Five ways to spread the love this Valentine’s Day with alternative ideas for everyone
A romantic meal out with your other half probably isn’t possible this Valentine’s Day but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the day. Look on 14 February as an excuse to share the love with everyone you know. Here are five ways to warm hearts near and far.
THROW A VALENTINE’S DAY BREAKFAST
Bring a little love to your household by rustling up a heart-themed breakfast. It could be just what you all need after the pressures of lockdown living. Elevate proceedings by ditching the cereal and toast and opting for indulgent pancakes topped with their favourites. Find your perfect pancake recipe over at Waitrose. Below you’ll find our pick for Valentine’s Day – a tantalising combination of chocolate, banana and coconut which should appeal to both kids and adults.
Recipe idea:CHOCOLATEY COCONUT PANCAKES
Taking the humble pancake up a few culinary notches, these are made with an irresistible combination of cacao powder, mashed banana and coconut.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
100g self-raising flour
2 tbsp Naturya Organic Cacao Powder
1⁄2 tsp baking powder
200g ripe mashed bananas (about 2 large bananas)
2 medium British Blacktail Free Range Eggs
5 tbsp dairy-free oat drink
1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract1 tsp sunflower oil
4 x 45g The Coconut Collaborative Little Choc Pots
8 strawberries, hulled and sliced
METHOD
1. Mix together the flour, cacao powder and baking powder in a large bowl. In a jug, beat together the mashed bananas, eggs, oat drink and vanilla. Slowly whisk the wet ingredients into the dry until you have a smooth batter.
2. Heat 1⁄2 tsp sunflower oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and use a sheet of kitchen paper to spread the oil around the pan. For each pancake, cook 2 tbsp of the mixture for 1-2 minutes until bubbles form on the surface, then flip over and cook for 1 minute. Repeat to make 12 pancakes, ensuring they are evenly spaced out. Grease the pan with a little oil between batches if needed.
3. Scoop the choc pots into a heatproof bowl and microwave on low (600 watts) for 20-30 seconds until just warm and loosened (or warm over a pan of simmering water). Serve 3 pancakes per person with the strawberries, spooning over the melted choc pots. You can scatter over a little desiccated coconut, too, if liked.
Cook’s tip:
To make this dish suitable for a vegan diet, swap the eggs for 100ml Oggs Aquafaba Egg Alternative.
HAVE A ZOOM PARTY WITH YOUR FRIENDS
No date? No problem. Long gone are the days when Valentine’s Day was just for couples. After the year we’ve all had, Valentine’s Day 2021 is the perfect excuse to have a Zoom/House Party get together with your beloved friends. Do it how you want to: dress up, share a takeaway, do a quiz, have a joint Sex And The City viewing… Throw in cocktails or mocktails to add to the sense of occasion. Take a look at Waitrose for a selection of delicious recipes for both. We’ve gone for the ultra chic red velvet martini below.
Recipe idea:RED VELVET MARTINI
Inspired by the famous red velvet cake, this striking ruby red cocktail is flavoured with vanilla vodka and makes a delightful drink for Valentine’s Day.
Makes: 1
INGREDIENTS
Waitrose Cooks’ Ingredients Shimmer Sugar
50ml vanilla vodka (or 45ml vodka and 1 tsp vanilla extract)
30ml grenadine
15ml red vermouth
Few drops red food colouring
METHOD
1. Moisten the rim of a martini glass then dip in the shimmer sugar and set aside.
2. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, add the vodka, grenadine, vermouth and food colouring then shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Fine strain into the prepared glass and serve.
THROW A VALENTINE’S TREASURE HUNT
Alright, it’s not Easter but any excuse to have a bit of fun feels fully justified right now. If you have kids, the thrill of a chocolate/sweet hunt nearly always works well. Go old school and hide sweet treats with clues leading to the next as part of a fun scavenger hunt. ‘Kids love a good treasure hunt,’ says artist and mother Amy Reeve. ‘First cut heart shapes out of scrap/coloured paper, then write clues on them and hide them around the house. Something simple like, “Roses are red, violets are blue, look under your pillow and you’ll find the next clue”. I usually do around 5-6 clues. The treasure can be something really fun you can do as a family: a film, something crafty, a puzzle or Lego.'
“Kids love a good treasure hunt – cut heart shapes out of scrap paper and hide them around the house”
SHOW YOUR NEIGHBOURS SOME LOVE
Over the past year, those living nearby have become more important than ever. Whether you have an elderly neighbour you’ve been looking out for or know a family who have recently moved into your road, a small gesture in the form of a gift can go a long way. Potted plants, homemade biscuits or cupcakes, and fresh cut flowers are just a few ways to show those around you, you care. If you have the time and inclination, we can recommend the delicious berry-flavoured madeleines below. Make sure you save some for your household too.
Recipe idea:BLACKBERRY-GLAZED BROWN BUTTER MADELEINES
A novel take on the traditional madeleine, these ones are topped with indulgent (and zingy) blackberry and lemon icing
Preparation time: 35 minutes, plus resting and chilling
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes, plus resting and chilling
Makes: about 20
INGREDIENTS
170g unsalted butter
150g plain flour, plus a little extra for dusting
3 eggs
125g caster sugar
1 tbsp clear honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ lemon, zest
1 tsp baking powder
Blackberry glaze:
150g blackberries
2 tsp caster sugar
½ lemon, juice
125-150g icing sugar
METHOD
1. Melt 20g butter and use to grease 2 madeleine tins, getting into every groove and corner. Dust with a little flour and tap to knock out any excess, then chill the tins while you prepare the batter. Melt the remaining 150g butter in a pan over a medium-low heat, then cook for 4-6 minutes, until it starts to smell nutty and the milk solids turn golden. Pour into a bowl and cool.
2. In the bowl of a freestanding mixer (or using electric beaters), whisk the eggs, sugar, honey and a pinch of salt for 3-4 minutes, until thick, pale and doubled in volume. Mix in the vanilla extract and lemon zest. Sift over the flour and baking powder, then fold into the mixture using a large metal spoon. Fold in the brown butter until combined. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours, or up to 24 hours.
3. For the glaze, soften the blackberries, caster sugar and lemon juice in a small pan over a medium-low heat. Once the blackberries are juicy (but not burst into a purée), scoop into a sieve set over a bowl. Allow the juice to drip through (without pressing the fruit), then leave to cool. Add the icing sugar to the juice (save the fruit for breakfast or to serve with ice cream) and whisk to a smooth glaze. Add a drop more lemon juice to sharpen and a little more icing sugar to thicken, if needed, to make a drizzly glaze.
4. Preheat the oven to 190°C, gas mark 5. Scoop a rounded dessertspoon of chilled batter into each madeleine indent and bake for 10-14 minutes, in batches if needed, until well risen and golden. Turn the madeleines out onto a wire rack, cool for 10 minutes, then brush with a little of the glaze. They are best eaten on the day of making.
GET CRAFTY
For kids who like to get crafty, a creative activity can be a fun and bonding experience (see crafting ideas). ‘A Valentine’s paper wreath is easy to make and super effective,’ says kids’ art teacher Eva Schlagman. ‘Cut a large hole in a paper plate to get your base and cover with paper hearts cut from red and pink paper (use pages from old magazines). Now fold them in half and stick them on – add personalised notes and drawings if you want.’
‘This year, we'll be making friendship bracelets with letter beads with words of hope, like joy, love and create,' says Amy. ‘My daughter will definitely make bracelets for her friends too. She misses them and always tries to find different ways to be connected.’
Feeling more adventurous? Stock up on haberdashery – we’ve got everything you need. Millie Butler-Hiorns, designer/unpcycler/maker and tutor at The Fashion School, who are currently providing craft kits and virtual lessons, has devised a heart cushion that can be made by upcycling an old T-shirt or two. Find the details below – with no sewing needed, it’s perfect for older kids.
Craft idea:T-SHIRT TWO HEART CUSHION
A great way to use old T-shirts as part of a crafting project that requires no sewing skills.
YOU WILL NEED
One or two T-shirts (one is enough but two if you want a contrast)
Sharp scissors
Card or similar for the template
Pen
Stuffing
METHOD
1. Cut the T-shirt (or shirts if using two) up the sides and under the arms to give you a flat single-layer piece.
2. Draw a heart shape on the card the size of the cushion that you want to end up with. Cut it out to use as a template.
3. Using your card template, draw the heart on the T-shirt ensuring you leave around 10cm of space around the edge. Do this on both T-shirts if you’re using two or twice on the same shirt if you’re just using one.
4. Draw a line around your heart shape that’s about 7-10cm away from your original and cut out along your new line. Lay both shapes on top of each other and cut a series of lines a centimetre or two apart from the edge to the inner heart line, making sure you don’t cut past this. Do this around the whole edge to create a series of strips.
5. Take the matching strips on the top and bottom heart shapes and tie the top strip to the bottom strip using a square knot or any other secure knot to bring the edges of the hearts together. Do this around almost the whole edge ensuring all the strips line up. Leave a few strips untied to create a gap of a few centimetres.
6. Use the gap to insert stuffing until the heart looks nice and plump. If you don’t have stuffing you can cut the leftover bits of T-shirt into small pieces and stuff it with those. Now tie up the rest of the strips and you’re all done. Why not make more in different sizes with your leftover material?
Main images: Getty Images
