Our Story - in short
Pan and I met at a rave in Birmingham called sixfivetwelve and pretty much spoke everyday from that moment on. We 'courted' as Pan likes to say, for a few months until he asked me to be "his beautiful girlfriend" under the stars at Global Gathering! From that moment on things took a rather speedy pace with me moving in and giving birth to our beautiful son Benjamin within a year. This alone would put strain on any new relationship but what would come next tested us even more. As mentioned in my very first post I was then diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkins Lymphoma and it took us everything that we had in us to get through!
As a couple that has spent most of their relationship under stress, how we have made it through I don't know, but we have and we are so proud!
I must mention, however that it hasn't been all bad! We have had some amazing times together and have some wonderful memories to look back on despite everything and that is what counts!
But enough about all that, lets get to the delicious stuff :)
Now to celebrate we decided not to go out but stay in and enjoy some family time together and relax, which to me meant a 3 course dinner for two obviously.
It took me awhile to come up with a menu and in the end it didn't really have a theme, except being extremely delicious! :)
So here we go, this is what I made and how I did it.
Starter - Sweet Potato and Ginger Soup
This is my all time favourite soup. Its fresh, creamy and has a lovely heat thanks to the ginger. It will trump anything you have ever tasted!
Ingredients
2 Sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped.1 large white onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic
1 thumb of ginger
1 can of coconut milk
1/2 cup chicken stock/water
small nob of butter
salt and pepper to season
Method
1. Place the potato, onion, garlic, ginger and butter into a pot and cook down for a few minutes. Making sure that the heat is not to high, as you don't want to colour the onions or burn the garlic.2. Add the chicken stock/water and coconut milk to the pot and simmer on a low heat for about 20 - 30 minutes or until the sweet potato and onion are soft enough to blend.
3. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.- for perfectly smooth soup, pass it through a sieve.
Main - Falafel Burgers served with Chicken and Pepper Skewers
Falafel Burgers
Quick, healthy and super delicious. Its the veggie burger of all veggie burgers!
Ingredients
for falafel
400g canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
garlic clove, chopped
handful of flat leaf parsley
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander (which I didn't have...)
1/2 tsp harissa paste or chilli powder
2 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp sunflower oil
toasted pitta bread
salt and pepper
salad leaves to serve
for salsa
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 small red onion, diced
handful flat leaf parley, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
for sour cream
1 small tub sour cream
2 tbsp chopped mint
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
salt and pepper
Method
1. Pat the chickpeas dry with kitchen paper. Tip into a blender with the onion, garlic, parsley, spices, flour, salt and pepper.
2. Blend until fairly smooth and then shape into four patties using your hands.
3. Heat the oil in a pan, add the burgers and fry for 3 min on each side until lightly golden.
4. while the burgers are cooking make the salsa and sour cream. Salsa - combined the tomato, onion, olive oil and season to tatse. Sour cream - combined sour cream, mint, garlic and season to taste.
5. Serve with toasted pittas, salsa, green salad and top with the sour cream.
Chicken and Pepper Skewers
Deliciously simple and great for the BBQ.
Ingredients
4 boneless chicken thighs, cubed
1 red pepper, cubed
1 yellow pepper, cubed
1 red onion , cubed
1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped
salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
6 wooden skewers, soaked over night
2. sprinkle with parsley and season. Oil lightly.
3. Grill until cooked through but still juicy.
4. Serve along side the falafel burgers.
1 red pepper, cubed
1 yellow pepper, cubed
1 red onion , cubed
1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped
salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
6 wooden skewers, soaked over night
Method
1. alternate chicken, pepper and onion onto a skewer.2. sprinkle with parsley and season. Oil lightly.
3. Grill until cooked through but still juicy.
4. Serve along side the falafel burgers.
And finally Desert - Lemon Delicious
I have never made this desert before but OMG I am so glad I did! Its very similar to a lemon soufflé and totally lives up to its name.
Ingredients
150g unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp finely grated lemon rind, plus extra to serve
80ml lemon juice
315g caster sugar
115g self raising flour
375ml whole milk
4 eggs, separated
icing sugar and double cream to serve
2. In a bowl mix the butter, lemon rind, lemon juice, sugar, flour, milk and egg yolks in a bowl.
3. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks then using a metal spoon, fold into the lemon mixture.
4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared dishes/teacups. Then place in a large baking tray and fill with water until it reaches half way up the side of the smaller dishes/teacups.
5. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until golden and just set.
6. to serve dust with icing sugar , top with cream and sprinkle with zest.
they can be made before hand and served at room temp or serve straight away.
2 tsp finely grated lemon rind, plus extra to serve
80ml lemon juice
315g caster sugar
115g self raising flour
375ml whole milk
4 eggs, separated
icing sugar and double cream to serve
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 160 C Fan. Grease six 250ml oven proof dishes or teacups.2. In a bowl mix the butter, lemon rind, lemon juice, sugar, flour, milk and egg yolks in a bowl.
3. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks then using a metal spoon, fold into the lemon mixture.
4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared dishes/teacups. Then place in a large baking tray and fill with water until it reaches half way up the side of the smaller dishes/teacups.
5. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until golden and just set.
6. to serve dust with icing sugar , top with cream and sprinkle with zest.
they can be made before hand and served at room temp or serve straight away.
And there you have it a 3 course dinner delicious in every way.
CHEERS TO US!
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