Lean Love

It is that time of year again – the day to tell and show our beloveds how much we adore them.  Unfortunately we are also in the middle of the worst recession since the Great Depression so how do we show our love without breaking the bank?

Expressing love without spending a tremendous amount of money means probably not going out to dinner because how romantic is MacDonald’s?  I am proposing making a lovely, sexy dinner at home.

It is the little touches that make an evening special. Let’s start with the food – we are all being lean in our shopping and cooking therefore, we need to be a bit clever.  My chosen luxury element is truffle oil, which has been described as a very sensual ingredient.  I am planning to add it to mashed potatoes to make a simple dish, a bit sexy.  Truffle Oil will not break the bank, Waitrose sells it for £3.89 a bottle.  Unfortunately I could not find Truffle Oil at Tesco or Sainburys.

My menu will be a roast chicken, the sexy truffle mash and green vegetables, followed by a gooey chocolate pudding. The reason I have chosen this menu, is because I can pre-prepare the mash, pop the chicken in the oven then while making the gravy, steam the vegetables in a flash.  That will leave me more time with my beloved.

Setting the table is another way to make a home cooked meal special.  I will be setting my table with cloth napkins that can be found in charity shops.  I use cloth napkins most days because they are leaner than paper ones as you only pay for them once, you don’t throw them away after use and they add a bit of elegance to everyday life.  My other special item will be candles.  We all look so much more attractive in candle light.  I will buy lots of tea lights and dot them around the room.  When using candles make sure they are in proper holders so they will not set your house on fire or melt your dining table.

I must confess that I will be buying the chocolate pudding not making it, which is a cheat but at least I know it will work and I won’t have to be fumbling around the kitchen after dinner.

Since we have a week until love day do you have any more tips to make it special with still being Lean?