Valentine's Day 2009

For about 2 years of our relationship, my husband and I have done the whole "going out somewhere special" for Valentine's day. The remaining 10 Valentine's Days have been me cooking for him, usually something comparable to what we would order if we were going out. Tonight, I made the same Sauteed Halibut as I did last year because it was just so good. I also made whole wheat couscous with sauteed vegetables, which was new to my husband, and I made it with all red veggies in honor of the holiday. Finally, I found some adorable baby artichokes to serve as my veggie. My parents used to get these for my family in bags when they went up to the Monterey bay area, and we would eat them almost daily. They are so easy to eat in comparison to regular artichokes, and I have been raised to love artichokes since I was very young. Even better, my husband doesn't like the heart part, so I get to eat extra hearts! He is my perfect match! On a separate note, my husband had a seriously horrible day on Valentine's Day (busy at work and a completely broken down car) and almost missed dinner entirely, so it was really neat for him to come home to a relaxing candle-lit dinner and a bottle of wine. That is how we do Valentine's day, it is enjoyable time together with no pressure on either of us to come up with the perfect gift, reservation, etc.

Recipe for Sauteed Halibut is here.

Whole Wheat Couscous with Carmelized Veggies

1 cup Whole Wheat Couscous

1 cup Chicken Stock (or Broth) - Sub Veggie Stock for Vegetarian Meal

3 Large Shallots, sliced into very thin rings

1 Bell Pepper, diced into 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half

1 Tbs Chopped fresh Basil or Parsley

2 tsp. Olive Oil

Bring Stock to a boil with Basil mixed in. Meanwhile, heat oil over medium heat. Add Shallots. Cook until carmelized (when they start to get really golden brown). Add Bell Peppers, cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add Tomatoes, cook & stir for 1 minute. If Stock is at a full boil, add Couscous and veggies. Stir, cover and remove from heat. Allow couscous to steam for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork and serve immediately.Makes 6 1 cup servings.

Nutrition Info for 1 serving: Calories: 161.8, Fat: 2.6g (.3 Sat, .2 Poly, 1.3 Mono), Carbs: 28.6g, Fiber: 4.2g