• Wash, clean, and cut the vegetables into large pieces.
• Simmer the vegetables in water along with the vegetable stock cube and olive oil. Cook for about 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
• Transfer the vegetables one at a time to a blender along with the cooking cream and then gradually pour in the soup to get the desired consistency.
• Serve in bowls and enjoy with your favorite toppings. I added sundried tomatoes, pistachios, and brie cheese.

• Wash and slice the eggplants, sprinkle with salt, and place the slices on a paper towel to draw out excess moisture.
• Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt.
• Dip each eggplant slice in flour, then in the beaten eggs, and repeat the process.
• Arrange the slices on a tray lined with parchment paper, then sprinkle with paprika. For extra crunch, drizzle with a few drops of olive oil.
• Bake in the preheated oven at 200°C (390°F) for 20-25 minutes, flipping the slices halfway through, until golden and crispy.

Sauce

• In a bowl, combine the yogurt with a pinch of salt, minced garlic, mustard, and paprika. Stir well until all ingredients are evenly incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
• Serve the baked eggplant with a squeeze of lemon on top and plenty of delicious garlic yogurt sauce.

• In a skillet, heat the olive oil and butter.
• Add the onion. Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon of salt and cook on a low heat until it softens and becomes light golden.
• Add the garlic, smoked paprika, chili powder, oregano, thyme, pepper, the remaining teaspoon of salt and the peppers. Continue cooking on low for about 25 minutes or until the peppers softens.
• Remove from the heat, sprinkle the cheese over the top and place in the oven under the broiler/grill setting for about 5 minutes.
• Serve hot with pita bread.

• Heat a saucepan over medium heat, add a little olive oil and the chopped onion, and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
• Add the rice with black quinoa and sauté for 1 minute to seal it.
• Pour in the vegetable broth, add the turmeric, stir, and bring to a boil for 15-20 minutes, until the rice absorbs the liquid.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat, transfer the rice to a large bowl, and add the dried plums, dried apricots, pomegranate seeds, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
• Serve the salad, garnished with pomegranate seeds and crushed Aegina pistachios.

For the Dressing:

• In a bowl, combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, lime zest, lime juice, honey, curry powder, salt, and pepper. Stir with a spoon until the dressing is smooth and well-blended.

For the Salad:

• In a large bowl, mix together the red lettuce, green lettuce, celery, apple, pear, sultanas, corn, and walnuts.
• Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently with your hands, wearing disposable gloves. Serve immediately.

• Soak the lentils in a bowl for 12 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 170°C/340°F, on convection mode.
• In a food processor, blend the lentils with the water, paprika, salt, and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the cornmeal and cornstarch, and mix until a pliable dough forms.
• Take 40 g (1 ½ oz) of the dough and shape it into a ball. Press gently in the center, place a piece of mozzarella inside, and reshape it into a ball. Roll the croquette in a small bowl with sesame seeds until completely coated, then place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat the process for the remaining croquettes.
• Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, let them cool slightly, and serve.

Fir the fritters:

• Combine the kohlrabi with the onion, salt and lime juice. Allow to sit for 20 minutes, then squeeze out any excess liquid.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, garlic, ginger, pepper, and ricotta.
• Add the mix to the kohlrabi mixture. Combine well and sprinkle in the flour. Fold to incorporate.
• Form palm size patties. In a skillet, heat up about 2 teaspoons olive oil and cook the fritters for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden and cooked through.

For the mango lime sauce:

• Place all the ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer for about 15 minutes or until soft. If you are using fresh mango, you might need to add about ¼ cup (60 ml) water. Using a stand or hand mixer, blend until smooth.

For the chickpea fritters:

• Place the chickpease in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Cover with plastic wrap and let them soak for 1 day.
• Drain the chickpeas well and place them in a large food processor with all the other ingredients except the onion. Pulse on high speed until the mixture comes together (be careful not to make it a paste; it should still have some texture). If using a smaller food processor, work in batches.
• Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the chopped onion, and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to allow the dough to firm up.
• After 1 hour, take 2 tablespoons of the mixture, shape it into a fritter, and press gently in the center. Repeat this process for the remaining mixture.
• Heat a deep pot over medium to high heat and add enough sunflower oil to submerge the fritters. Once the oil is hot, fry the chickpea fritters until they are dark golden brown on both sides. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the pot and place them on absorbent paper to drain excess oil.

For the spicy sauce:

• In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, stirring with a wooden spoon. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until they caramelize.
• Add the remaining ingredients, stir well, and simmer for about 20 minutes until the sauce thickens.
• Serve the chickpea fritters hot, accompanied by the spicy sauce. Enjoy!

For the dough:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and butter. Wearing disposable gloves, start rubbing the butter into the flour between your fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Add the egg and knead until a smooth dough forms.
• Shape the dough into a disc, wrap it in cling film, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 160° C/320° F, on convection mode.
• Place two sheets of parchment paper on your work surface, sprinkle with a little flour, and roll out the dough between them with a rolling pin. If the dough sticks, sprinkle with a bit more flour.
• Butter and flour a 25 cm (10 inch) round tart pan with a removable base. Press the dough into the pan, making sure it adheres to the bottom and sides. Trim any excess dough with a knife.
• Prick the bottom of the pastry all over with a fork, cover with a sheet of parchment paper, and fill it with rice or beans to weigh it down and prevent the pastry from puffing up while baking.
• Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, then remove the parchment paper and beans. Brush the tart with the egg wash and bake again until golden brown.

For the filling:

• Heat a deep skillet over medium to high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the bacon, and sauté for 2 minutes on each side until nicely colored.
• Add the mushrooms, stir, and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Then, remove the skillet from the heat, add the parsley, paprika, and chives, mix well, and spread the mixture evenly over the tart base.
• In a bowl, combine the milk, heavy cream, eggs, and Parmesan cheese, seasoning with salt and pepper. Whisk well until the mixture is smooth, then pour it over the tart.
• For the tart:
• Transfer the tart to the oven, carefully pour the mixture over the top, and bake for 1.5 hours, until golden brown.
• Remove the carbonara tart from the oven, let it cool slightly, cut into pieces, and serve.

• Heat the olive oil in a shallow pot over medium heat. Add the orzo pasta and cook until it turns golden brown, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
• Add the butter to the pot. Once melted, add the rinsed and drained rice. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly to coat the rice with the oil and butter.
• Pour in the hot chicken broth and add the salt. Stir well. Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a boil.
• Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer until small holes appear on the surface of the rice, about 10-12 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and let the rice pilaf rest with the lid on for 5 minutes. Then, fold the rice with a fork to fluff it up. Cover again and let it rest for another 10 minutes.
• Stir the rice pilaf gently before serving. Enjoy as a side dish with salad, yogurt, pickles, or your choice of protein such as chicken, meat, meatballs, beans, or chickpea stew.

• Place the well washed, peeled vegetables in a soup pot.
• Add salt and pepper. Pour in enough water to cover the vegetables entirely.
• Boil until the potatoes are soft and easy to mash.
• Once cooked, blend until you get a smooth and creamy consistency.
• Add the cooking cream or yogurt and stir.
• Pour into bowls, sprinkle with chili flakes and enjoy with toast.

Steamed Potatoes and Broccoli

• Peel and dice the potatoes. Cut the broccoli head into small florets. Steam them!

  You can use the Thermomix and cook the potatoes in the steaming basket and the broccoli in the Varoma dish (22 minutes at Varoma temperature, speed 1). If you don't have a Thermomix, you can use the classic cooking method: boil the potatoes in a pot with water and salt, place a sieve over the pot and add the broccoli florets. Cover with a lid and let the steam do its work!

Salmon in Tuscan Sauce

• Season the salmon fillets with salt, pepper, and fish seasoning.
• Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan.
• Add the salmon fillets to the hot pan, skin side up. Fry for 5 minutes over medium heat, then flip the fillets and cook for another 5 minutes on the other side.
• Carefully remove the salmon fillets from the pan and place them on a clean plate.
• In the same, unwashed pan, melt the butter, then add the onion and garlic and sauté for a minute or two. Add the dehydrated tomatoes and sliced mushrooms and cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly.

  Usually, dried tomatoes are quite salty, so I recommend adjusting the salt-level of the sauce only at the end.
• When the mushrooms are done, add the chicken stock and cooking cream, mix well with the remaining ingredients and cover the pan with a lid. Let the sauce simmer for 3-4 minutes over medium heat.
• Place the salmon fillets over the sauce and cook for another 2 minutes with the lid on. Turn off the heat and leave the pan covered until ready to serve.
• Serve with potatoes and steamed broccoli.
• For the grown-ups at the table, salmon loves the company of a dry white wine.