, 2 garlic cloves, ½ tblspn butter, 2 tblspn flour, 1/3 cup of broth, milk as needed,1/3 cup mozzarella cheese (optional), 1 tblspn paprika and lemon zest, parsley for garnish.

1. Boil linguine pasta (whole wheat preferred) in salted and boiling water for approx. 9 minutes or until cooked. Save some cooking water (1/4 cup).
2. In a pan sauté onion (chopped) and garlic (diced), in 1 tblspn olive oil and butter, until tender. (This is the time to add any type of protein if you like, sauté until cooked through).
3. Add flour and sauté again for 2 minutes. Add broth (any kind) and then gradually add milk until sauce is the desired thickness.
4. Add lemon zest, paprika, salt and pepper to taste. You can add cheese at this point if you want as well.
5. Put pasta in the sauce and mix for 2 minutes, add pasta water if too thick. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

Side Salad:

Ingredients: ½ pack of salad mix, 1 tomato, 1/3 of an English cucumber, 1/3 cup of olives, ¼ of red onion (sliced), 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese, 1/3 cup olive oil, 1 tsp salt and pepper, 1 tblspn lemon juice.

1. Take a simple salad green mix, add slices of tomato, cucumber, olives, red onion and crumble of feta cheese and place them in a large bowl.
2. In a separate small bowl, make the dressing. Add olive oil, salt and pepper, lemon juice. Adjust seasoning according to your taste. Whisk until emulsified or place in a jar and shake.
3. Mix salad with desired amount of dressing and serve immediately.

Dark Chocolate Mousse:

Ingredient: 3 cups heavy cream, 7 ounces’ dark chocolate bar (broken into pieces), 1/3 cup powdered sugar.

1. Heat ¾ cup of cream in a pan until just boiling. Pour over chocolate and let it sit for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth.
2. Whisk the rest of the cream with the sugar until soft peaks form.
3. Take half of the whipped cream and mix it into the chocolate mixture. Then pour the chocolate mixture into the rest of the whipped cream and cold gently. Cool then serve.

It certainly seems like a lot of food. The good thing about this menu is that not everything needs to be made. Pick and choose based on your preferences and adjust recipes according to your taste!

These aren’t necessarily the healthiest recipes out there, but they’re healthier takes on very popular and typically fatty foods. I did use some butter, chocolate and cheese, but very minimal and that is not a problem in moderation. Considering this is for a special occasion, it’s okay to splurge just a tad, even with carbs, right?

Another important thing to consider is how most of these ingredients are likely in your pantry already. Things like protein, pasta and cheese are on sale regularly, so be sure to keep an eye on flyers to get the most out of your buck.

Garlic is used a lot in these dishes, but don’t worry it doesn’t over power the dish and make you have garlic breath. It adds a subtle flavour and is rich in vitamin C, vitamin B6 and manganese.

Sweet potatoes are super delicious and nutritious. What is great about them is how versatile they are, they can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes. They are amazing sources of beta-carotene, potassium and vitamin C.

Lemons are very common in Italian cooking. They offer a refreshing acidity to help cut sweetness in desserts and fattiness in rich dishes. They are full of vitamin C, antioxidants and folate.

Now let’s be clear. Food is a friend, it doesn’t have to be an enemy. Healthy food doesn’t have to be associated with expensive food. Good food doesn’t have to be fatty food. Be conscious, and be smart: you aren’t at U of T for nothing. So, give these recipes a try, I guarantee they won’t taste ‘healthy’ but they are a healthier spin to their classic recipes. Buon appetito!