The range of Vegetables in this dish give it a great mix of colours, tastes and textures, and it’s easy enough to change the Red Pepper for a change.

To Serve 1
100g Quinoa, uncooked
Vegetable Stock, enough to cook the Quinoa in
1 Sweet Potato
1 Red Pepper, diced
Handful of Broccoli Florets
2tbsp Olive Oil
1//4tsp Cayenne Pepper
2tbsp Lemon Juice
Zest of ½ Orange
Salt and Pepper, to taste

1. Bake the Sweet Potato in the Oven at 190C for around forty to forty five minutes, or until soft and tender. Peel and Dice the flesh. At the same time, cook the Broccoli in boiling water until cooked, then trim any excess from the stalks.
2. Simmer the Quinoa in the Vegetable stock, until the liquid has gone, and the Quinoa is light and fluffy. Remove from the heat, and allow leave to cool.
3. Once cooled, mix the Quinoa, Sweet Potato, Broccoli and Red Pepper together in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix the Lemon juice with the Orange zest, Olive Oil and Cayenne Pepper.
4. Gently toss the Lemon and Orange Dressing with the Vegetables and Quinoa, then season with Salt and Pepper.

Photo Courtesy of: avlxyz

The Root Vegetables in the meal provide a heap of Carbohydrates – essential to give you energy, and the Bacon will provide a great amount of Protein which will help re-build any muscle tissue spent over the course of exercise.

To Serve 4
1 Large Onion
3 Garlic Cloves, roughly chopped
1/2tsp Crushed Dried Chilli, optional
4tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
110g Bacon, or 1 Packet Lardons
3 Carrots
3 Large Potatoes
1 Parsnip or ¼ Swede or ¼ Turnip
Black Pepper, to taste

1. Peel and Chop all of the Vegetables into cubes, around one centimetre square.
2. Using a Large Pan with a lid, cook the Onion, Garlic and Chilli in the Oil over a low heat until the Onion is soft.
3. Cut the Bacon into similar sized pieces then add to the pan. Cook with the lid on for a couple of minutes, checking regularly.
4. Add all of the vegetables into the pan and stir until all coated in Oil – you can add more if needed.
5. Cook with the Lid on for a fifteen to twenty minutes, checking on a frequent basis. If the Hash starts to stick, then add a small amount of Water.
6. Remove the lid and turn up the heat, cooking until the Hash is crispy and there’s no fluid left in the pan.
7. Serve with a handful of Green Leaves such as Rocket or Baby Spinach – you could even place a poached Egg on top for added protein, colours and flavours.

Photo Courtesy of: joyosity

To Serve 4
225g Cous Cous
4tbsp Olive Oil
450g Lean Lamb
2 Garlic Cloves, peeled and crushed
½ tsp Chilli Flakes
1 Onion, peeled and chopped
2tsp Ground Coriander
2tsp Paprika
1tsp Ground Cumin
1tsp Ground Turmeric
1tsp Ground Cinnamon
2 Medium Potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 Large Carrots, peeled and sliced
225g Celeriac, peeled and cubed
400g Can Chick Peas
300ml Tomato Juice
2tbsp Tomato Puree
1tbsp Chilli Sauce
125g Sultanas
Salt and Pepper
3tbsp Chopped Fresh Coriander

1. Place the Cous Cous into a sieve, then wash under cold running water to moisten all of the grains. Turn out onto a baking sheet, spread out to cover entirely, then leave until needed.
2. Cube the Lean Lamb, and seal in a large saucepan with hot fat until well browned. Add the Garlic, Chilli Flakes, Onion, Coriander, Paprika, Cumin, Turmeric and Cinnamon, then cook over a medium heat for ten minutes.
3. Add the Potatoes, Carrots and Celeriac to the pan, then fry gently for another five minutes. Stir in the Chick Peas, along with their liquid, then add the Tomato Juice, Puree and Chilli Sauce. Bring the pan to the boil, then cover and reduce the heat slightly, simmering the pan for twenty minutes.
4. Stir in the Sultanas and cook, then simmer for a further ten minutes.
5. Cook the Cous Cous as per packet instructions, before seasoning to taste. Stir in the Coriander, and serve with the Cous Cous.

Photo Courtesy of: The Marmot

I personally like Jamie Oliver’s style and how simple he talks about cooking. He always makes use of fruits or ingredients that are in season. For this month of love, he chose pomegranates. It is a berry that has the qualities of a citrus fruit as well. So here are some cocktail recipes you can prepare for your loved ones and friends this coming Valentine’s Day.

Pomegranate Shots

It is very easy to prepare and the pomegranate gives off a burst of flavor in your mouth. Just make sure you have enough shot glasses for everyone.

Ingredients:

Gin

Pomegranates

Buy a bottle of gin and freeze it.

Next, peel the pomegranates and remove the arils or the purple “capsule like” pulp. Place them in a bowl and refrigerate. It is good to have them ready just in case you want more shots.

After your meal, place some pomegranate in individual shot glasses and fill it up with frozen gin.

Take a shot and enjoy!

Wicked Champagne Cocktail

This recipe makes regular champagne or sparkling wine more interesting. Cheers!

3 or 4 pomegranates

1 bottle of champagne or Prosecco

Caster sugar (optional)

Cut the pomegranates in half and remove the arils. You can also use a spoon to get them out by scooping or by smacking the rind side with a spoon while holding it over a bowl. Once you have the juicy pulp, puree it in a blender or food processor for 5-10 seconds. After, let it pass through a sieve and discard the solid pieces. Taste the pomegranate juice and add sugar if desired.

Pour around 5 mm or 1/4 of a champagne glass with pomegranate juice and then add some wine. Serve immediately.

Photo Courtesy Of: geishaboy500

Macaroni and cheese is a comfort food everyone loves. I am a cheese lover who eats anything with cheese. This recipe can be considered gourmet as compared to the classic mac and cheese, but I assure you that it is definitely awesome. If you don’t have the specified cheeses available or you find them expensive, you can use any type of cheese you want. There are also grated 3 cheese value packs sold in supermarkets.

The truffle oil can be expensive, but it is a good investment. You can add it to other casseroles, vegetable dishes and mashed potatoes to make them tastier. Some even use it as a dip for French fries and according to them it is addicting.

Ingredients:

1 lb macaroni pasta

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons heavy cream

2 cups milk

2 egg yolks

2 cups Gouda cheese, grated

2 cups Gruyère cheese, grated

2 cups Cheddar cheese, grated

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

3 tablespoons truffle oil

Nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven at 450F.

In a pot of boiling water with oil and salt, cook the macaroni according to package instructions or until al dente. Drain and set it aside.

To make the mornay sauce, melt the butter in a large saucepan under medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk and stir often until the sauce starts to thicken.

In a small bowl, combine the egg yolks and a tablespoon of heavy cream. Mix well and Set aside.

Set aside 1/3 of the cheeses for later. Slowly add the rest of the cheese into the mornay mixture. Keep it under low heat and stir occasionally until all the cheese melt. After, turn off the heat and slowly fold in the egg and cream mixture. Add another tablespoon of heavy cream. Continue to mix until the ingredients blend together. Turn on the heat to low and continue to cook until you reach desired thickness. Stir occasionally. Season it with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Combine the sauce, pasta and truffle oil. Mix it well and make sure the macaroni is coated in the cheese sauce. Transfer it to a baking pan or casserole dish. Top it with Gruyère, Gouda, Cheddar and Parmesan (in order). Cover it in foil and bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes or until the cheese turns brown.

Remove from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Photo Courtesy Of: hildgrim