Disclaimer – This post is a paid advertorial with Tesco, but all views expressed are my own!
Ah, February.
It’s that time of the year again. The shortest month of the year and the chill is waning–or at least, I like to imagine it is. It snowed yesterday so I am pretty sure this is wishful thinking. Although we’re not quite out of winter yet, I tolerate the cold in February because I know I am a little closer to sunshine.
Growing up in Singapore, February was my favourite. I loved it slightly more than I loved October (when my birthday is), for one reason: Valentine’s day.
I was in an all-girls school for 10 years. So my Valentine’s day may be considered a little more untraditional, although I like to think mine was also a wee bit better. Every year, all my pals would make little cards and give each other chocolates. I’d come home, pockets stuffed with Hershey’s kisses and little hand-drawn cards. I still have a box stuffed full of them (the cards, not the chocolates) under my bed.
The point I am trying to make here (and I promise I am trying to make a point) is that Valentine’s day isn’t just about people in love, it’s also about people who love each other. And we all have people we love, people we love to spend time with.
I have teamed up with Tesco to tell you a little more about someone I love to spend time with. And as someone who likes to cook a bit too much, this time is usually spent cooking together. Or, eating together. Or talking about food to each other.
Cooking Together
Being a medical student isn’t easy. It involves a lot of lectures, a lot of early starts, and a lot of procrastination on Netflix. The one thing that got me through every day last year, was coming home to cook with Alex. We’d meet, like clockwork, at 6 p.m. in Tesco to get whatever we needed for dinner that day. Including the mandatory bag of sweet and salty popcorn for the inevitable evening Netflix procrastination (see above). I know what you’re thinking: You do a food shop every day? Living 10 minutes away from a Tesco means that the concept of a weekly shop is still incredibly foreign to me since I just pop in all the time to get whatever I need for that day.
Once we got home, we would put on an episode of Friends and start cooking. Or, rather, I would start cooking. Alex was in charge of chopping the onions. Something he has gotten much better than me at doing. He chops them up into perfect little chunks, all equal in size, in well under a minute. All without cueing the waterworks. Magic! Someone needs to invent onion-chopping goggles for me. Or, I guess, I could just use a pair of goggles…
This routine stuck with us throughout finals, even after whole days spent in the library at old lectern desks. Our dinners were sacred. At 5.30 on the dot, we’d drop our pens, shuffle our papers together and pack up. We would march to Tesco (all the while complaining about much our brains hurt), absolutely ravenous.
Nowadays, we don’t have dinner together every night. The routine is no more. Alex is off in London doing great things, and I am still here in Oxford, on Netflix. But whenever we do get to see each other, we make dinner together. We always do. Although I love to cook, it is sometimes difficult for me to put a little more effort into making a meal for myself. I think in that way we take care of each other. Because having someone to cook for reminds me to take care of myself.
Tesco Real Food
When Tesco asked me to partner up with them to tell you a little more about someone I loved cooking with, I was beyond excited. Because this year, being alone has made me realise how much I needed those dinners. And how much I absolutely loved cooking with him. The first time I walked into Tesco without Alex I forgot half of what I needed to buy. Plus, I am loving all that Tesco is doing for veganism this year. Those wicked meals are kinda the best ready meals I have ever seen, plant-based or not.
In case you don’t already know, Tesco Real Food is a website with loads of really incredible recipes, with gorgeous photographs (warning – do not scroll through them if you are hungry and stuck in a lecture). They have a huge collection of vegan recipes, ranging from plant-based spins on classic meals or new, creative vegan dishes. So whether you are in the mood for some familiar comfort food, or up for cooking something totally new, there is something on there for you. It was so difficult for me to chose what dish to try first, but now I know I will have a huge list of recipes to bring up everytime Alex and I are struggling to decide on what to have for dinner.
What I love about the Real Food website, other than the fact that it is full of scrummy plant-based recipes, is how you can text, or email, the ingredients to yourself so you know exactly what to pick up in store. Which is so perfect if you’re tight on time! So even if you don’t get your groceries online, it gives you are a really easy peasy way to get exactly what you need.
I have been vegan for 5 years, and there are still days when I end up with absolutely no idea what to have for dinner. Now, I just have to scroll through Tesco’s amazing list of recipes, pick exactly what I want to eat, and with one click I can have all the ingredients I need to buy sent to me. They even organise them according to what I may already have at home!
Spicy Harissa Vegetable Bake
We made a delicious harissa vegetable bake. I love harissa, and I have a jar of it in my cupboard, but I never quite knew how to cook with it other than adding it to a tagine or a stew. This recipe is super creative, is bursting with flavour, and I don’t need to tell you how absolutely gorgeous all the colourful veggies are in the final dish.
The roasted vegetables are added to a spicy stew and then topped off with a super zesty crouton-like topping. The concept of this dish is similar to a vegetable crumble, with the chunks of crisp, toasted ciabatta beautifully contrasting the tender, succulent vegetables. I couldn’t stop eating it!
Now that I’ve got you drooling, hop on over here for the recipe on the Tesco Real Food website. The whole thing should take you about an hour and a half to cook and to catch up with whoever you are cooking with about your day. There is just something so special about creating delicious food together.
Alex and I also filmed a little video together, showing you how we created this dish. We took turns making different elements of the dish in this video, as this recipe can be made so easily with two pairs of hands working together!
Delicious Recipes For Any Day
I really do hope you have enjoyed learning a little more about how I love cooking with him. And that you try this recipe, as well as look through all the other equally scrumptious ones on the Tesco Real Food website.
And while this post may have been in the spirit of Valentine’s day, sharing a meal together isn’t something that only happens in February. And cooking together is something that brings me so much joy, no matter what time of year it is. So, if the sheer volume of amazing plant-based recipes on Tesco Real Food is overwhelming you, just remember you can work your way through it with a pal/S.O./your family. It makes it so much fun!
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