ROMANTIC MEALS FOR TWO

Instead of going out for date night, why not stay in and cook a romantic dinner for two. These healthy recipes make two servings and are perfect for spoiling your loved one for Valentine’s Day.

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NON-ALCOHOLIC SANGRIA
Serves 2

1 apple, peeled and thinly sliced
1 lemon, juiced
1 orange, sectioned
¾ cup cranberry-grape juice (or other berry juice)
Tiny pinch of ground cinnamon
3 cups soda water

1. In a medium jug, mix together the apple slices and lemon juice.
2. Add the orange sections, the cranberry-grape juice or berry juice, and the cinnamon.
3. Let the mixture sit for an hour to allow flavours to develop.
4. Just before serving, add the soda water to the jug.
5. Serve in glasses, over ice.

AVO DIP
Serves 2

1 avocado
Half a small onion, finely chopped
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 small tomato (or 6 cherry tomatoes), chopped
Juice of one lime or lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Bag of potato or corn chips of your choice

1. Peel avocado and mash in a medium mixing bowl.
2. Stir in onion, garlic, tomato and half of the lime juice.
3. Season with remaining lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Place in the fridge for half an hour for flavours to develop.
4. Pop into a pretty bowl accompanied by the chips on a serving platter and take turns to feed one another while you prepare your main meal!

PAELLA
Serves 2

½ Tbsp olive oil
Half an onion, chopped
½ tsp each hot smoked paprika and dried thyme
150g paella/risotto rice
1½ Tbsp dry sherry or white wine (optional)
200g chopped tomatoes
1 small clove garlic, chopped
200g frozen peas
450ml chicken stock
200g seafood mix (you could also add some slices of cooked chicken and/or sausage)
A squeeze of lemon juice
Handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion and soften for 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the paprika, thyme and rice, stir for 1 minute, then splash in the sherry or wine (if using) or the same quantity of stock.
3. Once it has been absorbed, stir in the tomatoes, garlic, peas and remaining stock.
4. Season and cook, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, stirring now and again until rice is almost tender but there is still some liquid in the pan.
5. Stir in the seafood mix and cover with a lid.
6. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until seafood is cooked through and rice is tender.
7. Squeeze over the lemon juice, scatter with parsley and serve with extra lemon wedges.

STRAWBERRIES & CREAM
Serves 2

250ml whipping cream
1 Tbsp castor sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 small punnet strawberries, washed, with stems attached

1. Pour cream into a bowl and whip until it begins to thicken and form soft peaks.
2. Add castor sugar and vanilla essence.
3. Continue whipping until cream forms quite stiff peaks. Put cream into an attractive bowl and strawberries – which you’ve soaked in sugar water to sweeten – into another. Using your fingers, dip the strawberries into the cream and enjoy!