Dinner, Drinks and a Movie - Yamas, Nottingham

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Yamas, 5 Thurland Street, Nottingham NG1 3DR - (0115) 950 1000

Yamas in Nottingham is a beloved restaurant that I have been to many of times yet I think is still a hidden gem in the city centre.  It is a Mediterranean Meze and Tapas restaurant that is independently owned by a Greek gentleman who also works there serving tables and being the perfect host. None of the dishes are expensive and they also have set menus for larger groups or new customers who aren't sure what to order.


We got there early at 6pm to have a meal before going to see the new film 'Lucy'. It was pretty quiet but picked up by the time we were leaving. Starting the night with a bottle of Beaujolais, not very Mediterranean but I love red wine, we looked over the menu and chose around 3/4 dishes each to order.


And we are never disappointed by what we get! Salmon and Prawns in a creamy tomato sauce and Lamb Tagine with Apricots.


A huge bowl of Greek Salad - red onion, tomatoes, feta cheese, black olives, cucumber and rocket. 


Our favourite dish of Octopus! We always order this as it is so nice and not at all rubbery, served in a tomato sauce.


Giant Butter Beans and Saffron Rice. 


Chorizo with peppers and onions. 


And to finish...who can resist dessert! The menu is very Greek and rich and so are the desserts. The options are limited but with something for everyone from Yoghurt and Honey to Chocolate Fudge Cake and Cheesecake to traditional Baklava - layers of filo pastry and almonds drizzled with honey.

We drank our wine, had good conversation (if you have seen my Twitter you will also have heard about a terrible YouTube viewer!) and at the end were offered complimentary shots of Amaretto or Sambuca. We both chose Amaretto (which we always do when they give us these options) and were given a pleasant farewell and handshake at the door.

I recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for intimate or casual dining that has a great atmosphere and even better food.

Let me know if any of you decide to go or have been anywhere similar I can try! xx


Recipe #4: Strawberry Layered Cheesecake

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Ah who doesn't love a cheesecake? That's right, everyone loves cheesecake and those who say they don't are lying. 


Today I was supposed to be having a fun filled solo shopping trip in Birmingham. I did the shopping but it wasn't very fun filled and resulted in only two photos being taken - FAIL. So instead of that being uploaded here is my Strawberry Layered Cheesecake recipe. This is really easy to make and has the added bonus of yummy condensed milk.


Tip: Don't forget the lemon juice. You may think the cheesecake will benefit without but oh no it makes it better and surprisingly doesn't taste like lemons.

Serves 12
Prep Time: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients
200g Biscuits - I chose Malted Milk
5 dessert spoons of Almond Butter
410g Mascarpone Cheese
1x 397g Tin of Condensed Milk
Juice of 2 Lemons
400g Strawberries
1 tbsp Jam - I chose Raspberry because that's what was open in the fridge!

1. Put all the biscuits in a freezer bag, or any kind of resealable food bag, and bash with a wooden spoon or rolling pin until they are all broken up. I like to keep some of the pieces  a bit big so the base is still crunchy.
2. Mix the almond butter into the biscuit crumbs and combine until all the biscuits are coated. Pour into the base of a tin and flatten with the back of a spoon. Put this in the fridge whilst you do the rest.
3. Mix the mascarpone and condensed milk in a bowl. Keep whipping until it is nice and smooth.
4. Add the lemon juice and stir.
5. Chop the strawberries into a bowl and coat with the jam.
6. Pour half of the cheesecake mixture in the tin and smooth out. Add the strawberries and top with the rest of the cheesecake mix.
7. Leave in the fridge to set for around 2-4 hours then serve.

See told you it was easy! Let me know if you have tried this recipe and what you think xx

Recipe #3: Healthier Egg Free Rhubarb and Ginger Muffins

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This is one of my own recipes for Healthier Egg Free Rhubarb and Ginger Muffins, instead of Egg I used Banana; I also substituted Milk with Almond Milk and swapped Butter for Fat Free Greek Yoghurt. I used paper muffin cases but I would recommend using lightly oiled silicone cases, as the muffins do not have butter they tend to stick to the paper cases. The filling is a Rhubarb and Ginger Conserve by The Mercers. The muffins are a basic muffin recipe so feel free to get creative with the fillings.

Makes 12 Muffins
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 15-20 minutes


Ingredients
2 1/2 Cups Plain Flour
1 tbsp Baking Powder
4 tbsp Caster Sugar
1 1/4 Cups Almond Milk
1 Banana, mashed
1/2 Cup Fat Free Greek Yoghurt
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
6 tsp Rhubarb and Ginger Conserve

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Stand 12 paper or silicone muffin cases in a muffin tin, or simply grease the tin thoroughly. Sift the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl and stir in the caster sugar. 
2. Mash the banana in a separate bowl or jug and beat in the almond milk, fat free greek yoghurt and vanilla extract. Add to the flour mixture and fold together lightly. The mixture shouldn't be over worked, just fold enough until all the flour has been combined.
3. Separate half the mixture into the muffin cases and save half in the bowl. Top each one with half a teaspoon of the conserve filling, then cover with the remaining muffin mixture.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the muffins are well risen and golden.
5. Remove the hot muffins from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Let me know if you try these and what you think xx

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