With a start-up business and a young child, date night is always the first to be postponed or cancelled in our house. There is always a deadline that can't be missed and tiredness always out wins over any romantic plans.
Even at weekends, bringing work home is often the rule rather than the exception.
Plus, now there's a child, which means we would need two or three clones available at all times to help out with everything from doctors appointments to meals and baths and still get time to spend as a couple afterwards.
Sounds familiar? With Leaves growing so fast and our little boy Aidan learning new things (and getting faster) every day, the term 'date night' started to sound like a foreign concept.
One solution we found, especially for very busy periods, is organising a date night at home... chez nous!
Here are few tips on how to make it work:
- Make an effort and dress up. The fact that the dinner is at home doesn't mean no dress code. It's a special night, dress appropriately.
- Pick a soundtrack, light candles and move around some furniture. Make your home a new, exciting venue.
- Choose a theme: Italian, for example, would involve a delicious pasta meal, with a glass (or two!) of vino rosso, a classic Italian soundtrack and gelato on the couch in front of Life is Beautiful.
- Cook together. It doesn't need to be difficult or extravagant. Pick the right ingredients: spices and herbs such as saffron, basil, mint; seafood such as scallops, lobster (or another shellfish), a selection of artisan cheeses with a gourmet jam to serve them with... delicious!
Most importantly, try to relax and have fun - that means no checking emails or messages, no worrying about tomorrow's appointments or the visit to the dentist. Focus on the moment, enjoy each other's company and do not feel guilty - you both deserve some time to yourselves.
Need some inspiration? Try our
buckwheat and chickpea pasta with pan seared scallops, a creamy saffron sauce, slow roasted tomatoes topped with Thai basil and toasted walnuts.
Sabine Hobbel, an athlete and health researcher and her husband Nico Olivieri, an Italian chef share a love of food, fitness and nutrition are our Guest Bloggers this week in the lead up to World Pasta Day. The pair, mum and dad to one-year-old Aidan, run natural food company Leaves – pasta made from chickpeas and buckwheat.
