Valentine's Day Treats!

I'm wearing red tights, I'm licking envelopes, love is in the air or something... yeah, it appears to be Valentine's Day. Normally, I hate Valentine's Day with a fiery passion. It doesn't matter whether I'm in a relationship or not; it has to do more with the fact that a) red is simply not my best color, b) it's a giant waste of money, and b) it's a holiday based entirely on candy and cookies, whoop-dee-doo. The whole thing is just kind of lost on me.

BUT. In the spirit of the holiday (and ok, I *do* really like these red tights), I thought I'd post some low-sugar Valentine options. No sense in eating a whole box of chocolates just because it's February 14th... because I guarantee it wouldn't be widely acceptable on February 15th!

#5: WARM CINNAMON BANANAS. I feel like I've posted this before (it's a favorite of both myself and my boyfriend), but few things are more satisfying (or easy) as this dessert. Slice up a banana, sautee it in a frying pan with some butter/butter spray/butter flavored cooking spray. Add vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. You can serve it a host of ways. My favorites are with applesauce, or drizzled very lightly with warm peanut butter and/or very dark warm chocolate. (And when I say drizzle, I mean lightly. A little goes a long way.)

#4: LINDT 90% DARK CHOCOLATE. This chocolate tries to tell you that a serving size is four squares... but you certainly don't need that much. One square (which is enough to appease, honestly!) has a mere 55 calories, 5 grams of fat, and less than a gram of sugar. I like to have a square with a glass of red wine when I have some calories to spare!

#3: GREEN AND BLACK'S ORGANIC DARK 85%. If 90% is too much for you (some people think it's bitter, especially if you are just weaning yourself off of sugar), try this 85% from Green and Black. It is melt-in-your-mouth delish. A serving size is 12 pieces, which is practically half of a bar- you don't need that much. Six squares give you 125 calories, 10 grams of fat, and four grams of sugar.

#2: PLAIN GREEK YOGURT AND.... Vanilla. And bananas. Or strawberries. Or warm peanut butter and pecans. Or diced ginger and pears. Or... or.... you get the idea. Greek yogurt is thick, creamy, and you can dress it up any way you like. Much better for you than ice cream, and you can pack it up with nutritious and delicious fruit/nuts!

#1: FROZEN MANGO. Frozen mango is probably one of the things I always, always keep in my freezer. Sometimes, I eat it straight out of the bag. Sometimes, I let it sit for five minutes in a bowl and then eat it ever-so-slightly softened. And sometimes I mix it with other fruit or put it in a smoothie. My point is- mango is the whip. And frozen mango is even better.

Here's wishing you and yours a happy Valentine's Day. From my heart to yours!

until later...

"I don't understand why Cupid was chosen to represent Valentine's Day. When I think about romance, the last thing on my mind is a short, chubby toddler coming at me with a weapon." ~Author Unknown