Japanese in origin, Yakitori sauce is a highly palatable, slightly sweet concoction that’s easy to like. This version pairs it with chicken (thighs or cutlets), snow peas, and basmati rice in a delicious combination everyone at your table will love.

I’m using boil-in-bag basmati rice here but you can use brown rice, or any other rice you already have in the pantry (you DO have rice in the pantry, right?). Just follow the package directions for 4 servings.

Chicken Yakitori Bowl

Adapted from Cooking Light

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 (3.5 ounce) bags boil-in-bag basmati rice
1/4 cup lower-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin (sweet rice wine)
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
3 teaspoons peanut  (or canola) oil, divided
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breast cutlets
8 ounces snow peas, halved lengthwise diagonally
1 bunch green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces

Directions

1.  Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

2.  Combine soy sauce and next 4 ingredients (through broth) in a small saucepan; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer 3 minutes.  Remove from heat.

3.  Heat a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat.  Add 2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned.  Transfer to a cutting board; cool slightly.  Cut into (1-inch) strips.

4.  Return pan to medium-high heat; add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to pan.  Add snow peas and onions; saute 2 minutes.  Add soy sauce mixture and chicken to pan; cook 2 minutes or until liquid is syrupy and chicken is thoroughly heated, stirring frequently.  Place 1 cup cooked rice in each of 4 shallow bowls; top each serving with 1 cup chicken mixture.

Here’s a fun idea for a winter lunch, a hearty afternoon snack, or maybe even dessert. You can’t beat a sweet potato as a satisfyingly filling sweet dish and this vegan version is an amazing riff on a twice-baked potato. The potato is baked and then the insides are mashed with coconut milk before being re-stuffed into the skin and topped with diced apple, dried cranberries and toasted pecans. Dust the whole thing with a little cinnamon and dig in. Delish.

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Adapted from Jessie Monds

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 individual sized sweet potatoes or yams
Olive oil
1/4 cup light Thai coconut milk (canned)
1/3 cup toasted pecans
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1 large crisp apple (Honeycrisp is ideal), cored and diced
Cinnamon, as garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Scrub the sweet potatoes, dry, poke them with a fork all over, and place them into aluminum foil with a sprinkle of oil and salt. Wrap and roast for approx. 50 minutes.
3. After they have cooled, remove from foil and slit down the middle lengthwise.
4. Spoon out most of the insides of the sweet potato.
5. Mash the insides with coconut milk, salt, and pepper. Replace the insides.
6. Reheat the potatoes at 350 degrees F to warm them.
7. Remove and top with dried cranberries, pecans, and apples with a dash of cinnamon on top.

I promised you a Valentine’s Day meal idea for your sweetheart, and here it is – a shrimp and pasta dish built for two. Even if you don’t cook on MOST days, making a special meal on Valentine’s Day is a lovely treat. Cook together if you can – so fun.

Get those shrimp marinating ahead of time and thread them onto the skewers before you start everything else because the rest of this dish is really quick to assemble.

You’ll want a great bottle of champagne or a crisp white wine chilling to pour while you’re whipping  up the sauce and plating the dishes. I like a few asparagus spears tossed in there, too. (Hint: they can grill right along with the shrimp!)

And don’t forget to have some great dark chocolate on hand for dessert. No Valentine’s Day meal would be complete without it.

Shrimp Scampi Linguine
adapted form All Recipes

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

For the shrimp:
1 Tbsp. and 1 tsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. and 1 tsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon minced garlic
ground black pepper to taste
crushed red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
Wooden skewers

For the linguini and sauce:
6 oz. of whole grain linguine
1/2  stick unsalted butter
1 lemon (juiced)
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes
splash of white wine

Directions:

For the shrimp and pasta:
1. In a medium bowl, mix the olive oil, lemon juice, fresh parsley, garlic, and black pepper together. Add the red pepper flakes if desired.
2. Add the shrimp and toss till coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3. Thread the shrimp onto skewers, and heat the grill.
4. Cook linguini according to package directions. While it’s cooking….
5. Grill shrimp skewers until opaque, turning once (usually 2-3 minutes). Set aside.
6. Drain pasta and set aside.

For the sauce and assembly:
1. Saute butter, lemon juice, minced garlic, vegetable oil, and red pepper flakes with a splash of white wine till fragrant and bubbling.
2. Toss sauce with linguine and place the grilled shrimp on top. Sprinkle with additional chopped parsley.
3. Enjoy with your special someone.