Who loves chocolate?  Raise your hand.  Yep, that’s what I thought … everyone!  Yes, that does include me too.

Chocolate is great, and once in a while, a nice piece of dark chocolate is a special treat, but on Valentine’s Day we can all get carried away and forget that one little piece does not a whole box make.

Below are 3 healthy tips, but in case, you want some delicious chocolate here are some awesome chocolate bars that have no soy lecithin in them (after all, I cannot do any kind of soy).

Here are some healthy alternatives to those heart-filled box of empty calories that will make you and your sweetheart happy without bouncing off the walls from the overload of sugar.

1.    Make it yourself.  Everyone loves a home cooked meal, the kind that you sometimes reserve for the weekend because you just don’t have the time during the week.  Luckily, Valentine’s Day this year falls on Friday, so if you’re tired, you’ll have Saturday to recover.  Make a salad to start with lots of healthy veggies, maybe even adding some fruit for sweetness.  A lean, grilled protein and a side of oven-roasted sweet potato, asparagus, zucchini and eggplant will definitely be sure to melt your partner’s heart.

 2.    Go for the gold.  Golden yellow pineapple is an amazing treat and contains a natural digestive enzyme (bromelain) in its juice.  It’s sweet and satisfying and can make a lovely dessert.

Buy a whole pineapple, wash it and slice it into 2 lengthwise pieces, then carefully cut out the flesh and cube it.  Put some of the fruit back into each shell and toss in some raspberries, strawberries and blueberries for the added benefit of a great antioxidant.   As easy as that, you have a delicious dessert that you both can share.

 3.    Think outside the box.  Yes, it’s nice to receive a pretty red heart shaped box of sweets, but what about the day after, when you’ve come down from your sugar high and you know that there was a better way to go.