When I was a kid, Valentine's Day was naturally a popularity contest manifesting in who received the most heart-shaped cards. I always sent the boy I was crushing-on a homemade one. But, by far, the most enjoyable V-Day competition was to see who could eat the most cinnamon hearts before their tongue set on fire. My tongue usually set on fire after about 10 or 15 little delicious hearts, FYI.

Now that I'm more health-conscious, I likely won't be popping tongue-burning sugary cinnamon hearts, but I may send a Valentine's Day card or two. And, I will definitely be baking something gluten-free and delicious in my oven. Baking should and can be easy. These delightful little cookies are both easy to make and a really nice way to show your love.

Love is something that is on my mind often, (being a nutritionist) because love is a nutrient! I've written about love extensively on my own health blog because I believe that just like healthy food, love is critical for a healthy mind and body. Many people focus on receiving more love in their life, but what about showing more love? When you show more love and care for people who mean something to you, then the universe naturally sends love right back your way. As the old saying goes: Like attracts like or in this case, love attracts love.

Bake these cookies for your kids, parents and loved ones. Recipe after the jump.

Some wonderfully, healthy eating trends are picking up speed with the mainstream population, which makes nutritionists like myself very joyous. Both raw food and gluten-free diets are becoming popular while the low-fat trend of the 80s and 90s is on the way out. This is good news as the latter did nothing good for us other than make our muffin tops and love handles grow at an obscene rate due to the over consumption of carbohydrates and processed foods.

These newest food trends are here to stay because they are all about promoting health. When you subscribe to the notion of eating nutrient-dense, low-allergen foods as the path to wellness, your gut and life will change for the better.

Eating raw is not something I personally do 100 percent of the time. I love cooked foods, especially soups and certain vegetables, which are easier to digest and simply taste better when cooked, including cruciferous veggies like broccoli and cauliflower. However, as Dr. Brian Clement, a raw foodie and co-director of the Hippocrates Health Institute says, "Food is not only for pleasure; it has the potential to aid in reducing disease and prolonging life." I couldn't agree more and truly believe that eating more raw food is critical to a joyous healthy life.

Top three reasons to go raw and cookie recipe after the jump

Feeling instant warmth and joy is achievable when you create your own soup. And this recipe is comfort food like no other and so easy to make -- but you don't have to tell anyone that. I love to promote healthy food that tastes amazing and this recipe is extra-special because it meets the following criteria that health-conscious people really care about.

Gluten-free
The fact that so many people are embracing gluten-free diets doesn't surprise me. And it isn't just sufferers of celiac disease who benefit from eating gluten-free. In fact, my diet is 75 percent gluten-free because I appreciate the fact that I've eliminated gas and/or bloating after a meal and I feel satisfied and energized all day long. As I've mentioned in previous posts, Dr. Mercola (my nutrition guru) refers to gluten containing diets as "an epidemic of hidden intolerance." There are many people who have this intolerance and are not even aware of it. Try going gluten-free and see how you feel.

Dairy-free
Not as popular as gluten-free, but there are many people who cannot tolerate dairy. Dairy is acidifying, which some experts suggest causes the body to shuttle calcium from the bones to the blood as a buffering agent. This is one of the reasons that dairy may in fact not be the best choice for obtaining calcium in your diet. Of course, if you are vegetarian, you will love this recipe because it's a great choice, assuming you use vegetable stock.

Low Allergen
This soup recipe is corn, wheat, soy, nut and, of course, preservative, additive and chemical-free as those items are common allergens and best avoided to achieve your most joyous health. Unfortunately, these foods are added to nearly every packaged and processed food so we are literally overdosing on them, which eventually causes sensitivities in the gut and can lead to allergies and food intolerances.

Recipe after the jump

You've probably noticed more than a few food products and restaurant menu items boasting their gluten-free status. And maybe you've been wondering what that's all about.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder with symptoms that are triggered by ingesting gluten. Gluten is the main protein in wheat, barley, kamut, rye, and spelt. Celiac disease is on the rise, which partly accounts for why gluten-free foods are enjoying increased popularity.

Many specialists in celiac disease report that the disease does not get diagnosed as often as it should, and that people may suffer from the effects for years, perhaps even getting other incorrect diagnoses and misguided treatments. As a result, many people have begun to adhere to a gluten-free regime to determine if this is the hidden source of their health issues.

Not everyone had the same experience with meat loaf when they were a kid as I did -dry and flavourless meat loafs are, unfortunately, an all-to-common scenario. But my mom was a fantastic cook and I remember as a child I would look forward to coming home from school to find out what she had created in the kitchen. The second I opened the door, the delightful spicy aroma of my mom's meat loaf cooking in the oven made my mouth water.

I have updated my mom's recipe to be a little more healthy, and, yes, that means a meat loaf with no ground beef, but it's just as delicious and comforting as its red meat relative.

Please note that although this recipe does not have wheat bread, it uses oats. Some people on gluten-free diets can eat oats and some cannot, please use your discretion.

Protein tip: The protein portion on your plate should be no larger than the size of the palm of your hand. This recipe is so delicious that you will want to eat more than one slice. However, if you eat slowly and enjoy every single bite you will likely feel very satisfied with one slice (about one inch thick) and some vegetables on the side.

See recipe after the jump.

I'm on a bit of an alternative grains kick lately, so here is a recipe that takes advantage of two - quinoa and buckwheat. These pancakes are as good, if not better than, regular pancakes but they're wheat and gluten free, have a higher fibre content and take advantage of two grains you may not be used to cooking with (and we all know that variety is extremely important when it comes to food).

But please, I beg you - don't go ruining your healthy breakfast by dumping on fake, processed ingredients in the form of margarine and fake maple syrup. This would turn something actually beneficial for your body into a high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated mess. Organic butter and maple syrup please! And while you're at it, why not put on some fresh berries, sliced fruit and yogurt too?

Recipe for Quinoa Buckwheat Pancakes after the jump.