Valentine’s Day is all about celebrating the one you love, but it’s likely to look a lot different for a lot of us this year with Stage 4 restrictions back in place for all of us Victorians. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t still connect with your spouse and have a special, romantic Valentine’s Day dinner at home.
Whether you’re cooking for your significant other or spending quality time cooking together, here are some simple yet effective ideas to create a romantic Valentine’s dinner in the comfort of your own home.
Get Dressed Up
We may not be able to get dressed up to go out, but we can still get dressed up to stay in!
If you’ve spent most of lockdown wearing your pyjamas, then now is the perfect time to whip out your best dress or shirt and play dress ups for your romantic dinner. It doesn’t have to be anything too fancy, but it’s nice to mix things up and get dressed in something different than you would usually wear.
Pick a Theme
Picking a theme for your Valentine’s Dinner can be an exciting way to get creative with food and decorations. Think Vegetable Ratatouille, Crème Brule and French wine for a night in Paris, or Moussaka and Ouzo in Santorini!
Set the scene
If you’re really looking to set the scene, then you’ll need to set your table with a nice tablecloth and centrepiece. You can even add some candles for ambiance and some music that both you and your partner love.
Another great way to show your love is to create your own bouquet of flowers for the table or for your loved ones. Around Valentine's Day, flowers can be upwards of $60, but it’s easy enough to use what you have around your neighbourhood to create something just as beautiful.
Cook up a feast!
You might not be able to head out to your favourite restaurant right now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a delicious meal at home!
Here are our favourite, veggie-packed Valentine's Day Dinner recipes for your special night at home.
For Entrée
Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup – Recipe Here
Grilled Zucchini Rolls – Recipe Here
Roasted Carrots with Farro, Chickpeas & Herbed Crème Fraiche – Recipe Here
For Mains
Hazelnut & Oregano Pasta – Recipe Here
Thai Red Curry – Recipe Here
Veggie Lasagne – Recipe Here
For Dessert
Basil Berry Lemonade Sorbet – Recipe Here
Blueberry Crisp – Recipe here
Spiced Hot Fruit Bake – Recipe Here
And don’t forget the drinks…
This Passionfruit Martini is sure to impress your spouse this Valentine’s Day! All you need is 2 passionfruit, 60ml of Vanilla Vodka, 30ml of Passionfruit Liqueur, 1tbs of lime juice, sugar syrup as required and Prosecco to serve!
Scoop the seeds from one of the passion fruits into the glass of a cocktail shaker, add the vodka, liqueur, lime juice and sugar syrup. Add a handful of ice and shake well, strain into 2 martini glasses, top up with prosecco, then add half a passion fruit to each. Serve immediately.
Valentine's Day at home doesn’t have to be boring, or unhealthy, in fact, it might be better than any restaurant you’ve ever been to! The recipes we’ve included can all be made with in-season vegetables and fruits that will keep your plates looking fresh and vibrant!
If you part of our Facebook community page, be sure to share your creations with our other members. And if you are reading this and haven't tried our produce yet, what are you waiting for? Visit our Shop to get started.