Seared salmon and cheesecake: A Valentine's Day dinner that won't derail your diet

MILWAUKEE -- In honor of Valentine's Day, Angelica is making a healthier alternative for a romantic dinner.

Restaurant-Style Pan-Seared Salmon

Ingredients:

Directions:

1. Bring salmon filet(s) to room temperature. Typically, this can be done by removing salmon fillets from the refrigerator about 15 minutes before you’re ready to cook.

2. Dry the salmon using a paper towel and pat dry, top and bottom. This is to prevent from sticking to the pan.

3. Heat a stainless steel or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes. You want the pan to be very hot! To test if the pan is ready, flick a few drops of water onto a pan, and if it sizzles and evaporates almost immediately, it’s ready to go.

4. Season the salmon with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Add oil to the pan so it coats the entire bottom. You want the oil to ripple across the surface, but not long enough to start smoking.

6. Place the fillets on the skillet, skin-side down. Press firmly in place with a spatula for about 10 seconds, this is to prevent the skin from buckling and even cooking. Cook salmon on skin side for about 4-9 minutes, without touching it, until the flesh turns into a lighter color about ¾ of the way up the fillet. The majority of the cooking will take place when the fish is skin-side down. You will get crispy skin.

7. When the skin easily releases from the pan, flip the fillet and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

8. Remove the salmon from the pan and let rest on a paper-towel lined plate for about 3 minutes before serving. If you don’t like the skin on your salmon, you can scrape it off before eating.

9. Serve salmon with your choice of sides, like steamed veggies and rice or potatoes.

Low-Carb Cheesecake Cups
Courtesy: That Fit Fam 
Makes 5 mini cheesecake cups

Ingredients:

Directions:

1. Beat all ingredients together until smooth. (NOTE: Adding in the optional cream cheese gives the desert a stronger cheesecake flavor.)

2. In a small parfait-sized bowl or a cup, layer 1/8 cup graham cracker crumbs, a couple spoonfuls of cheesecake mixture, strawberries, another layer of cheesecake, and then top with remaining graham crackers crumbs and strawberries.

3. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.