So, it’s Valentine’s Day again. For you, that might mean a romantic evening with your significant other, a fun gathering with your Galentines, or a night in for self-care. Either way, there’s no reason to feel excluded from this holiday, because we can all celebrate our first love: Food!
Whether you’re vegan or not, Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to show your love for our beautiful planet, precious animals, and your health by feasting on a plant-based menu for your celebration.
Here’s a plant-based line-up full of flavor, carbs, and chocolate — all simple and quick to make!
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White wine strawberry cocktails (or mocktails)
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Pesto-stuffed mushrooms
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Gluten-free drunken spaghetti
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Layered chocolate strawberry mousse
White Wine Cocktail Spritzer
First up, mix this white wine cocktail spritzer. The muddled strawberries make it pretty and pink, and you’ll use those strawberries in your dessert, too! It’s sweetened with agave, and the lemon juice gives it a nice zing. Using a vegan sauvignon blanc will pair well with the pesto in these stuffed mushrooms. To make this an alcohol-free mocktail, omit the vodka and sub the wine for unsweetened white grape juice or cranberry juice.
Vegan Pesto Baby Portobello Mushrooms
It only takes a minute to blend this simple plant-based pesto in your food processor. Then just hollow out your mushrooms, brush with olive oil, spoon in some pesto, top with pine nuts, and bake for 10 minutes. Voilà — you have yourself a cute plate of bite-sized appetizers.
Drunken Chickpea Spaghetti
For the main: gluten-free drunken spaghetti. It definitely looks the part for Valentine’s Day. The chickpea spaghetti will soak up two cups of red wine, making this dish beautiful and bright red! It’s flavored with lemon, red and black pepper, garlic, and fresh Italian parsley. Sprinkle with some of those pine nuts. Between the chickpea spaghetti and pine nuts, this dish is packed with plant-based protein.
Vegan Strawberry Chocolate Layered Mousse
Now for the best part of any meal: the dessert! This layered chocolate strawberry mousse is a wonderfully decadent Valentine’s day treat, yet also fast and easy to make. Plus, it’s naturally sweetened with dates. Blend the dates with cashews, cacao powder, and coconut milk for the creamy mousse layers. Dice some strawberries to put in between. The recipe suggests using brownie crumbles in the layers, but we suggest using a broken-up Chocolate Peanut Butter BumbleBar. Yum!
For other ways to dress up your BumbleBars, here’s a plant-based chocolate sauce and a cherry dip.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
