The key to most everyone’s heart is through their stomach, especially around Valentine’s Day. But instead of gifting chocolate boxes and candy conversation hearts, let’s do sweets a little different this year. Show your love and keep everyone’s heart happy and healthy with a dietitian-inspired gift guide.
Top 5 Valentine’s Day Gift Guide
- Strawberry-Champagne Jam: “You’re totally my JAM, Valentine.”
This vibrant and lively sweet jam instantly adds a splash of elegance to your morning pancakes, waffles, crepes or overnight oats. Sparkling with sweet strawberries and bright champagne, this jam is perfect for Valentine’s Day.
- Glass Travel Infuser Mug: “You’re a hot tea.”
Your hottie especially needs to stay hydrated! This travel infuser mug lets you bring your highbrow tea experience to your morning commute, your evening dog walk, your hair appointment, and wherever else your day takes you. And it’s guaranteed to make your valentine smile!
- Veggie Spiralizer: “I like you oodles and oodles like zoodles.”
This isn’t just another gadget that will take up space and collect dust in your kitchen! A veggie spiralizer makes eating vegetables more fun and memorable by turning them into noodle-like shapes. More vegetables in your diet means more vitamins, minerals and fiber, leading to greater health benefits! Try out my favorites in the spiralizer: zucchini, sweet potato and carrot “noodles.”
- Dark Chocolate Bars: “You sweeten my day!”
It wouldn’t be Valentine’s Day without some chocolate, right? The darker the cocoa content, the greater the health benefits like lowering LDL “bad” cholesterol, improving blood vessel circulation and – most importantly – mood-lifting! Pair any 70% dark chocolate bar with strawberries, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, coffee or even a glass of wine, and enjoy with that special someone.
- Microplane Zester/Grater: “I just PLANE like you.”
This is one of the best tools to use for the ultimate dish presentation or “wow factor.” Use for zesting fresh citrus, grating cheese, or dusting grated chocolate over dessert like in the Sweetheart Overnight Chia Oats recipe below.
Make it a Valentine’s Day to remember with these tasty treats and foodie-inspired gadgets from your local grocery store. And if you still want to gift something extra thoughtful and homemade, the following recipe will make your morning breakfast together berry special!
Sweetheart Overnight Chia Oats
Serves 2
All you need:
1¼ cups plain nonfat Greek yogurt, divided
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp honey, divided
9 Basket & Bushel strawberries, plus additional for garnish
¼ cup Basket & Bushel red raspberries, plus additional for garnish
¼ cup old-fashioned oats
2 tbsp strawberry-champagne jam, plus additional warmed for garnish
Chopped dark chocolate bar, for garnish
All you do:
- Combine ½ cup yogurt, water, chia seeds and 1 tablespoon honey in a small bowl. Pour chia mixture into 2 (10-oz) jars.
- Trim and halve 9 strawberries. Using 12 strawberry halves, slide 6 strawberry halves into the yogurt mixture against the inside wall of each jar with cut sides of strawberries against the glass; set aside.
- Place remaining ¾ cup yogurt, remaining 6 strawberry halves, ¼ cup raspberries, oats, 2 tablespoons jam and remaining 1 tablespoon honey in a blender. Cover and blend on high until oats are finely ground. Pour oat mixture on top of yogurt mixture in jars; cover with jar lids. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
- To serve, garnish with chopped chocolate and additional strawberries, raspberries and warmed jam, if desired.
Recipe source: Hy-Vee.com (https://www.hy-vee.com/recipes-ideas/recipes/sweetheart-overnight-chia-oats
This information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice.
