Date Night at Home
7 tips for making meals healthier, quicker and more fun. Plus recipes!
Can cooking bring couples closer?
Melissa Kelly, a registered dietitian with University of Vermont Medical Center Nutrition Services, believes it can.
“Food isn’t just fuel. Food is a celebration. It’s an art,” she says. “It brings people together.”
7 Healthy Cooking Tips for Homemade Meals
Kelly offers practical advice for moving away from the convenience of prepared foods and transforming meal preparation into a shared experience. By treating cooking as a form of date night, couples can make every day feel like Valentine’s Day.
1. Cozy up and cook
“Really shifting the mindset towards gratitude and focusing on the meal you are creating, rather than rushing through meal preparation and being disconnected,” can be a shared activity that encourages deeper communication, collaboration and closeness.
2. Make prep easy
“If a recipe calls for chopped onions, and you don’t feel you have the knife skills, or you have issues with strength in your hands, use pre-chopped onion. You can get other pre-chopped vegetables too (including slaw, below). There’s nothing wrong with that!”
3. Use what’s at hand
“Frozen vegetables help accessibility. They’re much cheaper than fresh, and picked at prime peak, then flash frozen, so they’re just as nutritious. They’re a budget-friendly option.”
4. Include canned foods
“Canned salmon (in the recipe below) is just as good as fresh salmon because you’re still getting those omega-3s. It does have small bones in it sometimes, but the bones are a great source of calcium.”
5. Focus on connection
“Take time when you plate your meal and sit down to eat. Be mindful, not distracted by having the news on or by reading. Take that time as a source for connection and to foster those relationships.”
6. Embrace leftovers
“It’s beneficial having leftovers so you’re not having to cook every single night. You don’t have to make a mess in the kitchen again.” And you can enjoy more time just focusing on one another.
7. Try an abundance mindset
“The best way to establish a healthier cooking habit is focusing on things you can add in, versus what you’re trying to eliminate or reduce. Think, ‘Where can I add fruits, vegetables? How can I add some nourishment to this meal?’”
Easy, Healthy Recipes
Poached Cod in Tomato Saffron Broth
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 cups chopped fennel (1 large or 2 small bulbs)
1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes (optional)
1 can (14.5 ounce ) whole peeled tomatoes
¼ cup dry white wine
¼ cup parsley, chopped
2 bay leaves
Pinch of saffron threads
½ cup sliced Kalamata olives
Salt and pepper to taste
4 skinless cod filets, 5 ounces
Instructions
1. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, fennel, and hot pepper flakes and cook, stirring often until fragrant (garlic should not take any color), about 3 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes, crushing them with your hands as you add them; also adding wine, parsley, bay leaves, saffron, olives and ½ cup water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Reduce heat to a medium low. Season cod with salt and pepper and place in simmering broth. Cover and cook at a bare simmer until cod is opaque throughout and beginning to flake, about 5 to 7 minutes (thicker pieces may take longer).
Salmon Cakes
Ingredients
1 small onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium carrot, diced
1 stalk celery
1 (16-ounce) can salmon
2 eggs, beaten with fork
1 cup breadcrumbs
Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon oil
Instructions
1. Sautee onions, garlic, carrots and celery until soft.
2. Place mixture in large bowl. Add canned salmon and mix well.
3. Add eggs, breadcrumbs lemon juice, zest and mustard.
4. Make into 8 patties and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
5. Heat cast iron pan with 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat.
6. Place patties in the pan and brown on each side for 1 minute.
Winter Slaw
Serves: 8, Serving size: 1 cup
Ingredients
1/2 red or green cabbage
2-3 carrots, whole, unpeeled and scrubbed
1-2 parsnips, whole, unpeeled and scrubbed
1 bunch fresh green herbs (e.g., parsley, cilantro, dill), chopped
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup vinegar (e.g., rice wine, red wine, sherry)
2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
1. Cut the cabbage into pieces that will fit into the food processor.
2. Using the shredding attachment, shred the cabbage, carrots and parsnips.
3. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
4. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.
5. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
6. Store in air-tight container in the refrigerator and use within 5 days.
