Tuesday is Valentine's Day -- and celebrating with a sweetheart can be heart-healthy.
Grace Derocha of Blue Cross Blue Shield Michigan joined 7 Action News for a live interview. She shared recipes for beet hummus, Asian seared ahi tuna and dark chocolate cherry energy bites.
Recipes follow below.
Beet Hummus
Ingredients
* 1-2 roasted beets
* 1 15 oz. can (1 3/4 cup) cooked chickpeas, mostly drained
* zest of one large lemon
* juice of half a large lemon
* healthy pinch salt and black pepper
* 2 large cloves garlic, minced
* 2 teaspoons coriander
* 1/2 cup tahini
* 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
1. Roast beets - Preheat oven to 375 degrees, remove the stem and most of the root from your beets, and scrub and wash them underwater until clean.
2. Wrap beets in foil, drizzle on a bit of oil, wrap tightly, and roast for one hour or until a knife inserted falls out without resistance. They should be tender. Set in the fridge (in a bowl to catch juice) to cool to room temperature.
3. Once your beet is cooled and peeled, quarter it and place it in your food processor. Blend until only small bits remain.
4. Add remaining ingredients except for olive oil and blend until smooth.
5. Drizzle in olive oil as the hummus is mixing.
6. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt, lemon juice or olive oil if needed. If it’s too thick, add a bit of water.
7. Will keep in the fridge for up to a week. Enjoy with favorite veggies or pita chips.
Asian Seared Ahi Tuna
Ingredients
* 2 big handfuls of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
* 1 jalapeno, sliced (keep seeds for more heat)
* 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
* 2 garlic cloves, grated
* 3 limes juiced
* Zest of 2 limes
* 4 tbsp of light soy sauce
* A pinch of sugar
* Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 2 tbsp olive oil
* 2 (4-6 ounce) sushi-grade ahi tuna steaks
* 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
Instructions
1. Combine the cilantro, jalapeno, ginger, garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a bowl. Stir the ingredients together until well incorporated.
2. Place a skillet over medium-high heat and coat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
3. Season the tuna generously with salt and pepper. Lay the tuna steaks in the hot oil and sear for 1 minute on each side to form a slight crust.
4. Pour 1/2 of the cilantro mixture into the pan to coat the fish.
5. Serve the seared tuna with the sliced avocado and the remaining cilantro sauce drizzled over the whole plate. Will make two dishes. Enjoy!
Dark Chocolate Cherry Energy Bites
Ingredients
* 2 cups whole almonds
* 10 pitted dates
* 1 cup dried cherries
* 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
* 3 tsp water
* Pinch of salt
* 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips
Instructions
* Add almonds to food processor, blend until fully chopped but not flour.
* Add dates, cherries, cinnamon, water, salt and chocolate chips. Process until an even texture
* Once at desired texture (I like mine to have some chunks) roll into 1 inch balls.
* Will make about 12 balls. Set in refrigerator for about 15 minutes to set. Enjoy!
* Will keep in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for a week.
