An Alternative Valentine’s Day Celebration

It’s that time of year again when every shop window display turns red, and you can’t get a table at a restaurant for love or money!

Yes, it’s Valentine’s, and before you turn away – we want to share with you our alternative Valentine’s Day celebration (with no cheesy red rose or a heart-shaped box of chocolates in sight).

For one night only, it’s time to focus on you. It’s time to sit back, relax and let the pampering begin.

Step 1: Some food to enjoy whilst you pamper yourself.

Here are a couple of our favourite recipes – one savoury, one sweet.

Valentine’s Tarte flambée with roast vegetables

Ingredients

For the tarte:

• 300g wholemeal spelt flour
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• ½ tsp salt
• 150ml carbonated mineral water
• 300g soft goat’s cheese (or sour cream – or a vegan alternative)
• 1 red pepper
• 1 onion (red preferably)
• 4 spring onions
• Fresh thyme
• Black Pepper
• 1 handful of wild rocket

For the roast vegetables:

• 2 courgettes
• 2 peppers, red and yellow
• 1 onion
• 1 aubergine
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 clove(s) of garlic
• Fresh thyme
• Rosemary
• Salt

Method

Start with the roast vegetables:

1. Wash and clean the vegetables. Cut the courgette and the onion into slices (approx. ½ cm thick). Quarter the peppers and cut the aubergine into thin slices.
2. Mix the olive oil in a bowl with crushed garlic, salt (to taste) and chopped herbs. Add the vegetables and leave to marinate for about 1.5 hours. Stir well several times.
3. Bake the vegetables in the oven at 180 degrees for 25-35 minutes with circulating air.

For the tarte:

1. Mix the wholemeal spelt flour, olive oil, salt and mineral water to a smooth dough (use an electric mixer if you have one).
2.  Divide the dough into two halves and let it rest in the fridge for 20 minutes.
3. Preheat your oven to 230°C.
4. In the meantime, stir the soft cheese and thyme until smooth and set aside.
5. Cut the red pepper, the onion and the spring onions into thin strips or rings.
6. Roll out both dough pieces about 3mm thick and spread the cream cheese, cover it with paprika, onions and spring onions, season with pepper.
7.  Bake both tarts one after the other at 230°C for about 15 minutes until crispy.
8. Garnish with rocket salad and serve.

How might this help reduce breast cancer risk?

Peppers, onions, aubergines, courgettes, rocket and spring onions are all non-starchy vegetables. There is a correlation between eating high quantities of non-starchy vegetables and a decreased risk of breast cancer.

Valentine’s rice pudding

Ingredients

• 1 litre milk, room temperature (low-fat cow’s milk or almond milk)
• 250 g rice pudding
• 1 tablespoon butter (or coconut oil)
• 1 vanilla pod
• Honey or agave nectar
• Cinnamon
• 400g Berries (e.g. raspberries, blueberries – fresh or from the freezer)

Method

1. 1. Melt the butter or coconut oil in a large pan, then gently sauté the rice pudding in the butter/coconut oil.
2. Now add the milk.
3. If available, add the pulp of a vanilla pod and the sliced pod to the pan.
4. Bring everything to the boil, stirring carefully with a wooden spoon, making sure that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan.
5. Now return the pot to the stove and heat on the lowest setting. Let the rice pudding rest in the closed pot for exactly 30 minutes (stir once after about 15 minutes).
6. After 30 minutes, cover the rice pudding and serve with delicious berries.

How might this help reduce breast cancer risk?

This rice pudding contains lots of milk. Some evidence suggests that dairy products and dietary calcium could help decrease breast cancer risk. Our version of rice pudding has around 120 kcal less per serving than the traditional pudding made with full fat milk and lots of sugar. Maintaining a healthy weight is a key part of ensuring you reduce your risk of breast cancer. Many studies also indicate that a diet high in fruit provides protection against breast cancer, so don’t skimp on those yummy berries!

Action: Take a snap of your yummy creation tonight and post it using the hashtag #IAmMyOwnValentine and #breastcanceruk.

Step 2 Prepare your DIY spa night beauty treatments

You’ll find all you need in your kitchen cupboard for a natural, EDC-free beauty treatment that you’ll love!

The Science behind it

EDCs stands for Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals. Some of these substances interfere with the natural hormone oestrogen and may increase your breast cancer risk. They can be found in everyday products such as cosmetics. Our recipes are guaranteed to be EDCs-free!

We have some great ideas for homemade beauty treatments. They are easy to make, the ingredients can also be used for other recipes and they are guaranteed to be free from chemicals with complicated names. Check out the videos below.

Organic Exfoliating Hand and Foot Treatment (Link)

You need:

• 30g organic oats
• 75g organic sea salt
• 50 g organic coconut oil

Organic Rescue Hair Mask (Link)

You will need:

• 1 organic ripe avocado
• 1 overripe banana
• 60g coconut oil

Sea Salt and Sugar Body Scrub (Link)

You will need:

• 75g organic sugar
• 115g sea salt
• 30ml organic coconut oil
• essential oil

Organic Glow Face Mask (Link)

You will need:

• 14g organic cacao powder
• organic papaya
• full fat organic Greek yogurt

Action: Take a selfie while enjoying your beauty day and post using hashtag #IAmMyOwnValentine.

Step 3: Movie or box set?

Now the preparations are out of the way it’s time to set the scene and for the most important decision of the night.  Our alternative romance recommendations

Movie – Harold and Maude

A drama about an unconventional love and life in which the outsiders seem strangely normal and the regular people seem strangely like outsiders. Dry humour, great actors and of course the music of Cat Stevens make this unusual film a timeless masterpiece.

Box set – GLOW

In 1980s LA, a crew of misfits reinvent themselves as the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling. Ruth Wilder, is an out-of-work actress living in Los Angeles in the ’80s. Wilder finds an unexpected chance at stardom: enter the glitter and spandex-laden world of women’s wrestling. A comedy by the team behind “Orange Is the New Black.

We hope you enjoy our alternative Valentine’s guide and as Diane Von Furstenberg once said:

“The most important relationship in your life is the relationship you have with yourself. Because no matter what happens, you will always be with yourself.”