Vday menu, what goes with...

[hungryabbey]

I think Im going to attempt to cook my b/f dinner for vday and am just planning out the menu and need some serious help! All I know for sure is that I would like:
-it to be fairly light and healthy (low oil, sugar etc)
-to have chicken as the main, perhaps stuffed? or wrapped in proscuitto or some type of sauce?
-to be cheese free (I am allergic)
-and I am thinking of doing a heart shaped chocolate strawberry tart for dessert.

So please any side dishes you can suggest to go with a chicken main would be great, as well as any advice on the chicken recipes as well! Thanks again!

[Emme]

Epicurious has some great aphrodesiac based recipes... http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/holidays/valentinesday/aphrodisiacs

Some of my favorite romantic dishes though include ones where we might feed each other... like fondue, or for dessert chocolate dipped strawberries.

for light, would you be amenable to fish as a main... one of my favorite seafood dishes is seared scallops w/ black toasted crispy lentils w/ a drizzle of orange reduction and parsley oil... or as a starter, this salad is great http://www.epicurious.com/articlesgui...

For chicken, I'm a huge fan of Chicken Cacciatore, and it doesn't have to be done with wine... you can just supplement with extra broth, and b/c I'm a health nut, I use chicken breast generally, but that's your call. And, instead of pasta, you can serve it with spaghetti squash...

A heart shaped strawberry tart would be very cute. You could also do heart shaped biscuits and make strawberry shortcakes.

[hungryabbey]

oh very nice ideas, thank you everyone!

[danhole]

Chicken Kiev is a good one without cheese. You could make a light garlic sauce and toss it with angel hair pasta, with a tossed salad of your choice on the side.

[TatyanaG]

I would serve chicken saltimbocca (chicken scaloppine topped with prosciutto and sage) with sauteed spinach. It's elegant and light.

[hungryabbey]

do you wrap the prosciutto aorund the chicken or just lay it on top?

[TatyanaG]

It is usually laid on top and either secured with a toothpick or made into a roll or simply folded over. Here is Mario Batali's rendition of this yummy dish:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recip...

[azhotdish]

i've done this version multiple times with great success.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_13641,00.html

this would also be a great dessert with it.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

[TatyanaG]

Wow, that dessert looks truly outstanding! And it's a very romantic color ;-)

[hungryabbey]

oh dear I forgot to mention the hardest part of this .. my bf is allergic to wine!! so no cooking with wine, which makes it alot harder unless I can substitute in those recipes?

[azhotdish]

in the chicken saltimbocca recipe, you can substitute dry vermouth for the white wine and just add more chicken broth, no problem.

[meatn3]

Vermouth is a fortified wine. This is a handy site with good substitutes for many frequently used alcohols.
http://gourmetsleuth.com/alcoholsubst...

[hungryabbey]

oh that is handy, thanks!

[diablita FL]

This [url=http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo... and goat cheese salad[/url] from Epicurious is delicious and the colors are nice for V-Day. Because you form the individual salad portions, just omit the goat cheese from yours.

[hungryabbey]

oh wow that is beautiful presentation, good idea, thanks! keep them coming guys!