Being vegan shouldn’t be an obstacle in your Valentine’s Day 2017 celebrations. You can still get creative with your Valentine’s Day dinner ideas. Here are a few Valentine’s Day vegan dinner recipes that you should try this Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day Vegan Dinner Recipes
Pasta with Cauliflower, Peppers and Walnut Pesto Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups lightly packed cilantro leaves
- ½ cup lightly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- ¾ cup walnuts
- 2 garlic cloves
- ¾ pound strozzapreti or orecchiette pasta
- 1 small head of cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets (about 4 cups)
- 1 small red bell pepper, cut into 2-by-¼-inch strips
- 1 small yellow bell pepper, cut into 2-by-¼-inch strips
- Freshly ground pepper
Directions
Pulse the cilantro, walnuts, parsley, and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Add six tablespoons of the oil and pulse again until smooth. Season with salt.
Cook the pasta in large pot of salted boiling water. Drain the water, reserving ¼ cup of the pasta water.
Heat two tablespoons of oil in a skillet, add the cauliflower, sprinkle some salt, and cook on high heat for five minutes. Add the bell peppers and cook for another five minutes.
Add the pesto, pasta, and the reserved pasta water to the vegetables. Toss until the pasta is coated and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Coconut Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons coconut or extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large sweet onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 2 15-ounce cans pure pumpkin puree (or 4 cups fresh roasted pumpkin)
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 15-ounce can coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut.
Directions
Heat oil in a stockpot. Saute the onion over medium-high heat until softened. Add ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant.
Stir in the pumpkin, coconut milk, stock, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. The soup must be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Puree it with a blender until smooth. Toast the coconut until golden brown.
Serve the soup in bowls and garnish with toasted coconut.
Twice-Cooked Broccoli with Hazelnuts and Garlic Recipe
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup hazelnuts
- 1 large bunch of broccoli, cut into 1 ½-inch florets
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Salt
- 2 ½ tablespoons hazelnut oil
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F and toast the hazelnuts in a pan for 12 minutes. Transfer them to a kitchen towel and rub them to remove the skin. Chop the nuts coarsely.
Cook the broccoli in a steamer for five minutes or until tender.
To a skillet, add the hazelnut oil, garlic and hazelnuts and cook until the garlic turns golden. Add the broccoli and crushed red pepper and toss. Season with salt and cook until tender, about two minutes. Serve hot.
Sources:
Traunfeld, J., “Pasta with Cauliflower, Peppers and Walnut Pesto,” Food & Wine web site, September 2008; http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/pasta-cauliflower-peppers-and-walnut-pesto, last accessed February 13, 2017.
Lapine, P., “Vegan Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Coconut,” Food & Wine web site, December 2012; http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/vegan-pumpkin-soup-toasted-coconut, last accessed February 13, 2017.
Parisi, G., “Twice-Cooked Broccoli with Hazelnuts and Garlic,” Food & Wine web site, January 1999; http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/twice-cooked-broccoli-hazelnuts-and-garlic, last accessed February 13, 2017.
