Simple stewed pumpkin with rosemary

Pumpkin is one of the main “features” of autumn and they are not just for Halloween! They are so versatile, you can make so many recipes with it. In Italy there are dedicated pumpkin festivals like the “Festa della zucca” in Venzone, in Friuli.  From pumpkin gnocchi, to bread, soups, pasta, delicious cakes.. the list…

Working week meals: Easy & healthy spinach pesto

Like many of you when I get home in the evenings all I need is to relax and take it easy for a little while; then there is dinner… and let’s be honest, I certainly don’t fancy spending too long on the stove but I also don’t want to eat something ready from the shops.…

Simple light leek soup with king prawns

I recently had a fabulous soup at a restaurant in Italy: a leek and potato cream with prawns on top. I loved it so much that I wanted to try making it myself at home. Leeks are winter vegetables which will never miss in my fridge anyway. Every week I  always buy a bunch to…

Soft fig & yogurt cake gluten free

Figs.. this is something I cannot resist. To me, they are more moreish than a piece of cake.. so I certainly look forward to fig’s season. They are great on top of bruschetta, paired with cheese or added to cakes. If you have 20 minutes to spare you can give this fig and yogurt cake…

Potato and green beans salad with black olives

Green beans are one of the delights of summer. As a child I used to pick whole buckets of them from the field. My mum would cook them and then freeze them for the winter.. we just had so many of them! Green beans or “fagiolini” were one of the delights of summer…after ice cream…

Mozzarella & prosciutto nibbles on sticks

Fresh, fuss free and delicious… in other words summer food! All over Europe we have been having an incredible summer this year, even the UK is basking in the heat. This translates into more aperitivi with olives and nibbles and fresh and healthy foods. I never bought as much watermelon as this year. I have…

Tomato, peach and basil summer salad

In the summer when the temperature rises and you are struggling with the heat, the general advice is of course to increase your intake of water but also to eat more fruit and vegetables. At this time of year when the bulk of my diet is made up mainly of vegetables and fruit, I feel…

Sausage, new potato, vegetables BBQ skewers with basil infused olive oil

It’s barbecue weather! Here in the UK we are having an extraordinary summer this year: it feels just like the Mediterranean, hot and sunny every single day.  Wow, all this sunshine makes you feel alive and happy, this weather is the perfect weather that screams of barbecue! I haven’t made many BBQs this year and…

Italian tomato salad – Insalata di pomodori

My sister went to Italy on holiday and came back with a bag of fresh homegrown tomatoes. The first ones of the season that my dad has grown. He has a large field where he grows organic vegetables. Now that he is retired this is a full time job for him as he grows so…

Healthy dark leafy greens savoury cake – easy recipe

I have been working at my local organic health shop for over a year now and I have been enjoying every single day there. I have always believed in organic and in eating good quality food so I never feel guilty in spending a little bit extra for good food. I do save money on…