This Valentine’s Day, show the love with a romantic, home-cooked dinner à deux

Seductive side dishes

Butternut squash risotto

This side dish provides complex carbohydrates, while also giving you the benefits of a vegetable. Butternut squash is a veggie loaded with vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, calcium and fiber. These nutrients can help fight inflammation, lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of stroke.

"Risotto is definitely a labor of love, because it takes time and patience to create,” Weatherstone said. “But, if you take your time, this recipe will come out perfectly!”

To make this recipe as nutritious as possible, she offered the following tips:

• Make the risotto with brown rice instead of white to boost your whole grain intake, which can help lower the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure.
• Add more colors and variety by using more of your favorite veggies.
• To reduce the amount of sodium, limit or omit the salt.

Note: Pressed for time, or looking for a less labor-intensive side dish that is still heart-healthy? Weatherstone recommends preparing brown rice or whole wheat pasta and adding butternut squash and any other vegetables you enjoy.

Recipe

• 1 small butternut squash
• 6 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups risotto or brown rice
• Kosher salt (optional)
• Freshly ground pepper
• Grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley, for topping

Directions

Cut the stem end off the squash, then use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin. Slice in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp from one half. Reserve the other half for another use. Slice the squash lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick strips, then slice crosswise to form 1/2- inch cubes.

Bring the stock to a boil in a saucepan, then reduce the heat and keep at a simmer.

Meanwhile, warm the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly golden, about five minutes. Add 1/4 cup water and cook until the squash is tender, 10 to 15 more minutes. Use a wooden spoon to partially mash the squash, pressing it against the side of the pan.

Stir in the rice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add a ladleful of hot stock to the rice and cook, stirring, until absorbed. Be careful not to add too much stock at once, and make sure it is hot. Otherwise, it will stop the cooking process. Continue adding stock, one ladleful at a time, stirring until absorbed before adding more.

The entire cooking process takes about 20 minutes; start tasting for doneness after about 15 minutes. If you've used all of the stock and the rice is not yet al dente, heat a few cups of water and add by the ladle as you did with the stock until the dish is done.

The risotto is ready when you can drag the spoon through the center of the pan and make a clean line in the rice for a few seconds. Season with more salt and pepper to taste, if needed.

Transfer immediately to serving bowls or a platter and top with Parmesan and parsley. Leaving finished risotto in the pan will cause it to continue cooking and become mushy. If you have leftovers — or would like to cook a batch and divide it for later meals — the risotto can be frozen and reheated.

Nutrition per serving (recipe yields 8 servings): 235 calories; 44 grams carbohydrates (1 gram sugar, 1 gram dietary fiber); 4 grams protein; 5 grams fat (3 grams saturated); 617 milligrams sodium.

Adapted from: foodnetwork.com/recipes/butternut-squash-risotto-3363471

…and a tantalizing treat

Frozen yogurt bark

This sweet treat is topped with almonds and fruit which are both good sources of fiber. And instead of the traditional white chocolate, this bark is made with lower-fat, high-protein Greek yogurt.

Greek yogurt also contains probiotics, which help sustain a healthy gut. For added antioxidants — and to make it even more decadent — drizzle the bark with melted dark chocolate or adding dark chocolate chips.

For variations you can also:

• Experiment with various Greek yogurt brands, as their flavors can vary.
• Switch up the fruit — try shredded coconut and antioxidant-rich strawberries, raspberries or pomegranate arils for a fun Valentine’s Day color scheme.
• Try a variety of unsalted nuts and seeds (chopped pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, etc.). They all deliver healthy fats, but each contains slightly different nutrients.

Recipe:

• 1 1/2 cups plain, low-fat Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons honey or 100% pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons chopped, unsalted almonds
• 1/2 cup finely chopped mangoes (you can also use peaches, apricots or any favorite fruit)
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1/4 cup blackberries, chopped if large

Directions

Line a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish with parchment paper.

Combine yogurt and honey in a medium bowl with a whisk. Using a spatula or knife, spread the yogurt mixture as thinly as possible over the paper.

Sprinkle with almonds and, using your fingertips, gently press the almonds into the yogurt mixture. Sprinkle the mango, blueberries and blackberries over the bark, pressing the fruit gently into the yogurt mixture.

Cover the dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Freeze overnight.

To serve, remove the baking dish from the freezer. Gently lift the parchment paper from the dish and transfer to a cutting board. Using your hands, break the bark into pieces (it may help to hit it lightly on the surface of the cutting board).

It's best to eat the bark immediately. It begins to melt 15 minutes after being removed from the freezer. Any leftover bark can be wrapped in parchment paper, put in a resealable plastic freezer bag, and frozen for up to one month.

Nutrition per serving (recipe yields 8 servings): 70 calories; 10 grams carbohydrates (9 grams sugars, 1 gram dietary fiber); 4 grams protein; 2 grams fat (0.5 grams saturated); 15 milligrams sodium.

Adapted from: recipes.heart.org/en/recipes/frozen-yogurt-bark