Five Days of Quick and Healthy Recipes for Two

A fit couple’s blueprint for making weeknight meal time easy, healthy and romantic this Valentine’s month!

At 37 and 47 years young, my husband and I know a thing or two about living a healthy lifestyle, staying fit, and being energized parents and entrepreneurs. Out of the billions of souls on this planet, our worlds collided back in 2012 at a business event in Los Angeles.

My husband, Todd, was working at the event and I was attending. It was love at first sight. From the moment we first spoke, there was an electric connection. After the event, we started dating. I told him about my commitment to personal health, and from that point on, Todd became my accountability buddy. Today, we are each other’s biggest supporters. Our relationship is built on a foundation of love and health.

Since February is the month of love, it’s only fitting I share some of our favorite healthy recipes that keep us on track with our health and fitness goals. One of the biggest keys to our success is we cook about 95 percent of what we eat at home.

According to Harvard Health, experts say a combination of increased availability, bigger portions and more high-calorie foods are some of the reasons why people are overweight. In today’s modern society, we are eating more bad calories because of the rampant availability and convenience (fast-food restaurants, gas stations and shopping centers). Americans are spending more on foods eaten out of the home than ever before. In 1970, we spent 27 percent of our food budget on away-from-home food; by 2006, that percentage had risen to 46 percent. Portion sizes have tripled and added sugar content has contributed to the overconsumption of unhealthy food.

One easy solution is to choose healthier foods and cook at home so that you can control what is in your meals. This way, you know what you are eating is all organic and nutritious, and it also fuels your optimal health on a daily basis.

Below is my healthy dinner plan for two—a fit couple blueprint for making weeknight mealtime easy, healthy and romantic for you and your valentine! It’s time to get in the kitchen, cook up the love, and feel good together this month and beyond.

Healthy Couples Weeknight Dinner Plan

MAKE-AHEAD: Weekend Prep

For Tuesday: Prepare the pistachio pesto sauce.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup pistachios, shells removed
• ½ cup basil leaves
• 1 large garlic clove
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
• ½ juice of lemon
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, or more as needed
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Add pistachios, basil, garlic, Parmesan, lemon juice, oil, and salt and pepper (to taste) to a blender and blend until desired consistency is achieved.
2. Store in refrigerator.

WEEKNIGHT PLAN

Monday: LOW-CARB AND DELICIOUS

Bunless Bacon and Avocado Burgers

Serves 2-4

This is the best gluten-free recipe for a homemade hamburger.

Ingredients:

• 1-pound ground organic grass-fed beef
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• ½ cup egg whites
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ cup gluten-free rolled oats
• 1 head iceberg lettuce
• 6 pieces crispy bacon
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup feta cheese
• 2 large ripe tomatoes, sliced
• 2 avocados, pitted and sliced
• 1 lemon

Directions:

1. Heat the grill to low to medium heat.
2. Combine beef, garlic powder, onion powder, egg whites, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, salt, and oats in a large mixing bowl.
3. Separate into 4 burger patties then rub with olive oil.
4. Cook burgers until done to your liking.
5. Place burger on top of a piece of iceberg lettuce and then top burger with crispy bacon, feta, tomato slice, some avocado slices, a second piece of iceberg lettuce and drizzle with lemon juice.
6. Top with plenty of fresh ground pepper and enjoy with a knife and fork.

Tuesday: EASY GOURMET

Pistachio Pesto Hanger Steak

Serves 2-4

This recipe brings gourmet to barbecuing!

Ingredients:

• 1-pound hanger steak
• 1 tablespoon MCT or coconut oil
• salt and pepper, to taste
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, or more as needed
• 2 tablespoons pistachio pesto sauce
• 3 cups spinach
• Lemon

Directions:

1. Rub steaks with MCT oil or coconut oil and set aside.
2. Heat a grill pan or fire up the grill at medium-high heat.
3. Season meat with sea salt and pepper (to taste). Place on grill or in pan and reduce heat to medium-low.
4. Cook 6 to 7 minutes per side for medium-rare, or longer to your liking.
5. Transfer steak to plate, top with pistachio pesto sauce and allow 5 minutes to rest.
6. Slice the steak thinly across the grain and serve on a bed of spinach. Top with a squeeze of lemon and drizzle with olive oil if desired. Enjoy!

Wednesday: QUICK AND FRESH

Grilled Salmon Arugula Salad

Serves 2

This beautiful, healthy salad is light and refreshing.

Ingredients:

• 2 wild salmon fillets
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• bag of organic arugula
• ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese
• 2 cara cara oranges, peeled and thinly sliced
• squeeze of lemon
• avocado, ripe and cubed
• salt and pepper, to taste
• spinach

Directions:

1. Turn on the grill to low-medium heat and let warm up 5 minutes.
2. Rub both sides of salmon fillets in oil.
3. Place salmon on grill and cook until flaky, 3 to 5 minutes on each side.
4. Combine arugula, goat cheese, orange slices, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon oil, avocado, and salt and pepper (to taste) in a large bowl. Mix all ingredients. Place salad mixture on a plate.
5. Remove salmon from grill and serve over spinach and drizzle with remaining olive oil. Enjoy!

Thursday: MAKE IT SPICY

Spicy Garlic Mustard Chicken

Serves 2

If you love spicy foods, this entree is perfect for you!

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon MCT or coconut oil
• 4 tablespoons grass-fed unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce or Sriracha
• pinch of sea salt
• 3 cups spinach
• olive oil (if desired)

Directions:

1. Rub chicken breast with MCT oil or coconut oil and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine butter, spicy brown mustard, garlic powder and hot sauce, stirring well to combine.
3. Heat a grill pan or fire up the grill at medium-high heat.
4. Season chicken breast with sea salt, place on grill or in pan and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 8 to 10 minutes per side.
5. Transfer chicken to plate, top with hot sauce-mustard mixture and allow 5 minutes to rest.
6. Slice into chicken strips and serve on a bed of spinach. Top with a drizzle of olive oil, if desired, and enjoy.

Friday: MAKE IT ROMANTIC

10-Minute Garlic Butter Lobster Tails

Serves 2

This is the perfect easy recipe for a special and delicious night in for two that tastes like an expensive steakhouse meal!

Ingredients:

• 2 lobster tails
• 4 tablespoons butter and two 1-tablespoon pats of butter
• ¼ cup minced garlic
• juice of 1 lemon
• sea salt
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• diced parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat the broiler to high. In a large pan, add 4 teaspoons butter and garlic and cook on medium-low, stirring occasionally to prevent burning as you prepare lobster.
2. Set lobster tails on a baking sheet or in an oven-safe dish. With sharp kitchen scissors or a knife, carefully cut the top of the lobster tail shell down to the tip of the tail, avoiding the meat. Devein and remove any grit, if needed. Carefully pull shell down so meat looks like it is sitting on top of shell and open.
3. Mix spices in a small bowl. Sprinkle lobster with spices. Add small pats of butter along the lobster tail. Place in oven and cook until meat is opaque and white, about 8 to 10 minutes.
4. After 6 minutes of cooking, add ¾ of butter and garlic from pan to lobster, drizzling over lobster tails.
5. Remove and serve immediately with rest of garlic and butter.

I hope you and your valentine love my recipes as much as my husband and I do! Have fun cooking! If you want even more healthy recipes, check out my cookbook “The Naked Confidence Cookbook” on Amazon.

Photo credit: Todd Cribari, inspirostudio.com