Give your family members the reward of well being: Rejoice Valentine’s Day with these wholesome recipes

Give health to your loved ones: Celebrate Valentine’s Day with these healthy recipes. Photo credit: iStock Images

New Delhi: Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14th and is the day when people celebrate the spirit and soul of feeling called love. Everyone has their own ways of showing affection for loved ones. While some people celebrate it in an elaborate way, others like to make small, sweet gestures that convey their love. Given how last year went through the world saw the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems that the best gift you can give someone for any occasion at this time is actually the gift of health.

If you want to impress your loved one or make them feel like they are loved, it is a good idea to cook for them this Valentine’s Day. Making food healthier will only add to love. Even if you don’t know how to cook the best food, here are some Chef Sabyasachi Gorai’s recipes to help you put your best foot forward on this day of love.

Chai waffles with bananas and caramelized walnuts

ingredients

• 300 g all-purpose flour
• 10 g baking powder
• 1 pinch of salt
• 60 g of sugar
• 100 g butter
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 l milk
• 3 tea bags chai (tea)
• 2 tablespoons of cocoa bean shell
• 50 g walnuts, chopped
• 50 g of brown sugar
• For pleasure: a few spoons of caramel sauce

Preparations:

• Heat the milk and pour it into 2 tea bags and the cocoa bean shell and soak the mixture. (Tip: Put the milk with the tea bags and the cocoa bean shell in the refrigerator and let it steep overnight.)
• Open the left tea bag and mash the tea leaves in a mortar.
• Mix the flour with the baking powder and the crushed tea.
• Melt the butter and wait for it to cool. Sieve the tea and milk drink. Add the melted butter with salt, sugar and 2 eggs to the flour mixture. Slowly add the milk and mix. Give the dough an hour of rest.
• Chop walnuts, put brown sugar in a pan and wait until you have light brown caramel. Add the walnuts and toss them into the caramel. Remove the caramelized walnuts from the pan and let them cool.
• Add some portions of the batter to a waffle iron and bake through.
• Serve the lukewarm waffles with chopped bananas, caramelized walnuts and caramel sauce.

Peppermint walnut brownie bites

ingredients

• 1.5 cups of walnuts
• 1 cup of dates, pitted and soaked in hot water for at least five minutes
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• pinch of salt
• 1-2 tablespoons of water as required
• 1 cup chocolate chips, melted
• 1/4 cup crushed candy canes.

Preparations:

• In a food processor, beat the walnuts and dates until smooth, scraping the sides as necessary.
• Add cocoa powder, peppermint extract, and salt. Mixture.
• Add 1-2 tablespoons of water as needed. A ball of dough can form in your food processor.
• Roll into balls and freeze for at least 15 minutes.
• Melt your chocolate and mash your candy canes as the bites freeze.
• Dip or drizzle each bite in melted chocolate and top with crushed candy canes.
• Store in the refrigerator or freezer.

Chocolate sheet cake with candied walnuts

ingredients

cake

• 85g bittersweet chocolate
• 1 cup of hot coffee (hot water works too)
• 1/2 cup of sour cream
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups (284 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 cups (396 g) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (75 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of salt

Chocolate buttercream

• 226 g semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups (339 g | 3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons of corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups of powdered sugar
• Sprinkles if desired

candied walnuts

• 2 cups of walnuts
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparations:

For the cake:

• Put an oven shelf in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 180 ° C. Dust a 9 by 13 inch pan with flour and line the bottom with parchment paper.
• Put the bittersweet chocolate in a small bowl. Pour the hot water over it and cover it with a piece of plastic wrap. In a medium-sized bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the sour cream, milk, rapeseed oil, eggs, and vanilla.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with a paddle, mix the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking powder and salt on a low setting until well mixed. Slowly add the sour cream mixture while the mixer is almost empty. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 20 to 30 seconds until the combination.
• Whisk chocolate and hot water until everything is smooth. Slowly pour the chocolate mixture into the batter and mix until just combined. Using a spatula, give the batter a few turns to make sure it is completely mixed.
• Evenly pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until a wooden skewer or toothpick comes out with the smallest crumb.
• Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and let them cool for 30 minutes. Turn the cakes on a half-sheet pan lined with parchment paper, remove the parchment paper from the bottom of the cakes, and let the cakes cool completely upside down (this will help deflate the dome). Once cooled, the cakes can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated or frozen overnight (cakes can also be frozen unfrozen for up to a month).

For the buttercream:

• Put about 1 inch of water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over the pan of boiling water, being careful not to let the water touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir constantly until just melted and set aside to cool slightly.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with a paddle, beat the butter on medium heat for about 3 minutes until light yellow and lightly. Add the vanilla, corn syrup, and salt and beat medium until combined.
• Turn the mixer on low and gradually add the confectioners’ sugar. Beat over medium heat and pause to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed until smooth and creamy for 2-3 minutes. Add the chocolate and mix on low speed until there are no more streaks.

For the candied walnuts

Combine the walnuts, sugar and salt in a large pan. Cook over medium heat until the sugar begins to melt and the nuts begin to roast, stirring almost constantly. Once the sugar begins to melt, turn the heat on low and cook until the nuts are lightly caramelized. Pour the nuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let them cool completely before cutting into small pieces.

Assemble

Freeze the cake with the chocolate buttercream. Press the chopped, candied walnuts into the sides of the cake and decorate with sprinkles if necessary.

Disclaimer: The tips and suggestions in the article are for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or professional healthcare provider with specific questions about medical issues.