An Unromantic’s Rules to Valentine’s Food

Valentine’s Day themed food has taken over!

I don’t have a clear sense of the true meaning of Valentine’s Day and never made up my mind to which side of the fence I belong: anti-consumerism or hopeless romantic.

I always stood passively in No-man’s Land and accept gifts nonchalantly as they came. *chuckle*

Heart Paris

So now, allow me to present 5 things Mel knows about Valentine’s Day:

  1. It’s the perfect time to re-gift Christmas chocolates.
  2. Lots of flowers get slaughtered.
  3. Boys’ wallets get slaughtered too. No, there’s no gender equality on V-day.
  4. Children must give V-day cards to everyone in the class, or none at all.
  5. Avoid Valentine’s Day set menus at restaurants at all costs.

Which leads me to this tread from my Facebook Page.



I’m not a cynic but I just can’t wrap my mind around Valentine’s Day’s purpose. I smile when I see heart-shaped, frosted baked goods popping up but it’s overwhelming when the market becomes saturated with ooeygooeygushyness.

Baked goods becomes vegetables become hearts under the mercy of baby cookie cutters… which turns into risottos, potatoes, or anything you can imagine stuffed into heart-shape moulds. Yes, even steak, and that’s where I draw the line.

In addition, add RED FOOD COLOURING to everything to trigger my gag reflex. Gaggg!!

But if one must make something, here are an unromantic’s 3 rules to making Valentine’s Day food.


1. Do not purposely buy Vday ingredients. Scrummage all the red and pink stuff you can find in the fridge and pantry.


2. K.I.S.S. – Keep It Simple, Stupid. In other words, just mix everything together.


3. Try not to make it look gross.

Was that so bad? I didn’t use a touch of food colouring!




Pomegranate and Beet Chicken Salad

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup roasted beet, diced
  • 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
  • 1/2 cup cucumber, deseeded and diced finely
  • 1/4 cup red onion, diced finely
  • 1 cooked chicken breast or thigh, diced
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • salt to taste

Spread the salad onto 4 slices of toasted bread of choice. Serves 2.


Thursday, February 11, 2010

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Comments (16)

Dawn@CocinaSavant

February 11th, 2010 at 12:09 pm    


hahaha love it! a nice way I think to make something real in the midst of phony themed dishes that depend on red food coloring for success :)

Rose

February 11th, 2010 at 1:01 pm    


I’m just Anti. Anti-Valentine’s, Anti-consumerism, anti-social peer pressure to conform to some stuuuupid marketing-oriented holiday and anti-overly cute crap that people exchange to celebrate the one time of year that they love each other.

Obviously, we don’t celebrate. I told Adam if he bought flowers this week, I’d kick him in the knees (they double the price tag). I’m all for gender equality which INCLUDES men, which somehow so many people miss. I could go on a rant about this, but I think all people deserve to be special.

Kudos on making a pink/red dish sans fake coloring. =D

Lee Ann

February 11th, 2010 at 1:08 pm    


I needed this post for my daughter who requested an easy, inexpensive and romantic menu for beau … this fits the bill and with good common sense.

Merci!

Ginny

February 11th, 2010 at 1:38 pm    


haha! nice! I’m getting a little sick of the massive amount of food coloring being used too!

ValleyWriter

February 11th, 2010 at 1:40 pm    


The hopeless romantic in me loves the heart shape – and the foodie in me loves that there’s nothing “fake” about it. Bravo!

PT

February 11th, 2010 at 1:46 pm    


i once went to the mall with a girl (mistake #1) around v-day (mistake #2) and watched her touched/tried on EVERYTHING pink for what seems like an eternity…

i should have just made her this salad instead… =)

as always, great work mel!!

ps – gung hay fat choy!! =)

Alta

February 11th, 2010 at 2:18 pm    


Where did you find pomegranates? I thought they were out of season. You are too funny with your recipe – but I love it! And I love even more that it’s not dyed red from artificial food coloring – yay!

sherry

February 11th, 2010 at 2:49 pm    


I love this!!! So artful! so creative and it would be tasty too? great post. best from Montecito, California

Jen @ Tiny Urban Kitchen

February 11th, 2010 at 4:26 pm    


I love it! Heart-shaped chicken breasts no less. This is super creative. Thanks for the mid-day work chuckle. :)

Something yummy… at Just Get Floury

February 11th, 2010 at 9:28 pm    


[...] with lots and lots of hearts, chocolate and other ways to woo your sweetie.  I must say my two favorite posts lately have been a bit unconventional… not that I don’t love pink, hearts and an [...]

Fearless Kitchen

February 12th, 2010 at 2:58 am    


This is really interesting… I don’t think I’ve ever mixed pomegranates with beets.

justcooknyc

February 12th, 2010 at 9:25 am    


ha, boy’s wallets get slaughtered… sigh

i love the colors of this salad, btw.

Simone (junglefrog)

February 12th, 2010 at 9:51 am    


Valentine’s day is not so big here in the Netherlands although we do see chocolate hearts and the like everywhere and this year is the first time I am noticing a trend in more ‘valentine food’ I love your take on it though…!

catty

February 12th, 2010 at 4:00 pm    


LOL what a cute post and I totally love your pomegranate and beet salad! Anyway, whichever side of the fence you’re on, have something red on Sunday anyway cos HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR (forget V day!!)… xx

Sean

February 12th, 2010 at 11:12 pm    


Wow that looks pretty good, I am surprised you didn’t use any food coloring.

Miriam/The Winter Guest

February 13th, 2010 at 5:34 am    


Lovely! (I hate Valentine, though… we’ve never celebrated. But I must admit I tend to be less dogmatic with the years, after all it’s just another excuse to cook)

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