For those who question how to keep animal products out and taste in, last night’s Valentine’s Day dinner, which I made for Mitch and I (it was nice to be in the kitchen cooking on a Thursday) was almost entirely plant-based, with absolutely no deprivation. I made stuffed mushrooms as an appetizer for our happy hour, simply stuffing them with sauteed mushrooms, garlic and breadcrumbs. I used veggie broth to balance out the moisture, stuffed the caps and baked for about 25 minutes at 375. There was a big salad, of course, dressed with lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and olive oil, fresh whole wheat pasta with a homemade sauce made of chopped tomatoes and garlic (sauteed until the tomatoes broke down) and some halved kalamata olives. I cut up a head of broccoli and roasted it in the oven at about 420, till the ends started browning. An Italian bread from Publix worked well for garlic bread, which I used olive oil and fresh garlic on, placing the bread under the broiler for a couple of minutes. I must admit, that being Valentine’s Day, I wanted to do something special for Mitch, so I made him 2 little lobster tails on the grill (which honestly would NOT have been missed, but I know he enjoyed). I also made us sweets…chocolate covered strawberries and homemade “raisinettes,” both happen to be vegan, as Ghirardelli Chocolate Chips happen to be free of animal products and crazy delicious.