Heart Healthy Valentine
It’s Valentine’s week…show yourself some love and love the people around you! That might mean replacing those chalky candy hearts with some heart healthy options.
Valentine’s Day. One day every year to acknowledge the love you have for your significant other. If you love sharing the love, those acknowlegements might extend further to your family and friends…little tokens of “why you are important to me.” This is the love that Jesus shows us daily and a love that we really should replicate and extend to others on a regular basis. For me, this one day serves as a reminder; tell them, show them. Having this day to do a little extra for the people you love can be so much fun!
In our house, Valentine’s week is a celebration each year. When the kids were young, it was a family dinner (typically surf & turf) at the dining room table, some gifts and a decadent homemade chocolate dessert. Simple notes and texts were sprinkled throughout the day full of that “extra love.” I enjoy authentically reminding my family and friends of why they are important to me. It truly is a gift and so easy to make someone else feel loved by sharing what about them makes that person special to you.
Whether you celebrate with your significant other, your whole family or with friends, out to dinner or a quiet night at home, here are some healthy ways to make the most of this week.
- Indulge in homemade heart-healthy desserts. Fresh fruit dipped in dark chocolate or this delicious pumpkin chocolate mousse, that contains heart healthy antioxidants.
- Make healthy substitutions when baking; use 100% whole-wheat or almond flour, replace oil with apple sauce, use coconut oil instead of vegetable oil, reduce the added sugar in a recipe by 1/3.
- Grow your huge heart and practice gratitude. What do you love about that special person in your life? What is one of your favorite memories? Send them a hand written note or text and share your thoughts.
- Stay heart healthy and keep your portions in check! You can enjoy some treats on Valentine’s Day, but keep those portions in check or even better, split a meal with your loved one.
- Put the phones down and step away from the TV. Spend some quality, uninterrupted “in your face time.” Get out and go for a 30 minute walk together.
Share with us this week! What is your favorite thing about Valentine’s Day? What are you doing to spread the love??