Valentine’s Day has yet again come round quickly, did you forget and need a last minute dinner plan? We’ve got you covered with recipes for a perfect romantic, home cooked meal! Treat your partner with a mix of tasty, healthy and easily made dishes. A three course meal perfect for Valentines!
Begin your meal with a mouth-watering tomato and red pepper soup:
Ingredients
450g ripe tomatoes
1/2 Red Pepper chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
500ml hot vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
Olive oil
Method
Place tomatoes and chopped red pepper on a baking tray, drizzle them lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with the oregano.
Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C/180°C Fan/Gas 6 for 10-15 minutes, until the tomatoes start to soften and the skins begin to char.
Meanwhile place the onion and garlic in a large, heavy-based saucepan with 300ml of the stock. Cover the pan, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
Peel and chop the roasted tomatoes and add to the cooked onion mixture in the pan along with the remaining stock.
Simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Purée the soup in a blender or food processor. Return the soup back to the pan, season well and add the basil. Reheat the soup if necessary.
For the main event, prepare yourself some spicy crispy chicken with sweet potato wedges:
Ingredients
6 (approximately 1 1/2 lbs.) chicken breast halves, boned, skinned
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup (2 oz.) Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup cornflake crumbs
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper or Italian Seasoning
Vegetable oil spray
2 sweet potatoes cut into wedges
Method
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Dip chicken in egg; coat with combined remaining ingredients. Place in greased shallow baking dish, sprayed with non-stick vegetable oil spray.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Prep time: 5 minutes / Cooking time: 20 minutes
Sweet potato wedges
Preheat the oven 180c
Place your sweet potato wedges on a baking tray- drizzle with olive oil
Season with salt, pepper, garlic and thyme.
Place into the oven for 30 minutes until cooked through and crispy.
Room for dessert? Try these delicious Granola Pears:
Ingredients
2 large Bosc pears
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup low-fat granola
1/4 cup apple juice
1/2 cup vanilla low-fat frozen yogurt, divided into 4 small scoops
Method
Peel pears and cut in half lengthwise. Use a melon baller or grapefruit spoon to remove core and seeds, creating a hollow.
Place pear halves, with cut sides up, in a glass pie plate. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over pears.
Combine cranberries and granola; mound into hollows of the pear halves. Pour the apple juice in and around pear halves. Cover dish loosely with wax paper.
Cook in microwave on HIGH 6-8 minutes or until the pears are tender when pierced with a knife. Let stand in the dish 5 minutes. Use a large slotted spoon to transfer the pears to serving plates.
Drizzle juices from pie plate over pears and serve with frozen yogurt.
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