Happy Valentine’s Day!  Here is the menu I’ve created for this special night!!  Enjoy!

You Make My Heart Beet Salad

Twice Baked Chipotle Sweet Potatoes

Sauteed Red Swiss Chard

Wine Poached Portobello Mushrooms

Twice Baked Chipotle Sweet Potatoes

Serves 2

2 Idaho potatoes

1 yam

4 tbsp. Earth Balance (vegan butter)

1/2 tsp. chipotle (more if you like spicy!)

maple syrup

big pinch of salt

1/4 cup chopped, toasted walnuts

Coat the clean and pricked potatoes and yam with olive oil and bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes at 400 degrees until fork tender.

Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out insides into a mixing bowl.  Be careful to preserve the shells of the Idaho potatoes.  Discard the yam skins.

To the potatoes, add Earth Balance, chipotle, 2 tbsp. maple syrup, and a big pinch of salt.  Smash with a potato smasher until smooth.  Gently spoon the potato mixture back into the Idaho potato skins and score the top with a butter knife, two lengthwise and 3 sideways.  Place on a cookie sheet and bake an additional 20 minutes at 375.  Remove from oven and top with the chopped walnuts.

Roasted Garlic and Sauteed Red Chard

Serves 2

1 clove of garlic

10 stems of red swiss chard

3 tbsp. of olive oil

a pinch of salt

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.  Cut the stem side of the garlic off and place in an oven for 30 minutes.  Chop the chard into bite size piece.  In a large frying pan, heat up the oil and toss in the chard to coat.  Add the pinch of salt and saute until the chard is tender and wilted.  Chop 3-4 cloves of the roasted garlic and add to the chard.  Serve warm.

Wine Poached Portobello Mushrooms witha Cabernet Reduction Sauce

Serves 2

2 large portobello mushrooms, stems trimmed

2 1/2 cups cabernet sauvignon

1 large shallot, finely chopped

a pinch of salt

1 tsp. agave nectar

In a medium pan, saute the shallot in a tbsp. of olive oil for about 1 minute.  Add the wine and salt.  Place the mushrooms in the wine gill side down and let simmer for 5 minutes.  Carefully flip the mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes.  Remove from the pan and slice thinly.  Add the agave nectar to the wine sauce and let simmer until reduced by half.  Spoon over the mushrooms.