Valentine's Day: you want to do something special for your significant other, but you're stumped on a romantic idea that's both charming and at least somewhat original. Roses, chocolate truffles, champagne— they're likely to be among one of the first ideas you think of gifting and what many will ultimately choose to purchase. Though all are symbolic of romance, they're 100% cliche. Nonetheless, the gesture is sure to be appreciated by the recipient, but these items aren't what I'd consider to be the most thoughtful out there. Sure, it's nice to think of someone else in the first place, but doesn't the 5-second thought process behind choosing one of said gifts make it more or less thoughtless? If you're looking to dazzle your partner, consider taking a step back and thinking outside the conventional, but still on the lines of romantic.
Lucky for you, I've already done the brainstorming. The answer I propose is Paris, a.k.a. the city from which romance erupts. No, I'm not unrealistically suggesting you grab your boyfriend/girlfriend/guy or gal you have a thing with/husband/wife and hop on a plane to the magical city (in which case, you win Valentine's Day). Rather, I recommend you bring some of the city's splendor into your own home! But, how?
The answer would be with crepes. Protein crepes, spread with a layer of naturally sweetened chocolate sauce and topped with fresh berries. Not only would you be giving your Valentine the gift of a delicious, homemade dessert, but the gift of health. Now, is there really anything more thoughtful than a gift you take the time to make with your own hands, in addition to being one that considers your partner's physical wellbeing?It's a double whammy, two gifts in one— and it doesn't cost you anything extra!
This guiltless indulgence calls for two separate recipes, though both require few ingredients and are easy to make. I recommend washing and chopping the fruit and making the chocolate sauce before cooking the crepes, that way you can serve them while they're still warm!
To make Topped With Cinnamon's chocolate fudge sauce, you'll need:
- 1/3 cup dates (I only needed 3 whole dates for this, you might buy 4 to be safe)
- 1/2 cup almond milk (I used unsweetened vanilla, but you could also use cashew or regular milk)
- 1.5 tablespoons cocoa powder
Cut up the dates, remove their pits (measure out the 1/3 cup only after you've done this), and add them into a blender with the almond milk. Blend until smooth. Pour the creamy liquid into a saucepan and let it come to a boil. From there, reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer, stirring while it cooks for 5-10 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Then, remove the pan from heat and stir in the cocoa powder until it's mixed in evenly throughout.
To make the protein crepes (adapted from Blogilates), you'll need: (makes 1-2 crepes)
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 1-2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 1 tablespoon almond milk (I used unsweetened vanilla here, too)
- 1/2 cup egg whites
- Stevia, to taste (optional- I personally omitted this)
Thoroughly mix all ingredients together in a bowl (I recommend using a blender to avoid having to work out the clumps of protein powder) and cook in a pan over low heat. For a thick, pancake-like crepe (like the one pictured), pour in all of the contents and cook until lightly browned. For thinner crepes, I'd split the batter in two and cook each separately. I haven't tried this myself, but I'd assume the only difference would be that the crepes cook faster.
Spread on the chocolate, top with fruit, and you're good to go!
To really top the presentation off, print out a blown up version of this Eiffel Tower photo I found on Google. Tape it to the window, light a few candles, and enjoy the view.
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