Lifestyle Tips
6 Reasons Why Cooking and Intimacy Go Hand in Hand 0
There are dozens of opinions out there on what you can do to strengthen the relationship between you and your loved ones. But no matter how diverse these opinions can get, there is one concept that almost everyone agrees on - and that is that cooking with someone is the best way to bond with them. Even scientists concur that cooking and intimacy are more related than we thought.
But have you wondered why? How exactly does cooking help us create more meaningful relationships? Well, here are six reasons why intimacy starts in the kitchen - whether you want to create mementos with your friends, strengthen your bond with your significant other, or get closer to your family.
1. Setting a Common Goal
Research(1) proves that sharing a mutual goal with someone is a surefire way to increase intimacy. This occurs because both parties share a common vision and do anything in their power to make it true. In the process, they learn more about each other's qualities and strengths, creating a more intimate connection. Science(2) also shows that joint attention to a task (in this case, cooking) makes people feel more connected to one another – mainly because of the shared experiences.
So, when two people cook a meal together, they do more than just follow a recipe. In reality, they let aspects of their personalities shine while discovering more about their partner's character and emotions. And that is the foundation of any meaningful relationship.
2. Connecting Over Mutual Interests
Even though the "opposites attract" mantra applies to some cases, scientists(3) have proved that we tend to like more those we feel similar to. So, when two people do something they both enjoy (for example, bake brownies or make grilled cheese), they are more likely to have fun around each other. Chances are they'll even want to spend more time together in the future. So, if you want to get closer to someone, connecting over your mutual love for cooking is a solid option.
3. Enhancing Communication
Communication is key in most shared tasks – and sharing a kitchen with someone is no exception. In fact, when you decide to make a meal with a friend, partner, or family member, the first thing you need to sharpen is your communication skills (your chopping skills come at a close second). This is the only way for the both of you to:
- delegate the tasks without anyone getting upset
- listen to what your partner has to say and become more understanding of their needs.
By synchronizing yourselves around each other, you'll be able to connect on a deeper level, mainly because of your smooth cooperation. If your cooking-together habit continues, chances are you'll extend your mutual appreciation past the kitchen and communicate effectively in other areas of your relationship.
4. Sharing Deeper Thoughts
For many people, cooking is a way to let go of stress. The kitchen becomes a safe place, where "worries" is just another word, and creativity is the main theme. When you choose to cook with someone under such circumstances, it's only natural that you show them another side of you -- a side that's relaxed and fun. As a result, you end up sharing some of your deepest thoughts, experiences, and ideas, or you may even have the most honest conversation you ever had – all of which eventually connect you on a deeper level. A sense of trust is built, and, dish after dish, you grow closer to one another.
5. Establishing Rapport
Rapport(4) is when two people are in harmony with one another. No matter the task they're performing, they're in sync. So, they can either be calm or energetic, focused or distracted, interested or indifferent.
Often described as the foundation of any great relationship, rapport is hard to achieve and maintain. But if professional chefs have proved anything to us is that cooking with other people helps build rapport in no time.
It's all about creating momentum. When you connect with the people you cook with, you subconsciously flow around them, and your moves just click. For example, you reach for the knife while they hand you the bell pepper. Or you sauté the onion to a crisp, and they add a bit of water to prevent it from sticking. That kind of thing!
In some cases, you may even complement each other's moves so flawlessly that you end up with a dish that exceeds all of your expectations. And just like that, you've graduated your relationship from superficial to worthwhile.
6. Dealing with Hurdles
Cooking isn't always smooth sailing. In fact, between deciding what to cook, going grocery shopping, and prepping the ingredients, there are a lot of things that can go wrong – and some people aren't up for it.
But here's a fun fact: If you and the person you cook with are willing to share these struggles, it could be your chance to form a deeper connection. Owning up to a weakness is never easy, and opening up about it will certainly make you more sympathetic to your partner, friend, or family member. Plus, having someone to help you out when you need it will make them more sympathetic to you.
What are your thoughts? Do you think intimacy starts in the kitchen? Or maybe not? Let us know in the comments down below!
References:
How to Meal Prep: 6 Key Benefits of Meal Prepping 0
Meal prepping is a food trend that is here to stay. It is a great way to save time and money and reduce food wastage. In addition, it helps you to make quick and healthy meals. It ranges from smoothie packs for breakfast to cooking complete meals for dinner and lunch for a few days. So, if you’re interested in saving time in the kitchen while making healthy food choices, you should try it.
The best part is that you don’t have to spend an entire day prepping. Instead, spend as little as 30 minutes cooking your favorite meals by choosing freeze dried products that are ready to use. Ultimately, meal prepping will make your life easier. This article will share tips on getting started and the benefits you will get. Let’s dive in.
What Is Meal Prepping?
Meal prepping involves grocery shopping, preparing meals in advance, and storing them as ready-to-eat packs. So, for example, you can pack your breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snacks for a week rather than doing it every evening. The purpose is to have healthy and nutritious home-cooked meals without the fuss of cooking every day.
Why Should You Meal Prep?
Meal prepping is an effective way to save cooking time, especially if you have a busy schedule. It reduces food waste and the temptation to eat out or order in when you’re too exhausted to cook. Additionally, it allows you to eat home-cooked meals without cooking from scratch.
Is Meal Prep For Everyone?
Meal prepping is excellent for people who desire to eat home-cooked meals but have a tight schedule. It is for people who value time, budget, convenience, and efficiency, and want to control their meals rather than eat something different every day. On the contrary, meal prepping is not for you if you prefer eating freshly prepared food to eating leftovers.
What Foods Work Well When Meal Prepping?
Cooked beans, freeze dried vegetables, cooked grains, nuts, seeds, cheese, freeze dried fruits, and cooked meat are excellent choices. However, some foods don’t work well with meal prep, such as soft fruits and vegetables such as berries, cut fruit, and crunchy foods like chips and crackers.
Meal Prepping With Freeze Dried Products
You don’t have to make all foods from scratch. Instead, buy freeze dried vegetables, dried vegetables, and freeze dried fruits to reduce your cooking time. For example, a recipe that would need garbanzo beans will save a lot of time by using dehydrated garbanzo beans or dehydrated black beans. More so for vegetables like dried carrots and broccoli: it saves you the time to clean and chop them. So, all you need to do is rehydrate them, and in minutes, your salad is ready.
How Long Can The Prepared Meals Stay In The Refrigerator?
There’s no one rule about storing meal preps. All foods stored in the refrigerator slowly decline in quality. Also, how you pack the food and the refrigerator’s environment can impact the quality of the meal preps. However, preparing the meal preps for 3-7 days max is a good idea.
How to Meal Prep
First, decide the duration you want to meal prep, whether it’s three days or a week. Then, plan the meals you’ll prepare for those days. Secondly, choose the breakfast, lunch, or dinner recipes.
Then, write down the ingredient you need for the recipes you’ve chosen. Next, schedule the day for shopping and preparing the meals. Lastly, prepare the meals and store them in the refrigerator. See what works for you, and then adjust accordingly.
To succeed as a beginner, start for a day. Pack your lunch box with the leftovers for dinner one night. If you like the taste, you can prepare more food. Start with a single recipe meal prep that provides the protein, grain, and vegetable instead of a meal that needs two or three recipes together. Subsequently, you can try for two or three day’s lunch and dinner.
You will need containers of different shapes and materials, ideally glass or BPA-free plastics that you can microwave. You can also buy reusable Ziploc bags that are BPA-free.
6 Benefits of Meal Prepping
Meal prepping saves time
Cooking homemade meals can take a lot of time. But, using a Sunday afternoon to meal prep the week’s menu in advance can pay off and save you time to rest during the busy weekdays. Also, being hungry and tired can be stressful when you don’t know what to cook for dinner. Imagine beating the evening rush and traffic then getting home, and your mind is blank on what to cook. So, you decide to order takeaway, because you have an early morning and need to rest.
Instead of wasting time deciding what to cook, all you need is to open the refrigerator, get your meal prep, warm it, and enjoy. Meal prepping also means you’ll have fewer dishes to do in the evening.
Meal prepping saves you money
Apart from risking your health because of unhealthy choices, eating out or ordering in every day is costly. So, meal prepping is a huge money saver. It is cheaper to buy ingredients in bulk, and also, you’ll spend less on takeaways. A shopping list for meal prepping also avoids impulse buying when shopping at the grocery store. You can save the money and spend it on your vacation or pay off the mortgage.
Meal prepping saves you energy
Meal prepping is great for busy people who want to maintain healthy eating. Cooking is exciting, but it can be cumbersome to cook daily. For example, you may be on track from Monday to Wednesday. Then you get busy and tired on Thursday and decide to order takeaway.
Having prepared meals means you’ll spend less energy cooking and get more time to rest or do other things. Furthermore, you can prepare cooking ingredients at once for various recipes rather than chopping them daily.
Meal prepping reduces food wastage
When you meal prep, you go grocery shopping in advance with a list of what you need. Everything you buy has a purpose in the recipes you have planned, so there’s less risk of food items that will go bad. Set aside time every week to plan your meals. It is worth the effort. Meal prepping takes time to get used to, but it is the right step for a healthy lifestyle.
Benefits of meal prepping for weight loss
Whether you’re trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy diet, meal planning is an easy way to reach your goals. You control your portion sizes more than when eating in restaurants because they usually have large portions. Furthermore, when you prepare your food, you control the ingredients you use in your cooking. So if you want to attain your weight goals, meal prepping is for you.
Health benefits of meal prepping
When you get home exhausted at the end of the day, it could be tempting to reach out for a quick, unhealthy meal or unhealthy snacks because you are too tired to cook. Unfortunately, we tend to choose unhealthy foods because of convenience. But if you had a ready meal prepared in advance, all you need is to warm it and eat.
Ready to get started with meal prepping? Get out there and prep those meals. Check out our freeze dried products that make meal prepping a breeze. We’d love to hear if meal prepping has worked for you. Please share your comments, tips, and meal prep wins in the comment section below.
References
New Year Resolutions 2022: 13 Healthy Habits You Can Keep 0
2022 is here. A new year. A new you. And there’s no better time to create health goals. As you pop the champagne cocktails and unwrap the gifts, make time to review your New Year’s Resolution. Probably you may not have been successful with your New Year’s Resolution in the past years, but it’s not the time to give up. You are still here; so keep trying.
Get a little inspiration from our list of New Year Health Resolutions that you can make in 2022. Although they may not be your typical ‘lose weight’ or ‘sign up for the gym’ goals, they are achievable goals that are worth adopting as your own. If the lessons from the covid 19 pandemic are anything to go by, the goal is to have a happy and healthier life.
1. Get enough sleep
Sleep deprivation causes many health issues. Get a whole night’s sleep by going to bed early, because it ensures that you get enough rest and helps you stay healthy. So, aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep daily.
To have a quality sleep, put down your phone and switch off the TV at least 30 minutes before your sleep time. Then, maintain a healthy sleep schedule. Lastly, get up at the same time daily. Ignore the temptations to sleep in during the weekends, and don’t snooze the alarm.
2. Wake up early
You probably believe that you’re not a morning person, and that’s fine. But for this New Year, try to wake up early since it could be a trick you’re looking for to usher in a healthier and more happy life. First, it gives you more time to work out and practice a healthy routine. Second, it gives you an extra hour to work on your dreams. Third, it improves your diet and sleep quality, directly impacting your mood.
Wake up early, enjoy the early morning sunshine, and eat breakfast on the porch. Getting sunshine the first thing in the morning helps regulate your body clock.
3. Drink more water
It is easier to reach out for soda or coffee than to drink a cup of water. However, your daily water intake is the key to achieving glowing skin, healthy weight, and recovery after a workout. Set a goal to drink at least 2 liters (1/2 gallon) of water every day.
Above all, drink two glasses of water first thing in the morning to help you achieve half of the daily goal; you can infuse lemon wedges in the water to give it a Vitamin C boost. Consider using an app to track your water intake.
4. Eat nutritious breakfast every day
Make time to eat breakfast. It is not cliché that it’s the most important meal of the day. You had fasted for about 7-9 hours during your sleep and need to reenergize. So, eat a healthy breakfast such as a green smoothie or vegetable omelet. Your body and metabolism will thank you.
5. Get moving daily
Regular exercise is an essential part of self-care. It is not only great for maintaining a healthy weight, but it also makes you strong and confident. You don’t have to sign up for the gym. Simple walking or running is beneficial to your health. Plus, you don’t have to get to 10,000 steps on day one, but the simple act of starting will set you up for success.
Additionally, you can go for a solo walk, a hike with your friends, or run with your spouse. When you spend time in nature, you increase your level of happiness and feel empowered and transformed. However, it is okay to join the gym in the New Year. Unlike working out from home, where you may have trouble keeping your workout schedule, pick a gym with an instructor to keep you accountable.
6. Eat more homecooked meals
Find ways to cook healthier meals daily. Cooking at home is not only therapeutic, but you also have control over the ingredients and your portion sizes. Try out new recipes every week and make nourishing meals with your family. In addition, eat only when you’re hungry to avoid excess intake. Finally, don’t restrict your caloric intake as it increases the production of stress hormones. There are many healthy recipe ideas on our blog that you will love.
7. Eat more fruits and veggies
Nutritious eating is the foundation of good health. It is a form of self-care that you should prioritize. Eat more fruits and vegetables every day and stop reaching out for highly processed foods. First, add greens to your smoothies, such as freeze dried cauliflower, dried spinach, or leafy kale. They blend very well and make a nice, creamy texture.
Next, make a salad with at least two types of chopped greens. Eating salads help control your calorie intake.
8. Start meal prepping
Create a weekly or monthly meal plan to make grocery shopping and healthy eating a breeze. Prepare your meals in advance and put them in storage containers. Put the freeze dried fruits and veggies in front and center of your pantry and make them a quick grab-and-go snack.
9. Book a full body checkup
When was your last dentist appointment? Did you know that missing at least two dentist appointments could make your teeth need a root canal? Subsequently, you’ll spend more than what you would have used for the initial checkup. Book health checkups in advance at the beginning of the year and put them in your calendar, so you don’t forget. Most diseases are preventable and easy to treat once they are detected early enough.
10. Go to therapy or find a mentor
We all need someone to talk to once in a while. Plus, these past months have been hard on everyone due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Don’t just focus on paying bills and advancing your career. Instead, check in with a mental health professional to get back your life. Finding a mentor is also a great way to keep you grounded and accountable. Alternatively, seek the advice of someone you look up to or admire.
11. Start a journal
Start keeping a regular record of your thoughts, mood, feelings, and progress in your healthy habits or work. Journaling helps to reduce anxiety and to regulate your emotions. Note down the changes in your moods to mitigate any triggers so that you can make life adjustments. For example, write down what you’re grateful for every day. It makes it easy to look back and check your progress.
12. Make time to reflect on the positives
Mental wellbeing is just as important as your physical health. Make an effort to practice self-care habits.
13. Take a break from social media
Take a break from social media and spend time with your pet or child or practice self-care. Taking a break can reduce the stress and anxiety caused by excessive scrolling. Also, when you put down your phone, you create more time to catch up with your family and neighbors. Improving your people connections can improve your mood and overall happiness.
Stop using your phone in bed since the blue light can affect your sleep quality. In addition, avoid picking your phone the first thing in the morning. Set a time once every week that you will be away from your phone.
How To Set New Year’s Resolution That You Can Achieve
Your resolutions could be losing weight, drinking more water, or exercising daily. While these are reasonable health goals, it is easier to set goals than stick to them. Unfortunately, about 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail within the first month. Avoid this trap by setting goals instead. A goal should be specific, measurable, and time-bound if you’re to achieve it.
Another practical way to ensure that you achieve your new year’s resolution is to know your why. For example, why do you want to lose weight? Why do you want to start a business? When you start with why it creates a mental picture of pain or pleasure that will gear you up to do what you need to do to achieve the goals.
Write down the goals, why you want to achieve that goal, the actions you need to take to achieve the goal, and the timelines for achieving the goal.
5 New Year’s Resolutions Success Tips
1. Create a routine
Have a daily sequence of tasks and activities that you need to do to make your life predictable and reduce your stress levels. In addition, having a routine is a great way to keep new habits such as healthy eating and working out.
2. Ditch the elevator
Choose the stairs and avoid the elevator. In this fast-paced world that we live in, we are always in a rush. So elevators could be the best option when you’re in a hurry. But in reality, you can avoid the elevator if you practice being early on appointments so that you don’t have to rush. Also, don’t rob your body of the necessary activity you need during the day.
3. Find your ideal workout routine and stick to it.
You don’t have to hit the gym at 5 am daily to stay healthy. Instead, you can go swimming, practice pilates, weightlift, dance, or run a few kilometers every day. Do whatever works for you, as long as you keep working on yourself and challenging yourself physically. For example, you could train for a marathon or lift weights, and keep progressing to your goals.
4. Work out to feel good, not to be thinner
Instead of obsessing over the scale, obsess over how amazing you feel after your workout. The New Year isn’t necessarily an invitation to start a diet or workout plan, but a time to set up a lifelong healthy living lifestyle.
5. Stretch it out
We spend so much time sitting and staring at our phones. Endeavor to stretch just 5 minutes daily to loosen the tight muscles.
Start these achievable healthy New Year resolutions today for a healthier and happier life. Which healthy habits will you start in 2022? Please share in the comment section below.
References
6 Hummus Recipes For An Exuberant International Hummus Day 0
Hummus is a versatile dip that can be eaten with many snacks and vegetables. Eat your hummus with crackers, avocado toast, or sushi, and enjoy the flavors bursting in your mouth. It’s a dish packed with proteins making it a healthy snack and dip option if you’re pursuing weight loss. If you haven’t had a hummus dip, you have no idea what you have been missing. These hummus recipes are the perfect way to dive in.
History of the International Hummus Day
Although we know that hummus originated from the Middle East, the origin of hummus is greatly contested. Many countries around the Mediterranean claim to be the originator of the recipe. The first mention of hummus in a cookbook was found in the 13th century in Cairo. The recipe was a cold chickpea puree and lacked lemon juice and garlic. It had pickled lemons with oil, spices, and herbs.
Hummus is still a staple in the Middle Eat diet. Hummus is the Arabic word for “chickpeas.” There is a debate whether the Greeks also invented hummus. For this reason, hummus is one of the greatest crossover foods.1
Although hummus is a new phenomenon in the U.S, it is now considered a staple in many American households. The first International Hummus Day commemoration was in 2012.1
Easy Homemade Hummus Recipes
This delicious creamy dip from the Middle East is teeming with vitamins, minerals, and a myriad of nutrients excellent for your whole body’s health. Whether you’ve had hummus before or you’re just hearing about it today, these fantastic hummus recipes will transform your kitchen skills.
Let’s make some hummus recipes for International Hummus Day, which is celebrated on May 13th.
Easy Homemade Hummus2
Time – 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cups dehydrated instant garbanzo beans, cooked and cooled
- Juice of 1 large lemon
- 4 tablespoons of well-stirred tahini
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- Two tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt to taste
- 2 to 3 tablespoons of water
- Dash ground paprika or sumac
Method
- Put the tahini and lemon juice in a blender and blitz for about 1 minute.
- Using a spatula, scrape the mixture stuck on the blender sides and bottom, and blend for 30 more seconds to make the hummus creamy.
- Pour in the olive oil, grated garlic, cumin, and salt to the whipped tahini and lemon juice.
- Blend again for 1 minute until well blended. Remember to stop midway to scrape the paste off the sides of the blender.
- Put half of the chickpeas into the blender and blitz for about 60 seconds.
- Use a spatula to scrape the blender sides and bottom, and then add the rest of the chickpeas.
- Blend the paste for 2 minutes or until it’s thick and smooth
- If the hummus is too thick for your liking, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water and make it as light as you desire.
- Sprinkle some olive oil and a pinch of paprika and serve.
- Leftover hummus can be refrigerated for at most one week in a sealable container.
Chestnut Hummus3
Ingredients
- 2 cups vacuum-packed cooked chestnuts
- ¼ cup freeze dried broccoli
- ¼ cup freeze dried cauliflower
- Juice of 1 large lemon
- One garlic clove
- Boiling water
- 4 tablespoon olive oil
Method
- Rehydrate the vegetables by soaking them in 1 cup of water. Drain any excess liquid
- Separate one chestnut from the packet and put to the side for later.
- Throw the other chestnuts into a food processor.
- Pour the lemon juice, oil, and a little water into the blender.
- Toss the garlic into the mixture in the blender
- Blend it to a smooth paste.
- Scoop from the blender and put onto a bowl or plates
- Lastly, grate the chestnut you had set aside and top it with celery, broccoli, and carrots.
Garbanzo beans Hummus4
This hummus recipe only takes three minutes to make and is easy.
Ingredients
- Four cups dehydrated instant garbanzo beans
- ½ cup chickpea liquid
- ½ cup tahini
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp salt
- Olive oil
- Paprika
- Fresh parsley
Method
- Add the beans to boiling water to rehydrate. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Throw all the ingredients into a food processor.
- Blitz on high for about 1 minute or longer if you want a more creamy paste.
- The paste sticks to the sides of the blender; use a spatula to scrape back to the blades. If it’s too thick, pour in some chickpea liquid as necessary.
- Serve and garnish fresh parsley, olive oil, paprika - if you so desire.
Hummus Recipe from Scratch5
This recipe will make about 1 ½ cups and will take about 20 minutes to complete.
You’ll need a food processor or a blender, a can opener, and a mesh strainer.
Ingredients
- 2 cups dehydrated instant garbanzos
- 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- Juice of 1 freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Frozen sliced vegetables for serving
Method
- Rehydrate the chickpeas. If you have the time, pinch the skins of the chickpeas for a smoother hummus.
- Put all the ingredients – chickpeas, olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper – in the blender.
- Blitz the hummus for 5 minutes it’s until smooth.
- Scrape the paste that sticks to the sides of the bowl to the bottom nearer the blades.
- Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reserved chickpea/ garbanzos liquid if the consistency is thicker than you desire.
- Pour the hummus into a large bowl and serve with the vegetables.
Chickpea and Garlic Hummus Recipe6
This is a quick-fix hummus recipe that will take you five minutes to make.
Ingredients
- Two cups dehydrated instant garbanzos, cooked and cooled
- One tablespoon tahini paste
- One garlic clove, chopped
- Three tablespoons 0% fat Greek yogurt
- Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon
Method
- Toss the chickpeas, tahini, garlic, and yogurt into a blender and blitz until it’s a smooth paste.
- Pour in the garbanzo/ chickpea liquid as desired consistency.
- With a spatula, scrape the cream into a bowl.
- Drizzle the lemon juice into hummus and stir.
- Serve with potato crisps or frozen vegetables
Traditional Hummus Recipe7
This recipe will take you 20 minutes to complete.
Ingredients
- 3 cups dehydrated instant garbanzos
- One minced garlic clove
- 5 ice cubes
- 2 tablespoons tahini paste
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Juice of 1 large lemon
- Hot water (if needed)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Method
- Rehydrate the chickpeas by cooking in six cups of boiling water for 20 minutes. Put the chickpeas and minced garlic in a blender and whizz until it’s smooth
- Throw in the ice cubes, tahini, salt and garlic.
- Pour the lemon juice into the blender and blitz for about 5 minutes.
- It’s too thick, gradually add hot water and pulse-blend until you get the consistency you desire.
- Scoop it out and lay it on a bowl, and sprinkle it with virgin olive oil.
- Serve with vegetables of your choice.
Final Words
The main ingredients of the hummus recipe are chickpeas/ garbanzos, tahini, olive oil, and lemon juice. You can experiment with seeds as one of the recipes mentioned, or you can stick with the well-known traditional recipe.
Get your pack of garbanzos today from Mother Earth Products and try out these hummus recipes before the international hummus day. Do leave a comment down below on your favorite hummus recipe.
References
- https://nationaltoday.com/international-hummus-day/
- https://www.inspiredtaste.net/15938/easy-and-smooth-hummus-recipe/
- https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/chestnut-hummus
- https://downshiftology.com/recipes/3-minute-hummus/
- https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-hummus-from-scratch-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-107560
- https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/easy-hummus-recipe
- https://www.themediterraneandish.com/how-to-make-hummus/
How to Build the Perfect Menu For a Romantic Date Night In 0
COVID-19 has not been great for the dating scene. Couples everywhere are now forced to have their dates at home instead of going out and scouting the city for the best drinks and bites. However, there is a way to rekindle that date-night-out magic by cooking your very own restaurant-worthy meal. That could be a breath of fresh air, especially now that Valentine's Day is right around the corner. So, if you want to let post-COVID sparks fly between you and your partner, these six recipes will help you build the perfect menu for a special night in. PS: All the following recipes are super easy, meaning you don't have to slave in the kitchen all day long.
Drink – Strawberry & Beet Mezcal Cocktail
Start your date night in with a fancy-yet-easy aperitif that will put both you and your S.O. in a flirty mood. Don't know where to start? Well, this ruby-red slushie is the way to go. Featuring strawberries, mezcal, and beet juice, it is definitely an upgrade from the usual glass of wine because, hey, it's also healthy (kind of). The cocktail also sports a unique sweet, tart, and smokey taste that no lovebird will be able to resist to.
Ingredients:
- 5 shots mezcal
- 4 cups ice
- ½ cup freeze dried strawberries (sliced)
- ½ cup beet juice
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 3 tbsp agave syrup
- chili powder, for rimming the glasses
Directions:
- Place the strawberries in a bowl with warm water and soak for 15 minutes. Once hydrated, squeeze away excess liquid, and transfer to a blender.
- Toss the remaining ingredients into the blender and blend at high speed until the drink has a slushy consistency.
- To serve, put some chili powder on a saucer, rim the edge of each glass with lime juice, and dip them into the chili powder.
Soup - Tomato Basil Soup
Did you know that enjoying a bowl of soup before a meal can whet your appetite for the upcoming courses and also aid your digestion? Well, at just 2 ingredients, this soup will do the trick without forcing you to work overtime. The dish also has an exotic taste that will impress both you and your partner. And for those of you who are not feeling fancy, feel free to pair the soup with a grilled cheese sandwich that'll gourmet down your meal (without discounting on flavor, of course).
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups milk
- ½ cup of tomato basil soup mix
Directions:
- Add the milk to a saucepan and bring to simmer over medium heat (5 minutes).
- Stir in the soup mix and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring frequently.
- Serve as is or alongside a grilled cheese sandwich for maximum flavor.
Appetizer - Bacon & Apple Crostini
Even lower maintenance than the previous dish, this recipe eliminates the need for stovetop cooking. Instead, it calls for 5 simple ingredients and a little bit of baking, which would require a prep work of 3 minutes tops. For an even fancier look, you can season the crostini with freshly ground pepper. Now that's fancy!
Ingredients:
- 1 baguette, thickly sliced
- 1 cup freeze dried apples
- 4 slices of cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
- 4 tbsp TVP bacon bits
- Maple syrup, for drizzling
Directions:
- Add the apples to a bowl with warm water and soak for 15 minutes. Then, squeeze away excess liquid and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350oF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Arrange the bread slices, top with the cheese and apples (in that order), and baked until the cheese has melted (about 10 minutes).
- Remove from the oven and drizzle with the bacon bits and maple syrup before serving.
Salad - Mediterranean Salad
This colorful salad is literally like summer in a bowl. Packed with greens, veggies, and a vinaigrette that'll swoon your taste buds, this side dish will transport you to the Mediterranean without leaving your dining room. Who said date nights at the house are boring?
Ingredients:
- 5 ounces salad greens of choice (i.e., spinach, arugula, lettuce)
- half of an onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
- 1 tomato, chopped
- ¼ cup olives
- ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- ½ tsp dried garlic (granulated)
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Directions:
- To make the vinaigrette, add the olive oil, vinegar, and garlic to a small bowl and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper according to taste.
- Then, toss the remaining ingredients to a large bowl, drizzle with the vinaigrette, and top with extra feta cheese if desired.
Main Course - Chicken Spinach Spaghetti
Nothing says "date night in" like a bowl of homemade pasta. And sure, there are dozens of pasta recipes to choose from. But, not all of them are fit for the job. This spaghetti recipe, however, is a *little* more special; it's both delicious and a cinch to make. Plus, chicken and spinach make for a healthy-ish combo. So you get some redemption points for the indulgent dessert that's about to follow.
Ingredients:
- 1 package of spaghetti
- 2 boneless chicken breasts
- 2 cups dried spinach
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, diced
- 3 tbsp TVP bacon bits
- 1 tsp dried garlic (granulated)
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
- Cook the pasta according to the package's directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, drain, and set aside.
- In a skillet, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat over medium heat. Meanwhile, season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook until there's no longer pink on the inside (10 minutes each side). Then, cut into thin slices.
- Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet and heat. Place the tomatoes and spinach and cook until wilted (3-4 minutes).
- Stir in the heavy cream, bacon, parmesan, pasta water, and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Pour the chicken sauce into the pot with the pasta and toss until fully combined. Divide between plates and serve immediately.
Dessert - Chocolate Puffs with Raspberry Sauce
Chocolate is the ultimate date night dessert. But, envelope the treat into puff pastry dough with a few raspberries on the side, and you've got yourself a sweet that even Cupid would be proud of. And yes, we know: Cooking with puff pastry can be intimidating. But, this recipe calls for pre-made dough. So, you don't have to be Martha Stewart to pull it off. Besides, if this treat seems like too much work, you can always try one of these easy Valentine's Day desserts to cap off the night in the sweetest way possible.
Ingredients:
- A package frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 2 cups freeze dried raspberries
- 2/3 cup pecans, chopped
- ¾ cup confectioner's sugar
Directions:
- In a bowl, mix the chocolate chips (both dark and white) and the pecans. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 425oF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- On a floured surface, roll each pastry sheet and cut it into quarters, forming 6-inch squares. Transfer the squares to the sheet and place 1/3 of the chocolate-pecan mixture onto each. Brush the pastry dough's edges with water and bring the corners together, pinching them to seal. Bake until golden brown for 20 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, place the raspberries, confectioner's sugar, and 1 cup of water into a food processor and blend until pureed. Strain to remove seeds and drizzle the sauce on top of the puffs. Serve as is or with a few fruit chips on the side.
How will you celebrate Valentine's Day this year? Are you planning on having a special date night in? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below!
References:
- https://www.artfuldesperado.com/the-oaxacan-slushie-mezcal-strawberry-lime-and-beet-juice-chili-powder/
- https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a50273/bacon-apple-crostini-recipe/
- https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/everyday-mediterranean-salad/
- https://www.saltandlavender.com/creamy-chicken-spinach-pasta/
- https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/raspberry-chocolate-puffs/
