You've probably heard the saying, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach".
I think its safe to say a way to ANYONE'S heart is through a beautiful full meal (even a really good snack does the trick).
And with this quarantine, what better day to celebrate Valentine's Day than through a quality meal together?
Cooking is such amazing way to spend some quality time together and create a yummy meal.
I find so much joy in cooking with friends and family, it really allows us to connect and enjoy the time we spend together. Even if you're not much of a chef yourself, don't be afraid to get your hands chopping and sautéing. The act of cooking is learning, so if it doesn't turn out, it's really about the learning experience and being present in that moment with your partner.
I've said this before and I'm going to say it again, the kitchen can easily become the most wasteful room in the home. So much food, water and plastic used for cooking, cleaning and storage purposes are thrown away.
This Valentine's day, with your gift of sustainability, be conscious of the waste produced through your meals and cooking. Try to find ways to reduce your waste: switch to beeswax wraps or glass storage containers for your leftovers, plan meals and portions, reuse cooking byproducts or remains, use whole foods that are produced in sustainable methods, make freezer safe meals, etc. All these great kitchen products can be found on our 'Kitchen' page and through the links above!
Before we jump into recipes, let's start with the ingredients. Fresh ethically sourced ingredients are the basis of a hearty wholesome meal.
For all of our listed recipes and for other recipes that can suit everyone's diet needs, fresh produce is a staple and are some of the easiest items you can get sustainably. Produce can often be purchased locally, organically, and seasonally.
Here's an easy list of what's in season right now to make the search easier:
- Rutabaga - Turnips - Beets
- Carrots - Cabbage - Red onion
- Garlic - Leeks - Potatoes
- Squash - Sweet Potatoes
These ingredients are healthy and easy to throw in with any meal. They can even been combined and made to be a side dish with a fancy main course.
If you want your Valentine's day meal to include a dish with meat, make sure your meat is coming from an ethical source. There is strong evidence that animal farming and the meat industry are large contributors to the excessive carbon emissions, as well as many accounts of animal mistreatment in some companies. This also goes for dairy and other animal by-products.
Eating meat, dairy, and other products can be done sustainably. Making sure you are supporting local farmers and that your sources are being ethically produced is the best way to do that. Many neighbourhoods have local butcher shops and small grocery stores who support local and ethical suppliers so check out some of those wonderful places close to home that offer local sustainable ingredients!
If you have made the decision to cut out meat, dairy, and/or animal by-products, these recipes can be altered to fit any dietary needs with the proper substitutions!
Alright, alright, I'm done my spiel. Onto the recipes!
We'll start with some classic side dishes:
ROASTED VEGETABLES: (I stole this little trick from Jamie Oliver: roasting veggies with vinegar and oil ratios) You can use any any veggies, any vinegar, and any oil. This is perfect with any meal or anytime you are in charge of bringing the veggies to the potluck!
4~5 cups of any mixture of root vegetables (beets, yams, sweet potatoes, potatoes, rutabaga, carrots, onion)
1/4 cup of special vinegar (balsamic, red wine, apple cider)
1/4 cup of oil (olive oil I find works best)
Additional seasonings optional
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Celsius. Roughly chop your root vegetables into 1 inch cubes. Put chopped vegetables into a bowl with your chosen vinegar and oil. Toss until all veggies are coated. Add additional seasonings if you wish, I like to add some garlic, onions (not a seasoning but nice to throw a bit in), pepper, and salt.
(Warning: the vinegar adds alot of flavour so don't be too crazy with the seasonings! But its totally up to you!)
Place your vegetables in a greased oven safe casserole dish or on a baking sheet with reusable silicone sheets. Put in oven for 20 mins. Stir them up and place them into the oven for another 15-20 mins. Check them with a fork to make sure they are soft and serve warm!
CHICKEN RICE WITH VEGGIES: I absolutely love this dish. It is the perfect pair for any salmon, pork or chicken meal or even with beef or on its own!
1 cup of wild brown rice
2 cups of hot chicken stock
1/2 cup of your choice of veggies
A sprinkle of Italian seasoning
A dash of salt
(A great way to make your chicken stock is to boil a chicken carcass! This is low waste and tastes delicious!)
Measure out stock and rice into a sauce pan with a dash of salt. Place on the stove under medium/low heat. Add a sprinkle of Italian seasonings as you see fit (I like to add a bit of dried basil and some dried parsley!). Once it starts to boil lightly, turn down the heat to low and cover. Cook for about 30-45 minutes, or until water is absorbed and rice is tender. When rice is finished, remove from heat and add in cooked veggies of your choosing (I suggest peas, corn and carrots!). Serve warm and enjoy!
Side dishes are so easy, you can pick and choose whatever you think pairs well with your main course! There are so many ways to do a basic potato or rice dish as well so don't be afraid to colour outside the lines and have some fun with it!
SIMPLE VINEGAR COLESLAW: I know this little recipe. Its tasty, easy, and perfect for any last minute potluck or dinner dish. (Also goes amazingly on pulled pork sandwiches!)
1 thinly sliced cabbage
2 shredded carrots
1 broccoli head, roughly chopped
1/3 cup of olive oil
1/3 cup of vinegar
2 tablespoons of organic sugar
Chop up your veggies first and put into a bowl. Pour on oil, vinegar, and sugar. Toss until coated. Refrigerate overnight for best taste or serve fresh!
Onto the mains, aka the star of the meal. The main is usually a meat or meat alternative so we are going to explore some of those recipes below!
PULLED PORK: For me, pulled pork is a hearty, yummy classic dish that is perfect for any busy day! This is a Valentine's Day meal because even though its a bit messy, it is absolutely delicious and is so easy for the working couple! This meal is super easy and you can go all day at work without asking, what should I have for dinner? (refer to coleslaw recipe above)
1 (1 lb) pork tenderloin
1 1/2 cups your favourite local or homemade barbeque sauce
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup chopped white onion
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Fresh homemade coleslaw
Homemade whole wheat buns
Add the barbeque sauce, water, onion, salt, pepper, and chili powder to your slow cooker. Place tenderloin into the slow cooker and coat with sauce. Cook on high for about 4 1/2 hours or until pork is tender. Using 2 forks, tear pork until entire tenderloin is shredded. Serve on toasted made from scratch whole wheat buns with some homemade coleslaw and hot sauce to taste. *Chefs kiss*
Its so good, Gordon Ramsay would rate it 5/5.
*CLASSIC STIRFRY: Stirfry is perfect if you want to clean the fridge or make some room in the vegetable drawer., no stirfry in my house is the same twice! If you don't have some of these veggies, don't worry, use what you have on hand! It doesn't take too long to cook but has lots of little prep jobs that is perfect for a team of 2, making stirfry the best non-traditional Valentine's Day meal! (Plus this meal is vegetarian!)
1 medium onions
1 bell pepper
1 head of broccoli
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 cloves of garlic
3 mushrooms
1 large bok choy
A handful of bean sprouts
4 tbsp of teriyaki sauce
4 tbsp of soy sauce
2 tbsp of honey
A dash of Worcestershire sauce
1 extra firm block of tofu, diced into 1 inch cubes
1 tbsp of cornstarch
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of soy sauce
2-4 servings of rice or vermicelli noodles
Cilantro and hot sauce, optional
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Start by preparing the tofu. Take tofu out of package and rinse. Set in a towel to drain and pat out excess water. The best way to get out the moisture from a block of tofu is by using a tofu press, but if you don't have one of those fancy contraptions like myself, I wrap my tofu block in a towel and place an even cutting board on top with a couple soup cans. You want to make sure to apply even weight on the block but not too much weight so the brick doesn't crumble. Leave for about 30 minutes to fully dry.
Once the tofu is dry, dice into 1 inch cubes and place in a bowl. Add cornstarch, soy sauce, and oil olive to bowl and toss until tofu is completely coated. Spread tofu evenly on a baking sheet lined with a reusable silicone mat. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
Stir together teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, honey, Worcestershire sauce and pepper. Set aside.
While those are baking in the oven, chop up all the veg except the bean sprouts. Place a frying pan on the stove on medium heat with some oil. Add onions, pepper, broccoli and carrots to pan and cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic to pan and cook for another 2 minutes. Mix in 'soft vegetables': bok choy, mushrooms and bean sprouts. When all veggies are soft, add in tofu and homemade stirfry sauce. Cook for about 3 minutes and serve onto hot rice and noodles. Garnish with cilantro and hot sauce to you liking and enjoy!
Another 5/5 from Gordon Ramsay.
STEAK: Medium rare love? Yes, please! A classic Valentine's day meal for the couples craving a fancy meal out and a nice glass of wine.
STEAK RUB:
Ground black pepper
Salt
Garlic powder
Dried parsley
Dried or fresh rosemary
Mix together seasonings generously and rub into steaks. Let sit before grilling. (The longer the better, and refrigerate while waiting).
STEAK MARINADE:
1/4 cup of soy Sauce
1/4 cup of olive oil
A generous squeeze of lemon juice
2 cloves of minced garlic
1/2 an onion, dried or fresh
Pepper and salt to taste
Mix ingredients together and bathe steak in sauce. Marinade overnight for best results! (Refrigerate while marinating).
Time for desserts! Valentine's Day is all about the dessert. A classic Valentine's Day go to is the fabulous chocolate dipped strawberries or chocolate lava cakes... (my mouth is watering, yummy).
The Shop Sustainably team has our favourite low waste dessert for your Valentine's Day below: APPLE CRISP.
You can make this and freeze it for future dining or eat it all in one go, its completely up to you! (With vanilla ice cream? Say no more)
APPLE CRISP
10 - 15 (2 bags) apples
1/2 cup of water
Apple coating:
1 cup of sugar
1 tbsp of flour
1 tsp of cinnamon
Crumble Topping:
1 cup of oats
1 cup of flour
1 cup of brown sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup of melted butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Peel and slice all apples and place in a pan. Mix together ingredients for the apple coating and sprinkle over apples in the pan. Pour the water over the apples.
In another bowl, mix together ingredients for crumble topping. Crumble evenly over apples in pan.
Bake for 45 minutes and serve warm!
These recipes are low waste because they make perfect leftovers, use up thing in the fridge, have ingredients that can be sourced locally, and can be frozen for future meals!
Be sure to tag us on social media when you make these recipes @shopsustainably.ca on Facebook and Instagram!
Details on what to do with leftovers and ways to reuse food scraps in our next blog! Sign up for our newsletter to get notified for new products and new blogs when they are released!
Best, Emily @ Shop Sustainably