Romantic recipes for a healthy Valentine’s

You’ve spent all of January being good, so don’t let Valentine’s turn into a dietary disaster. Don’t worry, you can still exercise your romantic side this February whilst staying on your healthy track by swapping calorie-laden treats for delicious guilt-free dishes.

Canned Food UK’s fool-proof Valentine’s menu is special enough to rival any restaurants and proves that good food doesn’t have to cost a fortune, is quick and easy to make and, all importantly, still be healthy. Canned Food UK has a selection of easy, cost-effective and healthy recipes, which have been created with celebrity chef James Martin and are perfect for setting the mood for love.

All you need to create these dishes are eight cans of quality ingredients, including chilli, black beans and chopped tomatoes. The canning process preserves foods by pressure cooking the food in the can to lock nutrition in and give them their long shelf life, so they’re ready to use when you are. Add to this a few fresh staples including salmon and peppers and you’re away.

These recipes provide the perfect three course meal in a hurry without compromising on quality or taste. What’s more this menu is packed full of nutritious ingredients and provides three of your 5-A-DAY.

For the perfect starter try Canned Food UK’s Chilli Stuffed Peppers. Quick and easy to prepare, this dish can be ready in under 45 minutes. Packed full of flavour, the juicy pepper and chilli filling contains essential proteins that are vital for good health. The added canned tomatoes also provide an excellent source of lycopene, an antioxidant which is well known for its disease-fighting properties and is excellent at boosting the immune system.

For a special main, woo your loved one with a delicious Barbecued Salmon & Black Bean Salsa. Just serve with a fresh salad and you’ve got a winning dish that says you’ve made a special effort. No one need know it only took you 15 minutes to prepare and cook! Plus, at only 394 calories per serving, you can afford to indulge in a glass of your favourite tipple and save room for pudding.

To finish and leave a truly sweet taste, indulge your sweet-heart with a special Coconut Rice Pudding with Exotic Fruits. This recipe uses deliciously creamy canned coconut milk for a wonderfully rich flavour without the calories! What’s more, the exotic canned mangoes help to control blood pressure are an excellent source of fibre and are full of antioxidants, which help the body to neutralise free radicals. So, who needs chocolate when you have the perfect fruity Valentine’s dessert?

For even more quick and easy recipes to try this Valentine’s Day, cannedfooduk.co.uk has more than 160 delicious recipes. iPhone owners can view the dishes by downloading the free u.can cook app available through iTunes App Store, which features more than 90 quick recipes and a selection of step-by-step recipe demonstrations by celebrity chef James Martin.

Chilli Stuffed Peppers
Serves 4 (for 2, halve ingredients)

Ingredients
1 x 410g can vegetarian chilli 99% fat free
1 x 227g can chopped tomatoes
1 x 290g can mushrooms, drained
225g long grain cooked rice
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves
50g cashew nuts, roughly chopped
A little olive oil
4 red peppers
1 small pot natural yogurt
Handful of chopped fresh mint
¼ cucumber, finely chopped

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 400F, 200C, Gas Mark 6.
2. Empty the vegetable chilli and tomatoes into a saucepan and heat gently until just starting to bubble.
3. Add the rice, cinnamon and cloves. Heat gently for 4 minutes. Remove the cinnamon and cloves and add the cashew nuts.
4. Halve the red peppers and remove the seeds. Brush with a little olive oil and place on a baking sheet, spoon the chilli into the peppers and bake for 20-25 minutes until the chilli is heated through and the peppers still slightly crunchy.
5. Mix together the yoghurt, cucumber and mint and chill until ready to serve.
How to serve: Serve the stuffed peppers with the yoghurt dressing. Serve with a baby spinach and tomato salad.

Nutritional value per serving
Calories: 280
Carbohydrate: 43 g
Protein: 11 g
Fat: 8 g
Saturated fat: 1 g
Fibre: 3 g
Iron: 3 mg

Barbecued Salmon & Black Bean Salsa
Serves: 2
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
2 salmon fillets
400g can black beans, drained
227g can chopped tomatoes
1 bunch coriander, finely chopped
1 red chilli, finely chopped
Pinch of salt
Green salad to serve

Method 
In a bowl combine the black beans and tomatoes. 
Stir in coriander, chilli and salt. 
Cook the salmon fillets on a barbecue or pan fry for three or four minutes each side until cooked through. 
Serve salmon with the salsa and a green salad.

Hints and Tips
Salmon can be replaced with fresh tuna or mackerel fillets. Try buying sustainable fish where possible.

Nutrition Information (Per Serving)
Calories: 394
Protein: 38.8g
Carbs: 28.7g
Sugars: 5.0g
Fat: 14.7g
Sat Fat: 2.5g
Fibre: 10.3g
Sodium: 0.3g

Coconut Rice Pudding with Exotic Fruits
Serves 4 (for 2, halve ingredients)

Ingredients
3 tbsp cashew nuts
1 x 425g can low fat rice pudding
4 tbsp coconut milk
1 x 425g can mango slices
1 x 411g can lychees
1 x 425g can black cherries

Method
1. Heat a frying pan and dry roast the cashew nuts until golden brown.
2. When cool enough to handle, roughly chop the nuts.
3. Empty the rice pudding into a saucepan, add the coconut milk and heat
gently until thoroughly combined.
4. Drain the mango, lychees and black cherries, reserving the juice. Pour the juice into a saucepan and heat gently. Simmer for 5 minutes until slightly reduced.
How to serve: Spoon the rice pudding into a bowl alongside the fruit drizzled with the juices. Scatter a few cashew nuts onto the fruit to serve.

Nutritional value per serving
Calories: 197
Protein: 5.5 g
Carbohydrate: 36.2 g
Fat: 4.5 g
Saturated fat: 1.3 g
Fibre: 1 g